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unable to import json bookmarks using given suggestions

presentoccupant
presentoccupant

Dear Contributors/Moderators:

I am experiencing difficulty transferring my bookmarks to my new computer. My old computer bit the dust unexpectedly and about a month before that happened, I backed up my bookmarks using a USB drive as a JSON file. I have read through the help history, and have tried the current method of 1. show all bookmarks, 2. import and backup, 3. restore, 4. choose file (in this case the most up to date file I have from the USB drive), 5. it asks: This will replace all of your current bookmarks with the backup. Are you sure? click OK, 6. I close Firefox and restart. No bookmarks. I looked everywhere, and I cannot find them.

A few notes, I am unsure of what version of Firefox I was running on the old computer. I believe I was running Windows 10 on the old computer. I am running Windows 10 on my new computer. I am also running the latest Firefox.

I am stumped. I have spent 5 years accumulating these bookmarks. For something that seems so simple on the surface, has turned into a nightmare.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time.

Dear Contributors/Moderators: I am experiencing difficulty transferring my bookmarks to my new computer. My old computer bit the dust unexpectedly and about a month before that happened, I backed up my bookmarks using a USB drive as a JSON file. I have read through the help history, and have tried the current method of 1. show all bookmarks, 2. import and backup, 3. restore, 4. choose file (in this case the most up to date file I have from the USB drive), 5. it asks: This will replace all of your current bookmarks with the backup. Are you sure? click OK, 6. I close Firefox and restart. No bookmarks. I looked everywhere, and I cannot find them. A few notes, I am unsure of what version of Firefox I was running on the old computer. I believe I was running Windows 10 on the old computer. I am running Windows 10 on my new computer. I am also running the latest Firefox. I am stumped. I have spent 5 years accumulating these bookmarks. For something that seems so simple on the surface, has turned into a nightmare. Any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time.

Chosen solution

Hi presentoccupant, if you have a lot of bookmarks, the Restore process can take a long time. Are you allowing at least 60 seconds for the process to run?

A possible "Plan B" would be to convert the JSON file to an HTML-format file, which you can Import (rather than Restore). I have a page to do the conversion here:

https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/bookbackreader.html

And this article will get you to the Import command: Import Bookmarks from an HTML file.

Often an Import will put everything under an "Imported Bookmarks" folder on the menu, so if you don't see the bookmarks in their usual places, look for that folder, and you can move its contents to your preferred location(s).

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All Replies (2)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor

Chosen Solution

Hi presentoccupant, if you have a lot of bookmarks, the Restore process can take a long time. Are you allowing at least 60 seconds for the process to run?

A possible "Plan B" would be to convert the JSON file to an HTML-format file, which you can Import (rather than Restore). I have a page to do the conversion here:

https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/bookbackreader.html

And this article will get you to the Import command: Import Bookmarks from an HTML file.

Often an Import will put everything under an "Imported Bookmarks" folder on the menu, so if you don't see the bookmarks in their usual places, look for that folder, and you can move its contents to your preferred location(s).

presentoccupant
presentoccupant Question owner

Thank you for your reply and suggestions Sir. Amazingly, the HTML fix did the trick. Not sure what people like ME would do without people like YOU.