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restore bookmarks

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Greetings,

I have been unable to restore my previous bookmarks due to the recent Firefox update.

I have tried to ctrl+shift+B and try to import my bookmark in the backup file in my profile folder but whenever I try to import my bookmark from the backup folder it says "unable to process backup files".

Ive also tried to import them from html link using the link I got here ; https://www.jeffersonscher.com/ffu/bookbackreader.html , it doesnt work, tells me the download "failed"..

I also tried to change the file extension from .jsonlz4 to .json ,still not working...(unable to process file).

Please help me get my bookmarks back, this is so frustrating.. Also needless to say im totally clueless in terms of computers (I am 62 years old),It took me 2 hours to understand and try to follow the instructions in similar post, Im not even joking... could you please use simple language and instructions in order to help ?

Thank you.

Greetings, I have been unable to restore my previous bookmarks due to the recent Firefox update. I have tried to ctrl+shift+B and try to import my bookmark in the backup file in my profile folder but whenever I try to import my bookmark from the backup folder it says "unable to process backup files". Ive also tried to import them from html link using the link I got here ; https://www.jeffersonscher.com/ffu/bookbackreader.html , it doesnt work, tells me the download "failed".. I also tried to change the file extension from .jsonlz4 to .json ,still not working...(unable to process file). Please help me get my bookmarks back, this is so frustrating.. Also needless to say im totally clueless in terms of computers (I am 62 years old),It took me 2 hours to understand and try to follow the instructions in similar post, Im not even joking... could you please use simple language and instructions in order to help ? Thank you.

Chosen solution

Okay, I didn't realize you were getting that message. That would explain why bookmarks and history don't work. But I'm not sure why changing out the file is not working. Can you think of any external software that would want to access your Firefox bookmarks or history?

Have you already tried:

New Profile Test

This takes about 3 minutes, plus the time to test bookmarking some sites.

Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.

Click the Create a New Profile button, then click Next. Assign a name like Dec2018, ignore the option to relocate the profile folder, and click the Finish button.

After creating the profile, scroll down to it and click the Set as default profile button below that profile, then scroll back up and click the Restart normally button. (There are some other buttons, but please ignore them.)

Firefox should exit and then start up using the new profile, which will just look brand new. Please ignore any tabs enticing you to connect to a Sync account or to activate extensions found on your system so we can get a clean test.

Do bookmarks/history work any better in the new profile?

If it looks good, please exit/restart Firefox to make sure that results don't change.

When you are done with the experiment, you can get back to your regular profile by opening the about:profiles page again, clicking the Set as default profile button for your normal profile, then clicking the Restart normally button.

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All Replies (15)

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Yes I did , it says "unable to process file".

I also tried it by removing the LZ4 at the end of the JSON file as instructed in another post but to no avail.

I tried explaining this in my first post but perhaps I didnt explain myself properly, sorry about that.

Modified by eTeRNaL_DrEaMeR

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Try "Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Verify Integrity".

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I just did , this is what it says;

> Task: checkIntegrity + The places.sqlite database is sane + The favicons.sqlite database is sane > Task: invalidateCaches - Unable to invalidate caches > Task: checkCoherence - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: expire - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: originFrecencyStats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: vacuum - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: stats - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task. > Task: _refreshUI - The task queue was cleared by an error in another task.


what would be the next step please?

Modified by eTeRNaL_DrEaMeR

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Hi, this is my page:

eTeRNaL_DrEaMeR said

Ive also tried to import them from html link using the link I got here ; https://www.jeffersonscher.com/ffu/bookbackreader.html , it doesnt work, tells me the download "failed"..

Could you walk me through where the problem occurs:

  • You drop the .jsonlz4 file onto the white box in the page -- does the script show the file contents in the box?
  • You click the Export HTML button -- does Firefox give you the choice to Open or Save the file? For importing, Save should work better.
  • Then the Downloads button on the toolbar should "animate" and when you click the panel -- is that where Firefox reports that the download failed?
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Hello jscher2000,

First of all, thank you for helping me.

I tried to convert the jsonlz4 file into an Html one , and this time it worked (I dont know why the download "failed" every time).

I did manage to convert it into Html and downloaded the file.

However once I go back on Firefox and try to import bookmark,nothing happens...

I select import bookmark from HTML then go to my download folder and select the file I just downloaded named bookmarks_from_json and nothing is happening.

It is strange I don't seem to have access to the history option of my browser either... every time I want have access to it, the library pops instead.

Modified by eTeRNaL_DrEaMeR

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Okay, progress. Next!

First, Firefox could be slow importing a large file.

Second, look for a folder at the bottom of your Bookmarks Menu named Imported Bookmarks. Some users report it went into the Other Bookmarks list. Can you find that?

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eTeRNaL_DrEaMeR said

It is strange I don't seem to have access to the history option of my browser either... every time I want have access to it, the library pops instead.

The Library should come up if you choose "Show All History." How were you trying to view history? For example, in the Sidebar (Ctrl+h)?

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Understood, I didnt know about show all history, I thought >I could have access to maybe some of yesterdays links I was on but yes new browser so of course blank history I suppose and Yes I do have the sidebar ctrl+h that works yes.

However, I do not have a folder called imported bookmarks at the bottom of the bookmark menu I got:-view bookmark sidebar/show all bookmarks/bookmarks toolbar(with more options)/other bookmarks(empty folder). There isnt anything else.

Also something strange , the bookmark option seems to be disabled for me, even in this new blank firefox version( I cant click on the star again , it should go yellow and automatically bookmark the link but it keeps getting greyed out).

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A few things:

First, try checking the Bookmarks Menu while you are in the Library window. Click Bookmarks Menu in the left pane, and then its contents should be listed on the right. Any Imported Bookmarks folder at the bottom there?

Second, it sounded from your "Verify Integrity" results that your "Places" database was okay. But if you cannot add any new bookmarks -- the star icon in the address bar should turnb blue and the bookmark normally would show up in "Other Bookmarks" -- the file might be corrupted and need to be regenerated. You mentioned having no history, so I wonder whether that already happened??

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There is absolutely nothing in the library , it is completely blank.

Whenever I wish to access my option "show all history" the icon ctrl+shit+H is greyed out.. my history is also empty.

As for the star icon, it doesnt go blue or any color , i keep clicking on it, it is supposed to add any page i click on, in the bookmark section and it is not working, no messages informing me that the page has been bookmarked nor any change in color on the star icon, and the bookmark toolbar is also blank of course.

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It sounds like the Places database is non-functional. There is an article for that which you could review next:

Fix "The bookmarks and history system will not be functional" error message

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I have gone through those before, I have already done the whole thing,Ive restarted the computer, Ive disabled the add-ons,shut down firefox,I ended process on all mozilla firefox applications in the task manager, disabled my anti-virus (im using avira) and I do not have norton,I deleted the places.sqlite file in my profile folder, yet nothing seems to work.

I have tried those solutions before,There is a red message that pops up underneath firefox when it starts and tells me that "the bookmarks and history system will not be functional because one of firefox's files is in use by another application. some security software can cause this problem." And when I do click on "learn more" , it is in fact the same page I am sent to by your link.

I have even uninstaled firefox and reinstalled it, but again I cant bookmark any page.

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Chosen Solution

Okay, I didn't realize you were getting that message. That would explain why bookmarks and history don't work. But I'm not sure why changing out the file is not working. Can you think of any external software that would want to access your Firefox bookmarks or history?

Have you already tried:

New Profile Test

This takes about 3 minutes, plus the time to test bookmarking some sites.

Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.

Click the Create a New Profile button, then click Next. Assign a name like Dec2018, ignore the option to relocate the profile folder, and click the Finish button.

After creating the profile, scroll down to it and click the Set as default profile button below that profile, then scroll back up and click the Restart normally button. (There are some other buttons, but please ignore them.)

Firefox should exit and then start up using the new profile, which will just look brand new. Please ignore any tabs enticing you to connect to a Sync account or to activate extensions found on your system so we can get a clean test.

Do bookmarks/history work any better in the new profile?

If it looks good, please exit/restart Firefox to make sure that results don't change.

When you are done with the experiment, you can get back to your regular profile by opening the about:profiles page again, clicking the Set as default profile button for your normal profile, then clicking the Restart normally button.

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YES, the bookmarks do work on another profile that i created all by myself and I managed to import my bookmarks on this profile! I am now going to use it as a main profile.

Thank you very much indeed for your help young man, it is greatly appreciated. The computers are very useful and amazing machines but do they drive you mad sometimes, I have to watch my blood pressure, but I did learn a lot today.

Thank you so much for your help, your time and your patience, regards,