Hi GarySGP!

Well, you can try this: right-click on the "download" icon to the right of the URL address bar, go to "bookmarks toolbar" and expand it, then select "always show". Does that display it for you?

Thanks and No. I should have mentioned in my query that, while I can use that to make it go away, all that shows when I click always show is the message I pasted.

I should mention that I have the settings set correctly to "Always Show."

I hate to direct you to a link, but this one should be helpful for you: go to https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recover-lost-or-missing-bookmarks and check out the "My bookmarks have disappeared" section. Hope it helps!

When I go to restore backup it finds the backup but says unable to process backup file.

Open the Customize window and set what toolbars (Show/Hide Toolbars) and toolbar items to display.

• Right-click empty toolbar area -> Customize
• "3-bar" menu button -> Customize
• View -> Toolbars
  *you can tap the Alt key or press the F10 key to show the hidden Menu Bar temporarily

• check that the "Bookmarks Toolbar Items" control is on the Bookmarks Toolbar
• if "Bookmarks Toolbar Items" is not on the Bookmarks Toolbar then drag it back from the Customize palette to the Customize window to the Bookmarks Toolbar

• if missing items are in the Customize palette then drag them back from the Customize window to the toolbar
• if you do not see an item on a toolbar and in the Customize palette then click the Restore Defaults button in the Customize palette window to restore the default toolbar set.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customize-firefox-controls-buttons-and-toolbars

Actually, it seems that my bookmarks are gone and I can't restore them from backup.

Also, fyi, my passwords, extensions, saved home page, etc. are all still working.

Apropos of my not uninstalling, fyi, my passwords, extensions, saved home page, etc. are all still working.

If you use Sync then best is to disconnect Sync temporarily during troubleshooting.

This could be a problem with the places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder.

• use the "Places Database" -> "Verify Integrity" button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page

If errors are reported with "Verify Integrity", close and restart Firefox or reboot and retry.

If "Verify Integrity" cannot repair places.sqlite, rename/remove all places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed. Firefox will rebuild places.sqlite and restore the bookmarks from the most recent JSON backup in the bookmarkbackups folder.

• keep a backup copy of places.sqlite in case a new places.sqlite database has to be created
• you lose the history when a new places.sqlite is created

You may have to restore an older bookmarks backup in the bookmarkbackups folder via the Bookmarks Manager (Library).

• Bookmarks -> Show All Bookmarks -> Import & Backup -> Restore
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/restore-bookmarks-from-backup-or-move-them

See also:

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/fix-bookmarks-and-history-will-not-be-functional
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cant-add-change-or-save-bookmarks

You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).

• Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
  Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

I do not sync and the Verify Integrity reports all sane.

I am unable to locate any "places.sqlite" and "favicons.sqlite" files anywhere on my computer.

Thanks,

Gary

I do not sync and the Verify Integrity reports all sane.

Hi Gary, you don't have any of your bookmarks listed in the Library window (Ctrl+Shift+O as in Organizer) in any of the 3 categories (Toolbar, Menu, Other)?

If you check the Restore menu again, assuming you find files that look to have the appropriate number of items, will they restore now?

I am unable to locate any "places.sqlite" and "favicons.sqlite" files anywhere on my computer.

By default, the AppData path where Firefox and most other applications store their data is hidden. You can make it visible using these steps: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/show-hidden-files-0320fe58-0117-fd59-6851-9b7f9840fdb2

However, as a shortcut to open your active profile folder, there's a button in the first section of the Troubleshooting Information page. Look for the Profile folder row of the table and use the "Open Folder" button on that row. But this is only if you still can't get your bookmarks restored.

You can use the button on the "Help -> More Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page (Root directory).

• Help -> More Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder/Directory:
  Windows: Open Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

Thanks,

No bookmarks at all.

Restore option shows the file but when I select and ask to restore, after giving me the usual warning about overwriting, it then displays "unable to restore backup" or some similar verbiage.

I have show hidden files and folders set to on as a default

I can see the backups using restore and also in the profile.

I just can't restore.

I am wondering if there is a way to restore my entire Firefox set up from backup although I haven't done a full system backup in a couple of weeks which would suck since I just did a save tabs and added a bunch just last week.

Gary

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I see the profile and backup, it's there. I just can't restore or use it.

While I had tried restarting Firefox, I started having other issues with my computer so I rebooted the system and now it's fine. Should have thought of that sooner before I spent half my day troubleshooting.

When will I learn? :-/

Thanks for your efforts!

Gary

While I had tried restarting Firefox, I started having other issues with my computer so I rebooted the system and now it's fine. Should have thought of that sooner before I spent half my day troubleshooting.

When will I learn? :-/

Thanks for your efforts!

Gary

Like I wrote above:

If "Verify Integrity" cannot repair places.sqlite, rename/remove all places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed. Firefox will rebuild places.sqlite and restore the bookmarks from the most recent JSON backup in the bookmarkbackups folder.