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FF pop-up claims one of its files is in use by another app, preventing bookmarks from appearing (which are now missing) and then links to page in Chinese. What is this?

  • 2 replies
  • 3 have this problem
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  • Last reply by ezelbaum

ezelbaum
ezelbaum
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The pop-up appears as a bar just below the tabs at top. It reads "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." As warned, all my bookmarks are missing.

The link then produces a page written largely in Chinese, asking for a translator. I cannot imagine an issue this important -- leading to an automatic universal warning -- would not be translated. Has Mozilla been hacked?

The pop-up appears as a bar just below the tabs at top. It reads "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." As warned, all my bookmarks are missing. The link then produces a page written largely in Chinese, asking for a translator. I cannot imagine an issue this important -- leading to an automatic universal warning -- would not be translated. Has Mozilla been hacked?

All Replies (2)

Helper7677
Helper7677
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See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Locked_or_damaged_places.sqlite

ezelbaum
ezelbaum Question owner
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Helper7677 .. thank you for posting link. I tried several methods recommended but managed (through ineptness) to do more damage. As a last resort, I (1) saved the profile to my flash drive; (2) uninstalled firefox; (3) re-installed firefox; (4) then through bookmarks (organize - restore - choose file) selected a recent backup bookmark file off of the profile on the flashdrive. And it worked.