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Sync now works (finally) but toolbar icons out of order every time: new info at end.

  • 18 replies
  • 9 have this problem
  • 16 views
  • Last reply by monsieurms

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EDIT: THis part was solved; see last post. Hi, I'm running FF 27.0.1 on a Win 8.1 desktop; and a Vista Laptop; plus the latest FF mobile on my Android phone (S4)

Suddenly, nothing syncs. Now, the Win 8.1 desktop is new. I set it up. I migrated all my settings by pairing with my laptop. All was well. It worked! Suddenly, it just sort of stopped working.

As a test, I created a bookmark for Time Magazine on my Laptop. It does not appear on the desktop nor the phone, no matter how many times that I sync. The desktop, indeed, says it hasn't sync'd since 2-15, even though I keep telling it to sync. I then created a bookmark for a YouTube video on the desktop. That doesn't appear on either of the other devices. I checked the phone--and somehow sync was turned OFF. I turned it back on. And sync'd. No change.

--I unpaired the laptop and went through the pairing sequence again, using the desktop as the master. No change --I "reset" sync on each machine by choosing to "merge sync" data. No change.

I saw another recent thread on this recommending some file deletions. I'm reluctant to start deleting things without knowing the consequence of what is lost, and also, of course, that solution may not apply to me.

So, any help appreciated.

EDIT: THis part was solved; see last post. Hi, I'm running FF 27.0.1 on a Win 8.1 desktop; and a Vista Laptop; plus the latest FF mobile on my Android phone (S4) Suddenly, nothing syncs. Now, the Win 8.1 desktop is new. I set it up. I migrated all my settings by pairing with my laptop. All was well. It worked! Suddenly, it just sort of stopped working. As a test, I created a bookmark for Time Magazine on my Laptop. It does not appear on the desktop nor the phone, no matter how many times that I sync. The desktop, indeed, says it hasn't sync'd since 2-15, even though I keep telling it to sync. I then created a bookmark for a YouTube video on the desktop. That doesn't appear on either of the other devices. I checked the phone--and somehow sync was turned OFF. I turned it back on. And sync'd. No change. --I unpaired the laptop and went through the pairing sequence again, using the desktop as the master. No change --I "reset" sync on each machine by choosing to "merge sync" data. No change. I saw another recent thread on this recommending some file deletions. I'm reluctant to start deleting things without knowing the consequence of what is lost, and also, of course, that solution may not apply to me. So, any help appreciated.

Modified by monsieurms

All Replies (18)

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Thanks, but those are things I have either tried or just aren't specific enough.

I've paired devices many times--and had it working. It just stopped working, for no apparent reason.

Today for example, in signing on, I saw the sync button on the desktop revolving around for several minutes--10+

At the end of that, it still said "last sync, wed Feb 15:02"

Yet, also on starting up this morning, there were a bunch of new icons on my toolbar from sites that I long since deleted. They came from somewhere--likely from some other device or more likely, outdated sync data, which seems particularly odd.

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Odd...I thought I'd posted a reply on the potential solution, but it's not here.

In any event---I deleted my sync account, reestablished one, and got everything working again, so far as the mechanics go.

HOWEVER, an old problem resurfaced. Everytime that I use my laptop (and it syncs), when I later go back to my desktop, all the toolbar bookmarks that I have as icons are out of alphabetical order--or at least about 8-9 of them are misplaced at random. I reorganize them.

Sync desktop.

I go back to my laptop and it too now has the same disorder.

I reorganize them on the laptop.

I go back to the desktop---and they are out of order again.

I can't get it to stick!

Any ideas?

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While I am a newbie, I think, from what I have read, delete the current information from the Sync. Then Sync the main computer.

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Well, but that is kinda where I started. I completed deleted the sync account, started a new one, and then paired the desktop (main) with my laptop and other devices.

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Ok, I give up....if anyone has any ideas, please advise.

At this point, FF seems to take it as its mission in life to constantly rearrange my toolbar bookmark icons.

I don't know what else I can possibly do. First, I deleted my sync account entirely. Started again with my new desktop and gradually added my other devices (laptop, tablet, android phone.)

Every time I go to the laptop, things are out of order. I don't much care because that's what used to happen in the past, too. I could never solve it.

But I rearrange things anyway, hoping sync will be right on the desktop. It never is. I wake up the next morning, open the desktop and all the icons are rearranged in random order yet again.

Next, I figured maybe it was the phone causing a problem. I deleted sync account from the phone!

Next, I made sure to rearrange all toolbar icons properly on the desktop and the "reset sync" so that desktop data replaces ALL OTHER DEVICES.

I reestablished a sync account on the phone and let the phone sync. I watched the desktop toolbar icons rearrange themselves out of order as I watched.

I give up. What can be done about this problem? THere's not much point having a toolbar of bookmarks if a 5-7 of them are always (the same 5-7, btw...if that's significant) scattered about at random with no alphabetical order and I can never find them.

This has been a long standing problem. Now that it is screwing up my desktop constantly, I just am ready to throw it through the window.

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I had a similar problem for a time. I found that the information is stored in each profile folder as Prefs.js. Copy this file someplace outside Firefox. Then if you need to, copy the file back AS LONG AS you maked no changes.

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Hi, could you clarify a bit?

Assuming I am trying most of all to keep the buttons organized on the toolbar on my desktop (default-master), should I be doing this for the desktop or for the other devices? I'm frankly not sure how to do that on the Android devices.

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For the desktop; Firefox > Help > Trouble Shooting. After the new window opens, on the left side press the Show Folder button. This opens the folder for the current profile. While you are there, check the name of the folder. Look for and copy Prefs.js to another folder outside Firefox folders.

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On my prior setup while this was happening, it happened only to the laptop.

Now, it's happening only to the desktop.

Is it clear that it is the desktop one that is causing the problem, or is the desktop just the victim?

Finally, what else will be lost if I move that file?

Today, btw, it managed to reset my toolbar icons on the desktop when I had simply rebooted the desktop--without even opening another browser on another device.

Modified by monsieurms

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I did NOT say to move the file, I said COPY the it to a folder outside Firefox.

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Sorry, I just don't understand.

First, I tried to move--that didn't seem possible from within FF anyway. So, yes, I have copied it to another folder outside of FF (Desktop)

But if it is only copied, and not moved, how will that affect anything FF does?

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First; any time you need to do something to a Firefox, or any other program's files, close that program before doing anything.

When most programs are running, they open files they need to run. That is why sometimes when you want to use a file (move, read or delete), you get an error message.

This is why you copy important files; If something goes wrong (corrupt, deleted, changed, whatever) you have a safe copy of that file elsewhere. If you find that a file was changed not the way you want, just COPY the saved file back to its original folder, leaving the backup copy where it is.

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ok, thanks for your help, but none of that alas worked.

I did everything possible I could think of yesterday to sync these correctly.

It still changes in front of my eyes.

I can't think of anything to do. It's seriously driving me crazy, too. It's also astonishing that it is always the same handful of icons.

So at this point is FF simply grossly defective in terms of sync, or can anyone suggest a solution?

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monsieurms - Were you able to find anything out since?

We've had the same issues with FF for a while. We use bookmarks a lot and with them moving around, it caused a lot of frustration. We enjoy using FF browser and would like to in the future, but if the bookmarks can't stay still it won't work.

We've since moved to Chrome and haven't had any issues so far.

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No, I was not able to completely solve this. At one point, I thought perhaps the main issue was with sync'ing to my phone and it was the phone browser (FF mobile, which I actually like a lot) that was causing the problem. I think now that is not true.

I basically gave up, switched to Pale Moon. (It's essentially Firefox -- without most of the bugs that the latest round of updates caused, as indicated in another thread:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/999861?esab=a&s=&r=1&as=s

--and without the mischief-causing frenetic updates and with a more classic look-and-feel that doesn't require me to play around with add-ons to put FF back the way it should have been left in the first place..

Modified by monsieurms

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Ok, will check that out.

Do you know if it still hoses up without using sync?

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Sorry, I don't.