History doesn't appear after downgrading Firefox
For a really long time I've been using an older version of Firefox (47.0b9, to be precise) because I didn't like the following updates. A week ago I noticed some problems with one website I was using and so thought that maybe it's because I was using outdated browser or something like that. To check this out I updated Firefox to newest (in that moment) version of it, but it wasn't the case, and because I didn't like the changes made to interface and other things I immediately downgraded it back to the version I was using earlier. But then I realized that all my browser history was gone.
I spent last week trying to undo or repair it, and so I found out that my browser history was still there, untouched, but for some reason older Firefox could not "see" it. After updating again to the newest version browser history was back and it showed again.
I tried many things, like System Restore or Firefox Sync, to somehow get the history back in the older version, but it just didn't work.
The thing is, while the history doesn't appear in version 47.0b9, the last session - tabs that I had opened - still showed, and when clicking on "History" button, before going into History window, there was a list of recently visited websites, and the last sites I visited before that whole situation were truly there, so I presume it has to have access to files that contain my browser history.
I am aware that there are supposedly some safety risks that come with using older version of Firefox, but I didn't experience any problems during my long usage of it so I don't see an issue.
I really need my browser history to work again in older version of Firefox, and not only because I don't like how newest version looks, but because of how search bar was changed (that is most crucial to me when it comes to this topic) and the fact that after upgrading the browser it started to work slower than before for some reason, which is quite jarring. Some other applications also started working slower, but it isn't as important as the browser.
I also tried slightly newer version of Firefox, but it seems that anything below 55 doesn't work. I think I've read somewhere that in version 55 any downgrade below started to not be supported anymore.
I'm sure there were some changes made to files that contain browser history and things related to it over the course of time. I think that "places.sqlite" file was actually five times bigger after updating to newest version, but I don't know why is that, I'm not really knowledgeable in that field.
But I wonder if there is anything I can do to make it work again in older version, specifically 47.0b9.
Thank you in advance for any help.
All Replies (7)
Aleye said
For a really long time I've been using an older version of Firefox (47.0b9, to be precise)
How data files between your old version and the current were changed and not backward compatible. Unless you have backups from before the upgrade, you might not be able to fully recover.
One thought is this; Create a sync account using the current version. Download the older version and install it in its own programs folder. Create a New Profile for the old version to use.
After, add the old version to the sync account. This can recover your data.
Current Firefox 55+ release no longer store the favicons in places.sqlite, but store them in a separate favicons.sqlite database. There have been a lot of changes to files in the profile folder and you can no longer safely downgrade a profile used by recent Firefox releases. Places.sqlite is not the only file that is no longer compatible, there are also issues with local storage (IndexedDB).
- key4.db and cert9.db have replaced key3.db and cert8.db (both SQLite)
- pkcs11.txt has replaced secmode.db
- handlers.json that replaced mimeTypes.rdf
In case it might be helpful:
I created a video comparing the old and new search bars and how to restyle the new one. (It's no longer possible in Firefox 64+ to inject the old bar back into Firefox.)
If you switch to the Extended Support Release of Firefox 60, the CSS rule set from the author of Classic Theme Restorer may still be able to inject the old bar (I haven't tried it myself).
FredMcD said
Aleye saidFor a really long time I've been using an older version of Firefox (47.0b9, to be precise)How data files between your old version and the current were changed and not backward compatible. Unless you have backups from before the upgrade, you might not be able to fully recover.
One thought is this; Create a sync account using the current version. Download the older version and install it in its own programs folder. Create a New Profile for the old version to use.
After, add the old version to the sync account. This can recover your data.
I think that is exactly what I did earlier, and I think it worked for a while, but only covered like 2 months (?), I believe. Unfortunately I didn't perform a back-up before first upgrade, which I regret now.
cor-el said
Current Firefox 55+ release no longer store the favicons in places.sqlite, but store them in a separate favicons.sqlite database. There have been a lot of changes to files in the profile folder and you can no longer safely downgrade a profile used by recent Firefox releases. Places.sqlite is not the only file that is no longer compatible, there are also issues with local storage (IndexedDB).
- key4.db and cert9.db have replaced key3.db and cert8.db (both SQLite)
- pkcs11.txt has replaced secmode.db
- handlers.json that replaced mimeTypes.rdf
I see. Thank you for information.
jscher2000 said
In case it might be helpful: I created a video comparing the old and new search bars and how to restyle the new one. (It's no longer possible in Firefox 64+ to inject the old bar back into Firefox.) https://vimeo.com/245639066
If you switch to the Extended Support Release of Firefox 60, the CSS rule set from the author of Classic Theme Restorer may still be able to inject the old bar (I haven't tried it myself).
Ah, I'm sorry, I've been misguiding. I actually meant address bar, not search bar.
So I presume there is no way to somehow "extract", for a lack of a better word, information from those new files that could be compatible with older version of Firefox?
cor-el said
Current Firefox 55+ release no longer store the favicons in places.sqlite, but store them in a separate favicons.sqlite database. There have been a lot of changes to files in the profile folder and you can no longer safely downgrade a profile used by recent Firefox releases. Places.sqlite is not the only file that is no longer compatible, there are also issues with local storage (IndexedDB).
- key4.db and cert9.db have replaced key3.db and cert8.db (both SQLite)
- pkcs11.txt has replaced secmode.db
- handlers.json that replaced mimeTypes.rdf
Now that I think about it, I have both old and new files that You have listed, except for secmode.db - I have both key3.db and key4.db, cert8.db and cert9.db etc. I don't know if it means anything.
I'm not aware of a way to "down-convert" a new places.sqlite database to the old format.
What don't you like about the address bar in Firefox 57+? Or maybe I should say in Firefox 48+?
If the problem is the layout -- title and URL on a single full-width lines vs. two lines stacked -- you can mostly work around that using custom style rules. You can get a sense of it here (I'm having an issue with the height/scroll settings in Firefox 63+):
https://www.jeffersonscher.com/gm/url-bar-tweaks.html
I think Aris also has another set of rules for it, but I can't recall testing it: https://github.com/Aris-t2/CustomCSSforFx
Aleye said
For a really long time I've been using an older version of Firefox (47.0b9, to be precise)
Just so you are aware the b9 on 47.0b9 means it is the ninth Beta channel build of 47.0. If you were to do an update it will serve you the current 65.b10 (Tenth Beta channel build of 65.0) Beta build instead of the current Release 64.0.2