What the Hell is going on with Firefox?
I "updated" Firefox to Quantum 57.0.4 a couple of days ago. This evening I came in here to check messages, logged into my desktop running Windows 7 and it froze. So I cut the power at the surge protector, waited 30 seconds, and cut it back on. I chose normal settings, signed in, and when my desktop appeared I opened Microsoft Security Essentials in order to run a scan. I do this basically EVERY time my computer freezes. Well it was red instead of green and told me that it wasn't on. So I cut it on and started a quick scan. After the scan started, I opened Firefox and much to my surprise, instead of going to my home page, I was greeted by TWO Mozilla screens. One asks me if I am already using Firefox *(Firefox is my default browser, WTF am I using it?). It wants me to sign into my Mozilla account in order to continue to Firefox sync (something I will NEVER use). The other page is a Firefox Privacy Notice Effective September 28, 2017. Again, WTF? Useless. I'll just close the screens. WhY am I being forced to deal with this stupid crap coming at me from out of the blue? I interpret this as another Big Brother intrusion into my privacy. The reason I use Firefox is that it was supposeds to provide me discretion and privacy. I want to disembowel the cretin who invented telemetry. Why does Mozilla want to shove it down my throat?
All Replies (3)
It sounds as though your Firefox opened in a new profile that had never been used or customized before. I'm surprised you weren't posting to ask about what happened to your data, because I assume you want your old profile back.
If you haven't already, you may want to do a normal system shutdown and startup to release any file locks and complete any pending updates.
If your data does not magically reappear, the most likely scenarios for complete data loss are:
(1) A Refresh started but the migration of data from your old profile to your new profile was incomplete, or
(2) Your old profile was locked, so Firefox ignored it and created a new one.
Here's how to investigate those two possibilities:
Did Firefox perform a Refresh?
Unless it was interrupted in progress, you should find a folder on your desktop named Old Firefox Data. Inside would be a semi-randomly-named folder with freshly updated files. Do you see anything like that?
If so, we'll suggest how to rescue key files or completely restore the earlier profile folder.
If not...
Does the Profile Manager list your immediately previous profile folder?
To check on that, inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.
This page should list all the profiles Firefox is currently aware of. If you see a profile that is not currently set as default that looks promising, 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 I think those are still "under construction" so please ignore them.)
Firefox should exit and then start up using the other profile. Is that the right one?
If it's not there...
Did Firefox orphan your old profile folder?
Here's how to check whether there are additional profile folders in the standard location in addition to the one you're using. Start by opening your current Firefox profile folder using either:
* "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
* (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
* type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return
In the first table on the page, click the "Open Folder" button, to launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer.
In the Windows Explorer address bar, click the capitalized word Profiles to move up one level in the folder hierarchy. More than one folder here by any chance? Do the files in those folders look like they were last updated around the time of the update?
If you've got any promising looking folders, we can discuss next steps to recover use of them.
Thanks for the suggestions. I just closed the mystery screens, reset my homepage by choosing current in Options, and restarted. I am not happy with the experience but I THINK I am at least back to where I was before I was ignorant enough to 'upgrade' to the new version. I get sick and tired of people with superior intellects (extreme sarcasm) deciding what I @#$4ing want and what I @#$4ing need. It is @#$34ing disgusting. But I do appreciate your offer for assistance.
fyi : 57.0.4 has a fix for this :
- https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/3023893/opera-mozilla-vivaldi-and-more-rush-to-patch-spectre-and-meltdown-security-holes
- http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/04/technology/spectre-meltdown-cpu-flaws-explainer/index.html
Intel put out patches today but are having reboot issues with 2 chips
to find out what chip if are a intel or amd please use CPU-Z
Look for a patch or keep eye out for a update for 2 chips listed.
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