yajdam said

I had to repeat steps 2 to 5 because Firefox ignored the "no auto update" the first time and installed Firefox 57 once again, but everything was ok in the second time! I'm, for now, a happy Firefox 56 user!

THANK YOU for the info!!!

I also had to repeat the remove/install because it kept trying to auto update even with the option unchecked... 2nd reinstall fixed it and I probably wouldn't have tried a 2nd time if I didn't see your post!

I am also a happy "Firefox 56 user" again  :)

yajdam said

...I downgraded without any kind of problem with all of my old settings and addons back. 1-Make a backup of your profile, just to be safe. (In W10 you can find it here: %AppData%\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles and make a copy of the folder or folders in there) 2-Unistall Firefox 57 using its uninstaller 3-Download and install Firefox 56 4-Open Firefox, go to Tools->Options and in "General", DISABLE "automatically install updates" by choosing any thing else. 5-Close "Options" and restart Firefox. (It takes more time to write this stuff then doing it.) I had to repeat steps 2 to 5 because Firefox ignored the "no auto update" the first time and installed Firefox 57 once again, but everything was ok in the second time! ...

Thanks very much for these explicit steps! One question that none of the support documents seem to answer:

Is it necessary to uninstall "Quantum" first? I was about to just install 56 on top of it...

...and I'm sorry about the format of the blockquote above. I've forgotten the trick to make the default editor on this forum behave nicely. Can somebody please remind me? -- jclarkw

Regarding whether it is necessary to use the uninstaller for v57 before rolling back: After I copied my profiles folder as a backup, I decided to try the simplest procedure and just downloaded and installed v56.0.2 -- which worked without my uninstalling v57. However -- and this may be because I did not uninstall v57 first -- when I to to Options there is a full-screen set of options rather than the tabbed window.

And I can also confirm, as others have, that there is a need to disable automatic updates. Since some of the updates for add-ons may be necessary, I have them set to notify me but not install them. (Now, if only I could disable that "update to our new but horrible v57?" nag balloon!)

Thank you for that solution to Last Tab Close!

Interesting note: before I disabled the Last Tab Close Button extension, I followed the steps and of course the setting was "false."

After disabling the extension, a re-start showed that the setting had been changed back to "true" so I used your solution and it worked like a charm.

I am with you on this -- why is this not embedded with the other Options?

If downgrading from FF v57, it's best to go to the Extended Support Release which is derived from v52. This ensures getting security updates, which you will not get if going to v56 or similar.

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/

I'm doing this because I cannot do without the Go Parent Folder add-on.

nuwon said

If downgrading from FF v57, it's best to go to the Extended Support Release which is derived from v52. This ensures getting security updates, which you will not get if going to v56 or similar. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/ I'm doing this because I cannot do without the Go Parent Folder add-on.

IIRC, profiles touched by Firefox 55+ are not compatible with pre-55 versions, right? How do you suggest installing 52 ESR to deal with 57-to-56 problem?

mapsetah said

IIRC, profiles touched by Firefox 55+ are not compatible with pre-55 versions, right? How do you suggest installing 52 ESR to deal with 57-to-56 problem?

Some files are incompatible and may need to be regenerated, but I don't recall seeing a definitive document on what they are/were. I don't think there have been a lot of reports of data loss installing ESR over Firefox 55-57, but it may be that I just missed those threads. A backup is a great idea... Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles.

Reverting to 56 because of extension: "Keybinder by Lord Kamina" How do I modify hotkeys in 57?

I'm finding that 57.0 is breaking existing sites like Tumblrs, where it loses the buttons, and some blogs, where it overrides font settings. This is BAD programming, and I am surprised that none of you bright people tested the software that far before turning it loose on the rest of us.

I also had real trouble finding the page with the 56.0.2 download - you may want to make it EASIER to find, as a lot of us will be needing it. (Linking to a directory page is NOT helpful.)

Note that, for me, uninstalling 57 and reinstalling 56.0.2 did not erase bookmarks or other settings.

Let me start by apologizing if I missed something, but I really don't understand why some users and/or admins keep advising to install FF52 ESR? Reverting to FF56 (at least for me and I believe it's also for alot of other users) it's just a temporary fix, until one of two things happens:

1-Developers update their addons to FF57. Here we have 2 major problems: Porting may not be possible because of lack of support of the FF57+ and/or to much time consuming.

2-FF57+ starts to support legacy addons. This I truly believe it's not going to happen because It may not be possible and Mozilla would have to admit that they made a really bad mistake, when they told addon devs and users "Shove it!"

If in the near future none of these options occurs, I will not go back to FF52. Being stuck in the pass is not an option for me.

I'll just try Edge, Chrome, Opera and even FF57+ and determine for myself, which one is better (or not so bad) for me.

yajdam said

Let me start by apologizing if I missed something, but I really don't understand why some users and/or admins keep advising to install FF52 ESR? Reverting to FF56 (at least for me and I believe it's also for alot of other users) it's just a temporary fix, until one of two things happens: 1-Developers update their addons to FF57. Here we have 2 major problems: Porting may not be possible because of lack of support of the FF57+ and/or to much time consuming. 2-FF57+ starts to support legacy addons. This I truly believe it's not going to happen because It may not be possible and Mozilla would have to admit that they made a really bad mistake, when they told addon devs and users "Shove it!" If in the near future none of these options occurs, I will not go back to FF52. Being stuck in the pass is not an option for me. I'll just try Edge, Chrome, Opera and even FF57+ and determine for myself, which one is better (or not so bad) for me.

Wasting everyone's time here I suppose, but I couldn't resist seconding this quote, which probably sums up the feelings of many of us. I'm sure there are lots of great new features in Quantum, but at this point Firefox is becoming more trouble than it's worth. -- jclarkw

yajdam said

Let me start by apologizing if I missed something, but I really don't understand why some users and/or admins keep advising to install FF52 ESR? Reverting to FF56 (at least for me and I believe it's also for alot of other users) it's just a temporary fix, until one of two things happens:

The reason they are suggesting ESR is for security purposes. The ESR release will continue to receive security updates, FF 56.0.2 will not.

[https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/switch-to-firefox-extended-support-r...]

[https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox.../faq/]

Tunedport350 said

yajdam said

Let me start by apologizing if I missed something, but I really don't understand why some users and/or admins keep advising to install FF52 ESR? Reverting to FF56 (at least for me and I believe it's also for alot of other users) it's just a temporary fix, until one of two things happens:

The reason they are suggesting ESR is for security purposes. The ESR release will continue to receive security updates, FF 56.0.2 will not.

[https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/switch-to-firefox-extended-support-r...]

[https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox.../faq/]

They should have made 56 ESR, instead of an OLDER, profile-incompatible version.

Other option: the Pale Moon browser.

I found that Chrome, when I tried it, annoyed the heck out of me, and Opera wasn't working for me any more. Worst features so far: breaking CURRENT sites like Tumblrs (doesn't support the like button, may not support the Reblog button, and WTF, Mozilla, does NO ONE there ever see Tumblr?)

PJEvans said

I'm finding that 57.0 is breaking existing sites like Tumblrs, where it loses the buttons, and some blogs, where it overrides font settings.

This could be caused by Tracking Protection. Please see this article for more information on where to look for the shield icon and how to manage this feature: What happened to Tracking Protection?.

I also had real trouble finding the page with the 56.0.2 download - you may want to make it EASIER to find, as a lot of us will be needing it.

Always use the support article for a direct link to the immediately previous version, that's why it exists: Install an older version of Firefox.

PJEvans said

Other option: the Pale Moon browser.

Thanks for the tip and at first I was really impressed by Palemoon, but unfortunately most of the addons I tried, thinks I'm using FF27.9 instead of Palemoon (and since Palemoon is a Firefox fork, the addons aren't that wrong) and don't install. Maybe it's possible to open the addon package and tweak it to manually install it in a lower version, but that's to much work for to much unstable and unreliable results.

Thanks once again for the tip.

yajdam said

PJEvans said

Other option: the Pale Moon browser.

Thanks for the tip and at first I was really impressed by Palemoon, but unfortunately most of the addons I tried, thinks I'm using FF27.9 instead of Palemoon (and since Palemoon is a Firefox fork, the addons aren't that wrong) and don't install.

There is a Pale Moon forum somewhere. I'm sure they can advise on that issue.

philipp said

hi, downgrading an existing profile (with your settings and customizations) isn't a supported path and may break stuff. what do you dislike in the new version - maybe we can help you work around that, get accustomed or tweak it to your liking...?

you want a list eh? ok here you go, a list for the slow to understand...

1)ugly design in general

2) most addons do not work now. a very big issue for most of the userbase.

3) Critical UI information is now buried under menues. for instance bookmarks are now something you have to remember so you can type them in (not useful for when you have multiple things from a single site bookmarked) or go thru the three bar thing-bookmarks-bookmark manager- finally click on bookmark. it was way way simpler, quicker, and user friendly before

4) most comments giving users sites that help with downgrading (on alot of pages i have been reading) have had moderators taking down the helpful links. In the place of the actual helpful links, they talk about how bad it is to downgrade and what 'risks' there is to downgrading. like a dumb robot.

do you need more reasons? the entire thing is broken now thanks to the 'upgrade' and in my opinion the creator of this trashy update that doesn't even work should be fired.

This an option;

First, Type about:preferences#advanced<enter> in the address bar. Under Advanced, Select Update.

[v57+] Type about:preferences#general<enter> in the address bar. Select Update.

Select Never Check For Updates.

Also turn off Use a background service to install updates

Install Older Version Of Firefox {web link} Be sure to read everything here.

If you still want to downgrade, look under; I still want to downgrade. Click the Directory of other versions and languages link. Look for the directory of the version that you want. But, remember that old versions may have security issues.

You should also check out Firefox; Extended Support Release {web link} ESR Notes System Requirements

ShamusM said

1)ugly design in general

The "flat" look is a trend in UI design. You can modify it using themes and custom style rules.

2) most addons do not work now. a very big issue for most of the userbase.

What is important are the add-ons you need to be productive and happy using Firefox. Which ones are critical to you that haven't been replaced?

3) Critical UI information is now buried under menues. for instance bookmarks are now something you have to remember so you can type them in (not useful for when you have multiple things from a single site bookmarked) or go thru the three bar thing-bookmarks-bookmark manager- finally click on bookmark. it was way way simpler, quicker, and user friendly before

There is a "real" bookmarks menu button for the toolbar. You can add it from Customize, or use the "Library" button as described in the article linked below:

• Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars - look for

• Bookmarks in Firefox - section entitled: How do I add the Bookmarks Menu button to the toolbar?

4) most comments giving users sites that help with downgrading (on alot of pages i have been reading) have had moderators taking down the helpful links. In the place of the actual helpful links, they talk about how bad it is to downgrade and what 'risks' there is to downgrading. like a dumb robot.

I haven't noticed that but you don't need random links, you can use the support article: Install an older version of Firefox.