Need Help - Suddenly I Can Only View last 2 Days of History, However Full History (> 1 Year Ago) Remains in places.sqlite File (When I Search History)
I have 3 computers running the current version of Firefox, and I rely heavily on my past browsing history (like to re-visit past sites that I find helpful or that few products that I am interested in). All was fine until a few days ago, when I noticed that I could only view the past 2 days worth of history in all 3 installations of the browser. I have researched the subject, and tried various suggestions (such as making sure that "delete" history settings are not activated, but so far nothing has helped. I was able to tell that all of my pas history remains in the "places.sqlite" file, because on someone elses suggestion, I tried searching the history file using the generic term "www", and all my history is visible in the results (going back over 1 year). I also tried looking at the settings in the "about:config" Firefox settings page, and tied changing 2 settings that I hoped might help (they were "privacy .clearOnS hutdown.history" which I changed to "false" and also "services-sync.prefs.sync.privacy.clearOnShutdown.history" which I also changed to "false"); however none of these changes helped, and once I re-started Firefox I could only see the past 2 days of history, once again. (I have copied and pasted my Firefox “Troubleshooting Information” to the end of this question, for reference to all of my settings). What can I do to be able to see > the last 2 day of history again (without having to preform a search in history based on a specific word or phrase)? Thanks so much for your help with this issue.
All Replies (6)
History can be removed or not recorded several ways;
- 1) Running Firefox in Private Mode (nothing is recorded)
- 2) Privacy settings
(Type about:preferences#privacy<enter>
in the address bar.) - 3) Many disk cleaners and anti-virus type programs can remove data from browsers. Open their settings and have them leave the browsers alone.
- 4) Mal-ware.
Hi Fred,
Thanks so much for getting back to me with some helpful suggestions. Regarding the issue of "privacy mode", I have never run any of my versions of Firefox in this mode. So I think this one can be safely checked off the list of possible culprits.
As you suggested, I typed "about:preferences#privacy<enter>" to check my privacy settings.
Under the heading "Tracking" I do have "tell sites that I don't want to be tracked" checked, however I have always had this checked, so unless Mozilla just began to associate this setting with the loss of retention of visited sites history, I don't think this would be an issue.
In addition, under "History", I have "Firefox will remember my history" selected.
I do regularly run "CC Cleaner" and Iobit's "Advanced System Care" programs, however I have always been very careful to uncheck the options to "delete internet history", under both programs. I just re-checked both programs, and these settings have not been altered. I also run "Norton Internet Security", but have never manually run any type of "cleaner" component, so unless Symantec just update this program to include this option, and automatically run it, I don't think that this would be causing the issue of deleted Firefox history.
I will do a malware check on all 3 systems, however my thinking is "what is the likelihood that all 3 systems would suddenly become infected with the same type of malware (that would delete, or prevent > 2 days of Firefox history showing) at the same time? Seems unlikely to be the cause of this issue, but again I will check all three systems out for potential malware infection.
'Follow-up Questions': does the fact that, in doing a history search for the common phrase "www.", and Firefox displaying results > 1 year ago, mean that the actual history from > 1 year ago is still in the "places.sqlite" history file, and that Firefox is just not letting history > 2 days be displayed, by default, without a user preforming a specific search?
In addition, is it possible that Mozilla, in a recent Firefox program update, chose to alter the Firefox program to not show > 2 days history, by default? I was just wondering about these two potential issues.
I will go ahead and preform malware scans, but if you would not mind addressing my last 2 questions (and commenting on any of the other details that I have reported in the beginning of this reply), I would greatly appreciate your help. Thanks again! :-) -Cfguy
FredMcD said
History can be removed or not recorded several ways;
- 1) Running Firefox in Private Mode (nothing is recorded)
- 2) Privacy settings
(Type about:preferences#privacy<enter>
in the address bar.)- 3) Many disk cleaners and anti-virus type programs can remove data from browsers. Open their settings and have them leave the browsers alone.
- 4) Mal-ware.
Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift (Mac Options) > key, and then starting Firefox. Is the problem still there?
Any undo (Organize > Undo) available in the History Manager?
You can check for problems with the places.sqlite database file in the Firefox profile folder.
- Places Maintenance: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/places-maintenance/
cfguy100 said
Hi Fred, Thanks so much for getting back to me with some helpful suggestions. Regarding the issue of "privacy mode", I have never run any of my versions of Firefox in this mode. So I think this one can be safely checked off the list of possible culprits. As you suggested, I typed "about:preferences#privacy<enter>" to check my privacy settings. Under the heading "Tracking" I do have "tell sites that I don't want to be tracked" checked, however I have always had this checked, so unless Mozilla just began to associate this setting with the loss of retention of visited sites history, I don't think this would be an issue. In addition, under "History", I have "Firefox will remember my history" selected. I do regularly run "CC Cleaner" and Iobit's "Advanced System Care" programs, however I have always been very careful to uncheck the options to "delete internet history", under both programs. I just re-checked both programs, and these settings have not been altered. I also run "Norton Internet Security", but have never manually run any type of "cleaner" component, so unless Symantec just update this program to include this option, and automatically run it, I don't think that this would be causing the issue of deleted Firefox history. I will do a malware check on all 3 systems, however my thinking is "what is the likelihood that all 3 systems would suddenly become infected with the same type of malware (that would delete, or prevent > 2 days of Firefox history showing) at the same time? Seems unlikely to be the cause of this issue, but again I will check all three systems out for potential malware infection. 'Follow-up Questions': does the fact that, in doing a history search for the common phrase "www.", and Firefox displaying results > 1 year ago, mean that the actual history from > 1 year ago is still in the "places.sqlite" history file, and that Firefox is just not letting history > 2 days be displayed, by default, without a user preforming a specific search? In addition, is it possible that Mozilla, in a recent Firefox program update, chose to alter the Firefox program to not show > 2 days history, by default? I was just wondering about these two potential issues. I will go ahead and preform malware scans, but if you would not mind addressing my last 2 questions (and commenting on any of the other details that I have reported in the beginning of this reply), I would greatly appreciate your help. Thanks again! :-) -Cfguy FredMcD saidHistory can be removed or not recorded several ways;
- 1) Running Firefox in Private Mode (nothing is recorded)
- 2) Privacy settings
(Type about:preferences#privacy<enter>
in the address bar.)- 3) Many disk cleaners and anti-virus type programs can remove data from browsers. Open their settings and have them leave the browsers alone.
- 4) Mal-ware.
I have not changed any settings or changed how I use my my anti-virus or malware cleaners. I have only today's history. Change it back!
You were not clear, on the Norton Internet Security, did you check the settings?