Firefox reset itself back to original state as if I just downloaded it
I have been using Firefox for many years. I always use the most current version, and have it set to check for automatic updates. My computer is current, 10th gen Intel with RTX 3060 graphics card, 1 TB SSD drive, etc. I just loaded up my Firefox and I got a blank screen, and EVERYTHING was deleted, including the 367 bookmarks I have over the last two years, and all my settings!!! I regularly use Revo Unistaller Pro, but this NEVER does anything like what I experienced, only clears cache, cookies, etc etc. I have been using that program for years also, with no issues like this. So it is puzzling to me what just happened. I literally lost ALL my progress in Firefox for the last two years! How did this happen?!?!?
All Replies (4)
Hi Ernie, sorry to hear about this problem.
Q: Do you recall any software updates between the time Firefox last worked normally and this situation, whether for Windows, Firefox, or your security software?
Q: Did Firefox mention doing a Tune-up/Refresh, or needing to create a new profile?
If not:
If you haven't already, could you close out of Firefox and do a normal Windows shutdown and restart to complete any pending updates and release any file locks.
If Firefox again starts up without your data, could you check whether your stuff is available in a different profile, as follows:
Profile Manager Page
Inside Firefox, type or paste about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter/Return to load it.
This page should list at least one profile and could list many. (Each profile has two folders and one or more buttons. Do not use any Remove buttons!)
The profile that Firefox is currently using will have this:
This is the profile in use and it cannot be deleted.
Do you have any other profile(s) listed on this page? If so, you can check whether it is the one you were using recently by clicking its Launch profile in new browser button.
If it isn't what you want, simply close that new window.
If it IS what you want, back on the about:profiles page, click the Set as default profile button for that profile so Firefox uses it automatically at the next startup.
Any progress so far?
Nope. Nothing above applies. All my settings and bookmarks are gone. This has happened before, but it's rare. However, when it happens, whatever is going on, everything is gone, and the browser is reset.
Modified by Ernie M
It's difficult to imagine what is causing that.
Do you make any regular backups of your system?
If your backups do not contain the missing data:
During system updates, Windows 10 may have captured a copy of your Firefox data into a restore point. To avoid mangling other data, do NOT use system restore. Instead, try a program that lets you selectively export data out of restore points. Here are two options for that:
- ShadowExplorer: http://www.shadowexplorer.com/
- Shadow Copy View: https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shadow_copy_view.html
Before using them, set Windows to show hidden files and folders before diving in: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/view-hidden-files-and-folders-in-windows-97fbc472-c603-9d90-91d0-1166d1d9f4b5
Then within the most recent restore point shown in the program, you can explore along this path to see whether you can find a shadow copy of your profile:
\Users\your-user-name\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\your.profile
Actually, you could export out the entire Profiles folder to your desktop.
Let us know what you find and we can make further suggestions.
I am sorry my friends. I just have to take the hit. All is reset. I just have to think about whether i want to use Firefox anymore or not