I can't get anything from Sync (bookmarks, pw-s etc) after Win7 reinstallation. Help!
So today I have reinstalled Windows 7.
After that, I downloaded FF 44. Signed in my Sync account.
And nothing happened.
All my bookmarks, history, passwords, etc - all gone.
Im actually confused now, it killed all my work for 5 years or so.
1. No, it has nothing with New/Old sync. Before the reintallation I was using the save FF 44 as I do now. 2. Before reinstallatio I checked the Sync preferences (everything was OK, every check box was enabled).
Please help, I wanna kill myself now.
Chosen solution
That password reset deleted your data on the Sync server. The encryption key is derived from the password, change / reset the password that data was sync'd with and the new password won't be able to decrypt the data when it arrives back on a device. So the old data is useless and it gets deleted.
Overall, Sync wasn't intended to do backups like that. It was created to synchronize data across multiple devices. When used like that one of the other devices would still have the Firefox Sync data, in an unencrypted format. So when the Sync password is changed and the data is wiped from the Sync server, the server would get data from another device and then feed it to the reinstalled OS and fresh Firefox installation.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (4)
Sorry that you are having that problem.
Did you have any problem with signing into your Sync account after re-installing Firefox? Did happen to reset the Sync account password?
the-edmeister said
Sorry that you are having that problem. Did you have any problem with signing into your Sync account after re-installing Firefox? Did happen to reset the Sync account password?
Yes, I had to reset Sync password.
Chosen Solution
That password reset deleted your data on the Sync server. The encryption key is derived from the password, change / reset the password that data was sync'd with and the new password won't be able to decrypt the data when it arrives back on a device. So the old data is useless and it gets deleted.
Overall, Sync wasn't intended to do backups like that. It was created to synchronize data across multiple devices. When used like that one of the other devices would still have the Firefox Sync data, in an unencrypted format. So when the Sync password is changed and the data is wiped from the Sync server, the server would get data from another device and then feed it to the reinstalled OS and fresh Firefox installation.
the-edmeister said
That password reset deleted your data on the Sync server. The encryption key is derived from the password, change / reset the password that data was sync'd with and the new password won't be able to decrypt the data when it arrives back on a device. So the old data is useless and it gets deleted. Overall, Sync wasn't intended to do backups like that. It was created to synchronize data across multiple devices. When used like that one of the other devices would still have the Firefox Sync data, in an unencrypted format. So when the Sync password is changed and the data is wiped from the Sync server, the server would get data from another device and then feed it to the reinstalled OS and fresh Firefox installation.
Cool.
o/