It's not really a search, it's a command to execute.

Try using the Windows "Run" dialog. Hold down the Windows key and tap the R key to open that up. Then paste

firefox.exe -P

in the box and press Enter or click the OK button to execute it.

Windows should find Firefox and start it with that parameter, displaying the Profile Manager. Any luck?

No. It posted the same error msg. :-(

Can you make sure firefox.exe is not running in the Task Manager? If firefox.exe is running, then the startup switch is ignored.

To call up the Task Manager, you can press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

You may need to click a "More Details" link to show a set of tabs including "Details". The Details tab can be sorted by the process name to more easily find firefox.exe. Then you can right-click > End Process on any you find to make sure you get a clean startup.

If you still have the same problem, have you shut down and restarted Windows since this began? Sometimes after system updates, Firefox starts with incomplete privileges. And sometimes Firefox updates are incomplete due to other pending updates/installs, and the program behaves like it's damaged until the system is restarted.

Checked the Task Manager. Nothing under Mozilla or Firefox. Did check more details. I have restarted my computer twice. It was working fine this afternoon.

Does it work any better with it spelled out:

firefox.exe -ProfileManager

(Again, using the Run dialog)

If not, you may be able to force Firefox to generate a new profile by hiding the current profiles.ini file. To get to that, paste the following shortcut into either the Run dialog or the Windows search box:

%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox

When you press Enter, Windows should launch a new Windows Explorer window with this folder displayed:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox

(Since AppData is a hidden folder, the shortcut is the easiest way to get there.)

This folder contains a file named profiles.ini but Windows may hide the .ini extension by default. In that case, make sure you see one that is described as Configuration Settings in addition to one described as File Folder.

Right-click > Rename the file to profilesOLD.ini (which may just look like profilesOld). Make sure you rename the settings file and not the folder.

When you start Firefox, it probably will create a new blank profile for you.

The full name worked. I did have to create a new profile within the Task Manager though since it would not use the defaults it showed. But I just synced and all my bookmarks came back! Thank you! :-)

nothing is working. I can't get to the profiles that you mentioned. just sends me to suggested sites I lost everything then tried to re install Firefox and it won't let me do that says corrupt or non exising profile and I can't make a new one. I have been with Firefox for like 15 yr or more

Hi granmanh, the last time you posted you were running Windows XP, which has some differences from Windows 10, which the person who started this thread is using. Are you still on XP or have you changed since then?

jscher2000 said

Hi granmanh, the last time you posted you were running Windows XP, which has some differences from Windows 10, which the person who started this thread is using. Are you still on XP or have you changed since then?

Nope Running Windows 8. Was getting lots of Not respondings and freeze ups so today unfortunately I did reset and it erased EVERYTHING and was reading and trying to fix, find old bookmarks etc. with no luck Profile got all screwed up. so tried to just start over and re install Firefox but kept getting that message about corrupt profile, would let me do nothing been reading and trying things and bad to worse. Oh at this since 8 AM. Finally gave up and found something. Oh in end I could not even get into profiles there were a few but found something and got into make new profile and got it and saw one that was default 1 and made a new or or change off the default 1 one I don't even remember now. I still have no bookmarks etc. I think they are there in the Old Firefox app thing on start up but at this point I am just glad I can get back into Firefox, changing passwords as I go but I had alot of important bookmarks that I will miss. I you know how to find them great but at least it finally let me back into firefox.

granmanh said

Running Windows 8. Was getting lots of Not respondings and freeze ups so today unfortunately I did reset and it erased EVERYTHING and was reading and trying to fix, find old bookmarks etc.

The Firefox Refresh feature will move your old profile folder to your Windows desktop inside an Old Firefox Data folder. Assuming you still have that, you can restore one of Firefox's routine automatic bookmark backups to your new Firefox profile. Here's how.

First, check this article for the steps: Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer.

When you get to the Restore menu, click Choose File..., then point Firefox to your Desktop, into Old Firefox Data, into your old (semi-randomly-named) profile folder, then into a folder named bookmarkbackups where you should see files that have their creation date as part of the file name. Try the most recent one.

Any luck?