Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web Link} by holding down the <Shift>
(Mac=Options) key, and then starting Firefox. A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh).

Is the problem still there?

Look on your desktop. Do you see a folder called; Old Firefox?

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles

Hi, I don't have any Old Firefox on desktop. And I tried the procedure unsuccessfully in Safe mode before to open this case.

See what I have when searching Firefox on my C drive

Br, Philippe

Is there a convertor program to get my URL out of the bookmark file as a workaround?

I am calling for more help.

Places Maintenance {web link} Allows to run Maintenance tasks on the database that drives Places, the bookmarks and history module behind Firefox.

Open the Add-ons Manager. Locate the add-on and press the Options button. Then follow the directions.

Hi, I have installed place maintenance and run it. But after 30min it was still none answer. See attached printout. Please advice what next?

Thanks a lot

It looks like it got stuck. Please wait for more help.

Hi, I have tried again the exact same procedure and never get any answer even after few hours.

Please let me know what is next?

Shall I uninstall FF totally from the system and re-install clean?

How can I read the bookmark file format where all my URL are saved? Is there any way to convert all data in txt format that I can use in the meantime?

Thanks a for your help

Br, Philippe

Hi Philippe, Lets hope your regular backups come in handy, although Firefox itself usually does a pretty good job now with backing up bookmarks automatically.

Do not uninstall Firefox or delete any of its data or profiles. It is probably wise not to try any more bookmarks restore attempts untill we know what you have and are doing, as you could be destroying and overwriting bookmarks.

How did you backup the bookmarks ?

• Did you follow this procedure
  • Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer_backup-and-restore
• Or perhaps you exported them as an HTML file
  • Export Firefox bookmarks to an HTML file to back up or transfer bookmarks
• Or maybe you tried backing up the profile
  • Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles
  • PLEASE follow those backup instructions now. A backup of your profile may prove useful.
• Maybe you used any of a myriad of other backup methods, including Windows or thirdparty backup software. Please give us a clue.

Do you know where your backup files are and what type of backup they are. Also please search your full computer system for files called places.sqlite and post back to say how many such files were found and their locations.

See also

• Recover lost or missing Bookmarks
  • Can't add, change or save bookmarks - How to fix

Dear support,

Please find here attached the places.squite file location on my PC.

In the meantime, I have installed the ccleaner and cleaned the registry. After this, I could restore my bookmark with my last backup.

I used the bookmark backup menu of FF and save the file like "bookmarks-2016-08-17.json" in another server. If my PC crash totally, I can always reload my bookmark from these backup to a new PC with a clean FF.

Thanks Best Regards, Philippe

No need to reload to a new PC with a clean Fx.

Just take care restoring in Firefox because you will overwrite the existing bookmarks. Did you back up the profile, that's a belts and braces precaution, it helps ensure you do not lose further information.

If so just go in to the bookmarks Library (Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+ Shift+ B) and try the internal bookmark backups that Firefox has saved for you. They list the date and number of bookmarks, but as I said thy will overwrite whatever you have at present.

• Full instructions see Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer_restoring-from-backups

That method will probably get back all but a day or so of your bookmarks. If for some reason that fails we could try the external server backups.

Or alternatively especially if the History is not essential just rename all the places.sqlite files by adding .old to the end of them whilst Firefox is closed. When you restart it should recreate the bookmarks database itself using a recent internal backup file

• Instructions see Can't add, change or save bookmarks - How to fix_create-a-new-bookmarks-file BUT
  • Instead of deleting the places.sqlite file rename it. (Belts & braces again)
  • Also rename the places.sqlite-wal &.-shm

thanks a lot. Please mark this case as solved. Br, Philippe

Great, thanks for letting us know.