Update -- I just tried the same thing on a very similar computer, and it worked fine. No clue why... -- jclarkw

Let's start with this;

Firefox automatically makes backups of the bookmarks. These are stored in the bookmarkbackups folder. You can set how many backups are kept by doing this;

Type about:config<enter> in the address bar. If a warning screen comes up, press the I Accept the Risk button. At the top of the screen is a search bar. Type browser.bookmarks.max_backups

The values for this setting are; -1 = unlimited number of backups 0 = Do not create any backups Any other number here will keep that many backups Example: 5 = 5 backups are kept.

The backups are stored in a jsonlz4 file named something like this; bookmarks-2016-06-29_1424_enD1GTHya0JmicnYWg4V4g ==.jsonlz4 In this example; 2016-06-29 = date created, 1424 = number of entries.

Use one of these to close Firefox if you are currently doing that by clicking the close X on the Firefox title bar to ensure that Firefox closes properly.

• "3-bar" menu button -> Exit (Power button)
• Windows: File -> Exit
• Mac: Firefox -> Quit Firefox
• Linux: File -> Quit

FredMcD said

...Firefox automatically makes backups of the bookmarks... Type browser.bookmarks.max_backups The values for this setting are; ...Any other number here will keep that many backups

Fred -- If you're asking what the setting is, my Firefox shows 15. But I don't see how this helps me. I'm trying to make an on-demand backup using the menu commands stated in my OP. This isn't working. -- jclarkw

cor-el said

Use one of these to close Firefox if you are currently doing that by clicking the close X on the Firefox title bar to ensure that Firefox closes properly.

• "3-bar" menu button -> Exit (Power button)...

cor-el -- I tried this (after a Windows restart, which I had already ordered, and Firefox re-open), but it didn't appear to change anything. -- jclarkw

Hi, is there a reason not exporting as HTML ? Mine are from 1995

When you select that command the file bookmarks.html should already be populated and all you are doing is telling it where to save it. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer

Again, You are not looking for the file, the file should already be found . Just tell it where to save it.

You could check the Browser Console to see whether it contains any error messages related to the Backup function. I don't know whether it would appear there, but it's my best hope for gathering information about what's going wrong.

You can open the separate Browser Console window using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > Web Developer > Browser Console
• (menu bar) Tools > Web Developer > Browser Console
• (Windows) Ctrl+Shift+j

Click the trash can icon at the upper left to clear the window, then switch back over to the Library window and try Backup again.

Then switch back over to the console window. Did Firefox log any errors related to the feature?

More info on the Browser Console: https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Tools/Browser_Console

jscher2000 said

You could check the Browser Console to see whether it contains any error messages related to the Backup function....

jscher -- Nothing appears in the Browser Console when I do this. Still no file saved. (Search of the whole HD finds two shortcuts named for the file and produced about the right time, but they point to no file.) -- jclarkw

Give this a try;

Let’s do a full clean re-install;

Download Firefox For All languages And Systems {web link}

Save the file. Then Close Firefox.

Using your file browser, open the Programs Folder on your computer.

Windows: C:\Program Files C:\Program Files (x86)

Mac: Open the "Applications" folder. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-download-and-install-firefox-mac

Linux: Check your user manual. If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it. See Install Firefox on Linux; https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux

If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the Firefox download page, simply remove the folder Firefox in your home directory. http://www.mozilla.org/firefox#desktop ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Look for, and remove any Mozilla or Firefox program folders. Do not remove the Mozilla Thunderbird folder if there is one.

Do Not remove any profile folders.

After rebooting the computer, run a registry scanner if you have one. Then run the installer. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If there is a problem, start your Computer in safe mode and try again.

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Linux+Safe+Mode This shows how to Start all Computers in Safe Mode; Free Online Encyclopedia

FredMcD said

Give this a try; Let’s do a full clean re-install; Download Firefox For All languages And Systems {web link}...

No change (although I used an installer from a different Firefox site -- https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/). -- jclarkw

Hi jclarkw, could you:

(1) Make an HTML export for safety, if you can. Pkshadow gave the article link earlier, but I'll repeat for quick reference: Export Firefox bookmarks to an HTML file to back up or transfer bookmarks.

(2) Check whether your Firefox is creating automatic bookmark backups. You can (hopefully) find those in your profile folder as follows:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer.

Double-click into the bookmarkbackups folder and check for files that are named similarly to:

bookmarks-2018-06-14_6127_gibberish==.jsonlz4

That indicates the backup date (2018-06-14) and number of items counting both folders and bookmarks (6127).

Is Firefox successfully creating those files?

If you have backup files:

Could you test one on the following page:

https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/bookbackreader.html

After dropping it on the white box, try the "Check/Repair JSON" button to see whether the script detects a common issue in the file that can indicate database corruption. Note: with large backup files, the page runs slowly and may spin up your system fan. Close the tab in that case since it doesn't seem to calm down on its own.

jscher2000 said

Hi jclarkw, could you: (1) Make an HTML export for safety, if you can... (2) Check whether your Firefox is creating automatic bookmark backups. You can (hopefully) find those in your profile folder... If you have backup files: Could you test one on the following page: https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/bookbackreader.html...

jsher2000 -- Interesting: (1) doesn't work either!

In (2) there's a new backup listed every couple of days in March, but none before or since. Was the March 30th about when I would have updated to Firefox 60?

Your bookbackreader does produce a bunch of gibberish (apparently links with headings and other info) when I do that, but again, there's no current one there. -- jclarkw

Can you create a manual backup, both HTML and JSON or does this fail as well?

• Bookmarks -> Show All Bookmarks -> Import & Backup

Try to rename/remove bookmarkbackups folder in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed.

If you use Sync then best is to disconnect Sync temporarily during troubleshooting.

You can check for problems with the places.sqlite database (bookmarks and history) in the Firefox profile folder.

• use "Verify Integrity" on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page

See also:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Locked_or_damaged_places.sqlite
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Bookmarks+not+saved#w_fix-the-bookmarks-file

If "Verify Integrity" on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page cannot repair places.sqlite then remove all places.sqlite files in the Firefox profile folder. Firefox will rebuild places.sqlite and restore the bookmarks from a recent JSON backup in the bookmarkbackups folder.

• keep a backup copy of places.sqlite in case a new places.sqlite database has to be created
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_process_the_backup_file_-_Firefox

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.

• Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
  Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

>>Can you create a manual backup, both HTML and JSON or does this fail as well? •Bookmarks -> Show All Bookmarks -> Import & Backup<<

Hi, cor-el -- This is what I've been trying to do all along. It doesn't work with either file type.

I don't know anything about Sync, so I guess I don't use it. (This is just a single-computer installation of Firefox -- no smart phones, etc. -- and I'm used to using Backup to conveniently carry my favorites to another similar computer.)

The rest of your message is more complicated than I have time to fathom in the immediate future... -- jclarkw

cor-el said

Can you create a manual backup, both HTML and JSON or does this fail as well?

• Bookmarks -> Show All Bookmarks -> Import & Backup

jclarkw said

What has me most puzzled is that this problem didn't get corrected when I un-installed and re-installed Firefox.

The "clean reinstall" of program files only addresses problems with the program files; it doesn't remove your data. Most likely, there is a problem with the database file that stores bookmarks and history.

Normally we suggest you hide that file and let Firefox generate a new one, but since you only have backups from March, you may lose some bookmarks if you do that. (See cor-el's post or Fix "The bookmarks and history system will not be functional" error message.)

Maybe there's an add-on that has an export feature that still works?

If not, there are more involved ways to extract its content using a SQLite database viewer. I don't know if I can find a quick reference on that.

Firefox comes in two or more folders on all computers. They are;

Maintenance: (Programs Folder) <Windows Only> Firefox itself: (Programs Folder) And two folders in the profile of each user on the computer for each Firefox profile for that user.

If you remove the Firefox folder, the user profiles would not be affected.

All -- This information has been very helpful, but I'm now hoping for a more exhaustive way of fixing the problem:

Is it possible to list the bookmarks in reverse-chronological order or otherwise identify the newest ones?

If so, I could manually copy the new ones (since the last successful backup in December) and then do a clean uninstall and re-install of Firefox, thus eliminating the problem. (I don't care about the history, and I can easily replace any saved passwords.)

Since the bookmarks are current and working fine in Firefox (just can't backup or export them), the new ones must be there and available somewhere... -- jclarkw

jclarkw said

Is it possible to list the bookmarks in reverse-chronological order or otherwise identify the newest ones?

Call up the Library window using either:

• Ctrl+Shift+b
• "Show All Bookmarks"

In the search box at the upper right, enter http and pause while Firefox builds the list. This will cover most web URLs but may omit some local or built-in ones.

If the "Added" column is not displayed, right-click the column headings and click Added to add it.

Click Added to sort the list by the date the bookmark was added.

Now you can use standard range selection methods like click the first and Shift+click the last, or Ctrl+click individual items. Try not to double-click as then Firefox may try to launch all of those bookmarks.

Then what?

You can use Ctrl+c or right-click > Copy to copy the selected bookmarks. then:

• Pasting into a plain text editor will yield a list of URLs
• Pasting into Word or another "rich text" editors will yield a list of links (for some reason mine have no line breaks in between)

There might be a better place to paste, but I didn't test beyond that.

Also, have you tried installing Google Chrome and asking it to import your Firefox bookmarks?

jscher2000 said

Click Added to sort the list by the date the bookmark was added. Now you can use standard range selection methods like click the first and Shift+click the last, or Ctrl+click individual items.

Outstanding! Thanks! -- jclarkw