Hi - Recently I had backed up all my bookmarks into a json file. trying to restore that file into my new computer by using the restore option and choose file...Seems to process the json file but nothing is restored....
Would appreciate any help as a few yrs of my bookmarks are on this file.
Okulungisiwe ngu ps_sleek
All Replies (10)
-> Recover lost or missing Bookmarks
-> Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer
Check and tell if its working.
Make sure that the backup file with the bookmarks has the correct file extension: .html for a HTML backup and .json for a JSON backup.
You can check that via the right-click context menu of that file and open the Properties.
If you are not sure about the file type then you can open the file in Firefox via "File > Open File"
A JSON backup will show as one long text line without line breaks and a HTML backup as a web page with clickable links.
A JSON backup starts with: {"title":"","id":1,"dateAdded":
An HTML backup starts with: <!DOCTYPE NETSCAPE-Bookmark-file-1>
Add quotes ("") around the name to rename the file to the correct file extension if the current file extension is hidden or if it is otherwise not working.
Thanks for your replies guys! I tried everything you said but no luck so far... maybe I can email you guys this .json file to take a look at - nothing personal but a whole bunch of important bookmarks that would be great if I can retrieve...
Thanks for your help!
Did you check the file extension of the file via the right-click context menu > Properties to make sure that the file type is JSON?
There are some bookmarklets on page 2 of this MozillaZine forum thread to retrieve links from a JSON backup.
I tried what you suggested above - still no luck... I had also copied the Mozilla folder found in program files to an external hard drive before restoring my crashing. Not sure if we can use that in any way to help retrieve?? Again, he file I've got is nothin personal - just a whole bunch of bookmarks that are very important to as it's got sites i use on a regular basis... Maybe I can post the file here - tried but looks like i can only add images... Please let me know. Thanks for your help!
The Firefox program folder (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\) doesn't have any personal data stored in it.
Only the Firefox program is stored there.
All personal data is stored in the Firefox Profile Folder.
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
- Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Open Containing Folder
hmmm. unfortunately, I only copied the program file folder.. However, here's what I did when my computer crashed - I took the hard drive out, put it in an enclosure to access and back-up files... I also then opened Firefox and backed-up all bookmarks into the .json file. However, when I run the .json file through 'export bookmarks' process in my new computer, the bookmarks don't get restored... Is there anything else I can do to retrieve them?? I sill have a copy of the backed up bookmarks / .json file - is there any way I can post it on this forum for you guys to take a look?? Please let me know. Thanks for your help!
Okulungisiwe ngu ps_sleek
Tried everything you guys provided. No luck yet man. Any chance you guys can take a look at the actual json file I've got? I can email it to ya'll. Again it's got nothin personal, just website address i've compiled over the years - would suck if i lost em... lemme know. thanks for all your help!
sleek
Unable to process the backup file - Firefox
Try this addon -> JSONView
Check and tell if its working.
"... put it in an enclosure to access and back-up files... I also then opened Firefox and backed-up all bookmarks into the .json file."
Since you can't launch Firefox from the external drive very easily, I suspect that you backed the default bookmarks that come with Firefox, all 5 or 6 of them.
"However, when I run the .json file through 'export bookmarks' process in my new computer, the bookmarks don't get restored..."
Import / export is use with bookmarks.html files.
JSON files are for backup / restore operations.
What you want to do is to recover your data from the old Profile on that external drive. The first thing your need to do is to locate your Profile folder on the external drive; you want the \bookmarkbackups\ folder in the old Profile, which is where the JSON bookmark backup files are stored. If you can't find your Profile folder in the file path I posted below, you may need to open the Control Panel > Folder Options -> View - Advanced Settings and select Show hidden files & folders
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Recovering+important+data+from+an+old+profile
Your old Profile is located here in Vista & Win7:
drive:\Users\Windows login user name\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\profile_name