When switching on my computer, Firefox started with the wrong set of tabs. I powered off in the hope it may start correctly next time, but now it doesn’t load the bookmarks either. The history, everything, is from a few days ago. There seems to be a file with name containing ‘recovery’ in my .mozilla directory, but not sure if it helps and how to use it. There is a bookmarks backup for today, but this would not solve the tabs problem, i think. i’ve closed and opened many tabs since the version it loads, and without the history, it will be very difficult and very long to retrace everything i’ve done. There seems to be a second profile, might i have been using it. without realising, for a few days? How do i switch to it? sorry for the basic questions. but i’m afraid i’ll do more damage if i fiddle. Last time i tried to load backed-up bookmarks, it did not work (this was a few months ago). Grateful for advice.
In the address bar of Firefox, type about:profiles. This should list the profiles you have, and give you a button “Launch profile in new browser” for each one, which lets you start a new Firefox session in that profile.
If memory serves, FF can can open with a blank page, the last tabs or a pre-set list of tabs.
Ensure you have it defined to open with the “previous” tab and not a defined list.
The profile directory gets updated whenever you’re using a FF with a specific profile. You can check which profile was last updated with ls -la ~/.mozilla/firefox/ or similar. That might give you a hint which profile(s) you’ve been using lately.
i did this, the other profile available opened in a new browser, but empty, when i selected ‘restore from backup’ it didn’t find a backup. strangely, now i have a third profile, last one created just now.
I tried restoring the bookmarks (from manage bookmarks), at least, on the main profile, and they disappeared altogether. So now i have to retrieve those too, and don’t manage to, they just don’t appear, though i seem to select the correct files.
There is a sessionsbackup directory, but mot sure how to revert to a previous session. and worry i’ll do more damage. Unless there is somewhere my session from yesterday was saved, i may have to resign to having lost five days, and try to recuperate what i can.
it had the right settings, it’s opened correctly for many months or years even.
i don’t think i was using another profile, the other profile has all backup folders empty.
it opened once with an old set of tabs, and now it reopens with the same.
and now i’ve lost my bookmarks too, it just won’t load them any more.
can i revert to the closest session that was saved, does anyone know if these are stored anywhere? the sessionsstore-backup folder won’t help, it has files from right now and, before that, from may and earlier.
how can i at least retrieve my bookmarks, ie get the browser to load and show them?
Fair enough - sounds like your existing profile is toast from your other messages.
the bookmarks are there, i don’t understand why they don’t load, any ideas?
also, if the tabs from a few days ago were available, it means they are stored somewhere, so maybe those from today are also stored, or at least closer to today. anyone might help, please?