firefox is a PITA. how to clear extension?

[tommo123]

an extension i need doesn't work on this thing and it's not update related shockingly. i uninstalled it but apparently firefox is shit when it comes to this and essentially just removes the entry but a whole load of crap is left over so that when i reinstall the addon - it still doesn't work.

if i create a new profile though then it works fine there

i could carry on with a new profile but i have about 2 dozen addons that i'd have to setup manually again. i tried to use the sync feature but that installs the addons but nothing else so is pointless without porting over the customisation for each one (minus the one i have probs with obv).

anyhoo - any way to remove all trace of an addon like it was never installed in the first place? :wub:

 

[ronbo613]

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/disable-or-remove-add-ons#w_how-to-remove-extensions-and-themes

Google works on Firefox.

 

[Ketchup]

an extension i need doesn't work on this thing and it's not update related shockingly. i uninstalled it but apparently firefox is shit when it comes to this and essentially just removes the entry but a whole load of crap is left over so that when i reinstall the addon - it still doesn't work.

if i create a new profile though then it works fine there

i could carry on with a new profile but i have about 2 dozen addons that i'd have to setup manually again. i tried to use the sync feature but that installs the addons but nothing else so is pointless without porting over the customisation for each one (minus the one i have probs with obv).

anyhoo - any way to remove all trace of an addon like it was never installed in the first place? :wub:

You are going to be specific because I have no idea what you are talking about. I have never had a problem removing an extension. Plugins take some work.

 

[tommo123]

extension/addon/whatever. what's the diff? on the mozilla addon site it's obviously an "addon" whereas in the browser itself it's in the "extension" section of the addon page.

i have no problem removing this via the menu. click to remove, restart browser and it's gone - but on reinstall it still doesn't work.

e.g Uninstalling an extension might not completely remove all of the extension's data. For example, if you reinstall the extension, then you might find that it still uses its previous settings. There is no general way to remove all of an extension's data. See Resetting preferences for how to remove added preferences and restore the default preference values.

there's info there on removing but wanted to see if someone knew a way they've used 1st hand before before i mess around

 

[ninaholic37]

if i create a new profile though then it works fine there

Yup, that's what I was going to suggest. 2 dozen addons? Sounds like it was time for you clean up that mess anyway. I only use two extensions/addons, Stylish and µBlock.

 

[Auric]

Just backup the profile then dig around in the subfolders and delete the offending leftover.

 

[lxskllr]

You can look in about:config for leftover preferences. Also, a plugin is different from an addon. I don't know the precise difference, but I separate them by an addon being exclusive to Firefox, and a plugin coming from the O/S. IOW, if you're dealing with a plugin, you may have crap in Windows to deal with. An addon will reside exclusively in the Firefox directories.

 

[tommo123]

Yup, that's what I was going to suggest. 2 dozen addons? Sounds like it was time for you clean up that mess anyway. I only use two extensions/addons, Stylish and µBlock.

i need them. without addons firefox is 2nd only to IE in awfulness.

need:
noscript,
addblock,
facebook disconnect,
enable right click,
custom tab width,
new tabs at the end
last pass
hola
snap links
a youtube addon to make it not suck balls

etc. others are a nice to have, these are must haves.

i just dont get why mozilla haven't sorted this addon crap out. remove addon should clear all its data.

tried the about config bit before but made no difference.

the problem with the subfolder/file deletion thing is that firefox will apparently recreate what it needs but then other addons will either be reset or not work. i'll reinstall and assuming that addon starts working then i still have to set it up from scratch again. setting up noscript and adblock again would be a major PITA.

 

[lxskllr]

i just dont get why mozilla haven't sorted this addon crap out. remove addon should clear all its data.

tried the about config bit before but made no difference.

the problem with the subfolder/file deletion thing is that firefox will apparently recreate what it needs but then other addons will either be reset or not work. i'll reinstall and assuming that addon starts working then i still have to set it up from scratch again. setting up noscript and adblock again would be a major PITA.

I don't see how it's a Mozilla issue. If an addon Mozilla didn't write doesn't clean up after itself, the blame falls solely on the addon dev.

Since you haven't said what addon is giving you problems, there's just about zero chance anyone here can help. Try the addon's Github page(it is libre software, right?), or forums/IRC channel setup for the addon.

 

[Auric]

the problem with the subfolder/file deletion thing is that firefox will apparently recreate what it needs but then other addons will either be reset or not work. i'll reinstall and assuming that addon starts working then i still have to set it up from scratch again. setting up noscript and adblock again would be a major PITA.

Firefox cannot recreate the contents of deleted add-ons folders. Suppose Adblock Edge was uninstalled, then only delete this folder:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\PROFILENAME\adblockedge

If the add-on folder is not listed, it may exist under \PROFILENAME\extensions with an alphanumeric name such as:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\PROFILENAME\extensions\{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

In which case it must be identified by examining the contents of all such subfolders until finding the correct one to delete. Any other remnants should be inconsequential and sorted out by Firefox where referenced by profile configuration files.

 

[ninaholic37]

i need them. without addons firefox is 2nd only to IE in awfulness.

need:
noscript,
addblock,
facebook disconnect,
enable right click,
custom tab width,
new tabs at the end
last pass
hola
snap links
a youtube addon to make it not suck balls

etc. others are a nice to have, these are must haves.

Ah, those do sound useful. I probably wouldn't mind some of this stuff either. I normally just roll with what I have for the most part, but I can see why using Firefox is nice for this level of customization more again now after reading your post as well.