Lost all my firefox bookmarks...

SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
81
My firefox updated or something and now I have lost all my bookmarks. My bookmark bar is empty and there is nothing in the bookmark file...

I am very confused... my theme was off, but at least it was saved... I just put it back on...

but my bookmarks... very bizarre?
 

SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
81
To be honest... I was worried about some ridiculous April Fools... was just asking... weird day to update...
 

Wheezer

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
6,731
1
81
this happens to me all the time....to recover do this:

open ff and bookmarks> Organize> file> import> from file> documents and settings> user "name here"> application data> mozilla>firefox> profiles> bookmark backups

it should have several backups of bookmarks in there.....I have learned however that you should do it manually every so often to a file somewhere just to be safe....I back mine up to an external drive every other day.

also get Mozbackup to back up all settings and bookmarks, it will also do Thunderbird if that is your email client.
 

Chronoshock

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2004
4,860
1
81
This location should contain the file bookmarks.bak which is a backup of your settings
C:\Documents and Settings\[your name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\default.ind
 

SirStev0

Lifer
Nov 13, 2003
10,449
6
81
This fixed it...

Restoring bookmark backups

If Firefox is closed unexpectedly due to a crash, a loss of power, or other unexpected event, the file where your bookmarks are stored can become corrupted, and your bookmarks may be unavailable in Firefox. If you lost your bookmarks within the last five days, you can restore them from the set of backups that Firefox maintains.

1. From the menu at the top of the Firefox window, select File and then select the Exit menu item.
2. Reboot your computer.
3. When the computer restarts, select the Start Menu in the Windows Taskbar. Then, select Run.
4. In the Run dialog, enter the following:
%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
5. Click OK.
6. A window displays all your Firefox profiles as a set of folders.
* Each Profile folder is named something like the following:
xxxxxxxx.<ProfileName>
where xxxxxxxx is an assortment of random letters or numerals
<ProfileName> corresponds to the name of the profile.
* For example, the folder containing the default profile is named xxxxxxxx.default.
7. Select the folder for your current profile.
8. In the profile folder, the file bookmarks.html stores your bookmarks and has become corrupted. Right-click this file, and select Rename....
9. Rename the file to a unique name, such as the following:
bookmarks_backup.html
10. Open the folder named bookmarkbackups.
11. In the bookmarks backup folder, you should see up to five files with names like the following
bookmarks-xxxx-xx-xx.html
where
xxxx-xx-xx corresponds to the date the backup was made.
12. You must copy one of these backups to the profile folder. Right-click the most recently dated backup. Select Copy.
13. Go back to the previous folder, which now contains the bookmarks_backup.html file.
14. Right-click in the white space of the folder. Select Paste.
15. Right click the file you just pasted (bookmarks-xxxx-xx-xx.html). Select Rename....
16. Rename the file to bookmarks.html
17. Restart Firefox. Your bookmarks should now be available through the Bookmarks menu.


was annoying as hell though... had to try the first 4 things... didn't work... this did... but was so infuriating...
 

Xylitol

Diamond Member
Aug 28, 2005
6,617
0
76
I hate when that happens. My theme turns off, my favorites disappear, and my bookmarks go away
 

Eeezee

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
9,922
0
76
I'm pretty sure there are 5 days worth of backups for bookmarks, don't worry
 

SlickSnake

Diamond Member
May 29, 2007
5,235
2
0
Last time this happened to me was about 2 years ago. I lost all my Firefox stored data, including bookmarks. I also lost all my email address book data, and emails. ALL of it. I immediatly ran a virus scan, and had a virus eating away at my stored data. You need to run an updated virus program ASAP. This may or may not be a bug, but don't risk it.
 

JJChicken

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2007
6,165
16
81
Originally posted by: biggestmuff
I think FF keeps a backup of your bookmarks hidden deep in the Program Files folder.

Yep I think it does. I vaguely remember using the backup to restore my bookmarks. Opera FTW BTW!