The Case of the disappearing Bookmarks

[soup]

If this was just happening on my machine, I wouldn't think much about it, (well yes I would but still). Noticed lately on a few machines using the most up to date Firefox, will bookmark stuff & the next time I go to look for it, gone. Plus the fact that bookmarks I have deleted, reappear. Now am I in the Twilight Zone or am I missing something as usual? Forgot to add, while exporting bookmarks to save to the desktop, in case something happens (HTML), not all will export.

[MilesAhead]

From what I hear Firefox 3.x uses some database format now for bookmarks instead of the old html. Yet another reason I'm staying with 2.x for awhile longer. Plus I use too many extensions that won't work in 3 yet.

[UncasMS]

iirc firefox 3.02 had changed internat structures for bookmarks

which version did you use before and which is it now?


and there there is another issue:

http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Firefox+3+upgrade+switches+bookmarks+and+other+settings+to+older+version

[soup]

3.04 now, would have been 3.03 I guess before. This is happening now to me, I might have lost some info in the upgrade, but that was a while ago.

[UncasMS]

try to look for this file: "places.sqlite"

it's the firefox bookmark file and normally somewhere here:

=> documents & settings => user_xyz => application data => mozilla => firefox => profiles => folder_abc => places.sqlite

[katzdvd]

soup,

This has been a problem w/ ff for years. I went thru this a couple of years ago, (with earlier vers.) tried various fixes found on the web & never could recover them. Now what I do is backup a copy of my bookmarks, weekly or so.

I don't use the export feature, I just make a copy manually.

When/if they disappear I drag my copy back into the mozilla folder & I am good to go. It is the only real way I have found that is reliable. I see you are using vers. 3; I will have to try that vers. again.

I gave it a shot when it first came out, but it kept crashing so I gave up on it. Do you experience crashes very much? Also, there are not many customized themes avail. for ff 3?

[MilesAhead]

katzdvd making a manual backup is a good idea. I also like to use Mozbackup, and bookmarks sync and sort. The sync add-on is esp. good if you have an ftp page. The nice thing about it is that all the customizations, personal toolbar, the whole shootin' match, downloads with no need to mess with it. Although last time I checked export to a local file was broken. But if you sync to an ftp account it works perfectly afaict.

Also I use Opera sometimes and one nice thing about the html format bookmarks is you can(at least talking Opera 9.27 anyway) export your Firefox bookmarks to an html file. Open Opera and delete all your bookmarks. Import the html Firefox bookmarks. Then open the opera6.adr file and just remove the entry right under the trash bin that says Netscape Bookmarks or some crap.
When you open Opera you have all the bookmarks with the same format as in Firefox. The only "gotcha" is you have to manually drag & drop the Bookmarks Toolbar icons onto the Personal Bar. But once you've done that a couple of times that's only a few seconds work.

Way easier than trying to find a free bookmark utility that spans the formats.

[soup]

Just thought I would let you know that I have not forgotten about this thread, but just have to find time to look into this more. This is still happening & it's not just bookmarks anymore, it is also newly created folders in bookmarks. Appreciate all info so far, thank you.