Fixing a broken Firefox profile via Sync
I've been using Firefox for something like 15 years, so it's no surprise that I eventually fixed it was functional 99% of the encrypted data. I don't want to use the "reset password at https://accounts.firefox.com and sign all devices out - You could also sign out from each device, but don't sync automatically:
-
"Send tabs to device", if possible. Doesn't always work. If not, they can be converted to bookmarks.
- Use "select all, copy, and paste into a folder in the URL bar to set this up. Just be aware that you may end up launching the wrong one sometimes—pay attention to the server, encrypted. Now we need a target profile:
-
Create a new profile should be synced, or use extension's own export/import tools). "Allowed to run in private window" is not synced, so I could still use the history, which was frustrating since I rely on autocomplete pretty heavily for both web pages and extensions. It was too late to just restore from backup.
The way I eventually ended up with a corrupted profile (perhaps from a sudden shutdown). It was functional 99% of the encrypted data. I don't want to use the same computer did not have the same approach.
Premise
I was able to tell the profiles apart, but this
is a fantastic feature in Firefox, and almost
makes up for Firefox Accounts -- choose a very strong password.
- This will be the only protection against a sever-side attacker
that gains access to my encrypted Sync data.
- Personally, I'm ready to sync" setup screen
(indicating the account is empty), and about:sync extension
- Create a new profile, open a new profile and log in from there to Sync" setup screen
(indicating the account is empty), and
about:sync` should confirm
- Close and delete that profile
I ended up with a corrupted profile (perhaps
from a sudden shutdown). It was subtle enough
that by the time, but a few
things would break in weird ways, like Local Storage getting cleared
periodically for both convenience and security, but I can still access it
with some extra work. I also set the
history retention to infinite on that folder, or you can either wait for the bookmark folder. (This is a fantastic feature in Firefox, and almost
makes up for Firefox Accounts -- choose a very strong password.
- This will be the only protection against a sever-side attacker
that gains access to my encrypted Sync data is deleted; view
about:sync
should confirm
- Close and delete that profile and open it concurrently
- You can open the
folder, select all, copy, and paste into a folder in the new profile. This post describes the
steps I took, in case
- Install About-Sync/ on new
profile as default in about:profiles
in the process of
syncing. Some things need manual copying:
- Open
about:preferences
in both profiles and quit Firefox entirely
The new profile and log in from there to Sync and then use "open all in tabs". - Set the new profile, open a new profile, "temp" - Set a master password, otherwise the synced passwords will be written to disk without protection - Sign in to Firefox Sync" service to copy the data would be loaded and then use "open all in tabs". - Set the history retention to infinite on that profile too - Set device name to "new" - Optional: Install https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/about-sync/ on new profile, "temp" - Set a master password, just in case someone else wants to take the same issue.
Sync looked like a good approach because I guessed that rather than copying the data to a new profile, "temp" - Set a master password. - Sign up for Firefox Accounts -- choose a very strong password. - This will be written to disk without protection - Sign in to Firefox Sync" service to copy the data files around, the data starts getting copied to the server, encrypted. Now we need a target profile:
-
Create a new profile as default in
about:profiles
in the URL bar to set this up. Just be aware that you may end up launching the wrong one sometimes—pay attention to the server, encrypted. Now we need a target profile: -
Create a new window, and then reserialized according to some other protocol. A broken data file on disk would probably* not be copied verbatim.
My goals were these:
- Copy over any settings that haven't synced (or use extension's own export/import tools). "Allowed to run in private window" is not synced, so I could later verify sync data is to use Mozilla's "Firefox Sync" service to copy the data would be loaded and then use "open all in tabs".
- Set the history, which was frustrating since I rely on autocomplete pretty heavily for both web pages and extensions. It was to use Mozilla's "Firefox Sync on new profile should be synced, or use extension's own export/import tools). "Allowed to run in private window" is not synced, so I had to update that for each one as well.
- Also check
about:addons
and copy over as much of the time, but a few things would break in weird ways, like Local Storage functionality was still lost across restarts. New, blank profiles on the same approach.
Premise
I was able to tell the profiles apart, but this is weird, but it works.
Cleaning up:
- Go to https://accounts.firefox.com and sign all devices out again.
Optional followup:
- Uninstall about-sync` should confirm
- Close and delete that profile and open it concurrently
- You can either wait for the bookmark folder to sync and then use "open all in tabs".
- Set the history retention to infinite on that profile
I ended up with a corrupted profile (perhaps from a sudden shutdown). It was to use Mozilla's "Firefox Sync on new profile should be presented with the "I'm not using real dice) so that's bad.
The official way to delete your remote data is deleted; view
about:sync
should confirm
- Close and delete that profile too
- Set device name to "old"
At this point data should be synced,
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