I don’t know which one is responsible, but I installed Chrome last night, and then updated my Firefox browser this morning — and all of the Firefox bookmarks, passwords and history are now gone.
Completely and totally kaput.
I am not sure which one gets the blame, but I would be cautious with these two — they don’t seem to play well together.
~~~
UPDATE: Looks like it was a Firefox issue . . . I found the back up data (Thanks, Matt) and am back up and running. (I don’t know if Chrome had anything to do with this)
Thanks for saving me some serious grief, Barry!
I upgraded 2 firefox machines with no issues.
Would be a good idea to grab Foxmarks – has saved me several times from bookmark-vanishing catastrophe
Any time new beta software is rolled out, one should be cautious in trying it out, with appropriate backups in place. Just imagine your grief if it had mysteriously wiped out your directory structure!
Stuff happens.
Gee, if MS had released a browser that did this, we’d be hearing rants about anti-competitive behavior.
Firefox did this to me on my primary work machine when I went upgraded it a few weeks ago.
I have not tested Chrome yet, so its most likely a firefox issue.
~SEG
Firefox regularly keeps a backup file for your bookmarks in C:Documents and SettingsUser NameApplication DataMozillaFirefoxProfilesProfile Name as bookmarks.bak. If you copy that file and rename it to bookmarks.html it should let you import them back into Firefox. I always take a backup copy of my entire profile folder for loss prevention since it grabs the extensions and everything.
~~~
BR: That’s the fix — excellent, thanks, Matt.
That happened to me once w/ Firefox too. I doubt it has anything to do with Chrome.
Yes, Foxmarks or Google Bookmarks can be a huge help here. And then save them occasionally to disk.
Don’t see any way to export bookmarks from Chrome, that feature isn’t there yet.
Don’t forget to check out Walt Mossberg’s review of Chrome, it was not all positive:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122037410228891285.html
I installed Chrome last night, Firefox bookmarks still OK. I have not updated Firefox, so I think SEG is right that it looks like a Firefox issue.
use google bookmarks… (no need to backup).
But apart from that, how was Chrome?
Seriously, I use FoxMarks and have been very happy with it. In addition to sharing bookmarks between machines it acts as a handy off-site backup of my bookmarks. Maybe it was that or just dumb luck but I installed Chrome yesterday on a couple computers and have been using it happily since. Its missing all my favorite plugins but it’s faaaaaaaast.
Hope you can find a backup of your bookmarks somewhere.
Firefox 3.0.1 which I’m using has a restore bookmarks function. I can’t tell what happened here, would have to dig up the directory structure where the firefox profile data is stored.
What could it possibly do better than any other browser besides turn Google into even more of a Big Brother.?
Chrome is a very barebones browser. It doesn’t scale text and images well for hi-res monitors (like Firefox 3 does).
One cool new feature is the incognito mode, in which you can open a new window that will not save any cookies, history, or any other indications of your visits using that window. Nice feature for those who need privacy within our own homes. (They tout the feature as a way to shop for birthday presents without tipping your hand.)
I had a problem with bookmarks when I upgraded from Firefox 2 to 3 weeks ago. I think Firefox went to a new bookmark system and had problems migrating the old bookmarks over. Totally sucked.
Here’s the link to fix your problem Barry – Norton is blocking firefox from installing your history and bookmarks, etc…
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Configuring+Norton+360
Barry
you might consider using the Firefox plugin, FoxMarks. I use it to store a set of my bookmarks on an external server, permits me to synchronize my bookmarks on multiple machines and yes, serves as an emergency backup should the bookmarks file gets corrupted or deleted. I’m running both Chrome and Firefox 3.x, like some of your other readers, i think it be a firefox upgrade issue, as both seem to interoperate fine.
what say ye?
-bnr
Firefox already has an Incognito twin, Stealther, as an add-on
Barry
Were you running Windows or OSX? I had problems of losing benchmarks in Firefox on Windows so that I wound up backing them up every week of so. But on a Mac, I’ve had zero problems.
TIP: I highly recommend Jungledisk online backup. It uses Amazon’s web services to hold whatever you back up. It’s held in multiple locations in case Osama strikes one. Cheap also: $20 for the basic program for one account that can be shared by multiple machines. After that, you only pay Amazon, which is 16 cents per gig per month. The last can lead to some humorously small bills.
I have it backup all my documents, bookmarks, favorites, password safe file, Outlook.pst file, etc. daily. You can have it keep multiple versions. Very easy to pull down a backup in case of disaster or stupidity.
It comes in Windows, Mac and Linux flavors and has more advanced versions for reasonable cost if you want multiple accounts with various privileges.
It’s very handy if you do long distance commuting; you can get to all your files from any of your machines wherever located.
Link here: Jungledisk
If you install beta software like Chrome you are taking your chances.
I upgraded to Firefox 3 a couple of weeks ago. No problems at all with stability, bookmarks, certificates. Anyone who has had issues must be doing something wrong.
;-)
“Anyone who has had issues must be doing something wrong.”
You mean like running windows in the first place?
You’ve already had a few comments about similar services, but… Google bookmarks/toolbar is the best consolidated bookmark plugin around, in my opinion.
Every computer I use–two home & three work, apple, pc, unix–all look exactly the same as far as Firefox & IE is concerned (oddly, Google Toolbar isn’t running on Chrome yet).
dumb question Barry…..did you use System Restore function (to yesterday’s date to get all that back? maintenance>system restore> It saves my ass a lot.
Oops. Link I left doesn’t work:
Jungledisk.com
Personally, I don’t like giving my bookmarks, cookies and history to third parties.
I had a lot of trouble getting Firefox 3 to stabilize when I upgraded a few weeks a go. I kept losing everything, especially whenever I was installing a new extension. It turns out that when you close Firefox, the process may keep running for another while — make sure in Task Manager that it’s really out before restarting, especially if it is in the context of installing extensions.
Yesterday I installed Chrome and everything looks OK both in Firefox and Chrome.
Any company that has “don’t be evil” as its motto, is in fact, evil.
Don’t support Google if you value any part of your private life.
I would suggest looking at the Firefox plugins, FEBE & CLEO. FEBE backs up parts of your profile (bookmarks, plugins, passwords, etc.) , or even the entire profile, based on a specified schedule (I set it nightly at 4:00 a.m.). CLEO creates a single “mega add-on” from all the separate pieces backed up by FEBE, which means recovery is a matter of installing just one “add-on”.
There is a nuance to the recovery, but it’s quite easy to recover your complete profile.
http://customsoftwareconsult.com/extensions/
Also available through Firefox plugins page.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2109
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2942
Get a Mac. When Chrome gets it right they’ll make it available to Mac. Until then, haste makes waste being first with a beta app.
Get a Mac. When Chrome gets it right they’ll make it available to Mac. Until then, haste makes waste being first with a beta app.
Get a Mac. When Chrome gets it right they’ll make it available to Mac. Until then, haste makes waste being first with a beta app.
Get a Mac. When Chrome gets it right they’ll make it available to Mac. Until then, haste makes waste being first with a beta app.
Re: Google privacy. You don’t have much privacy anyway so what do you care? Are you really worried about them knowing what you searched for by IP address? It’s not like the Net providers don’t already have the info.
Re: Bookmarks. Barry, check out google bookmarks. I use it to sync between all my computers. Of course, I don’t sync my personal bookmarks to my work computer but that’s to be expected. There is a Firefox addon to make it extremely seamless.
The “incognito” browsing feature of Chrome isn’t unique. Opera has had the “Delete Private Data” selection for quite some time–and you don’t need to open a special “incognito” tab to use it. I keep at least 4 different browsers on my desktop–you can never tell when your usual choice will refuse to load a page without doing something awful.
Mine are IE, Opera, Firefox and Off-by-one. OB1 is a very primitive tiny browser that I use when I’m not sure about the safety of the site I’m visiting. It caches nothing, saves nothing and runs no scripts.
So far I love Chrome. It is much faster than Firefox and the UI is very simple/clean. I have more room for content and less clutter. Speed and simplicity — as usual Google gets it.
For what it’s worth, there was a known issue for a while where one of the antivirus vendors treated the Firefox 3 bookmarks file as a virus (hence leading to symptoms like you describe). I’m not sure which one and whether said antivirus vendor fixed the problem.
Barry just thought you would like to take a look at the Google Chome EULA
11. Content license from you
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.
11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions.
11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.
http://gizmodo.com/5044871/google-chrome-eula-claims-ownership-of-everything-you-create-on-chrome-from-blog-posts-to-emails
9.4 Other than the limited license set forth in Section 11, Google acknowledges and agrees that it obtains no right, title or interest from you (or your licensors) under these Terms in or to any Content that you submit, post, transmit or display on, or through, the Services, including any intellectual property rights which subsist in that Content
No need to worry
Foxmarks is great, but there was a post awhile back about malware that could read your Firefox passwords. Not sure if this was fixed in later Firefox builds.
I’ve been using de.li.cio.us and I’ve been happy with it for saving my bookmarks. It transfers my bookmarks from my 4 different computers and it has some pretty nifty search features as well.
I upgraded to 3.01 (I was running FF3 as a portable app to start with), and had no issues. I installed Chrome with no issues, Chrome slurped all my bookmarks, shortcuts, passwords and form history without a burp. Using my saved passwords and form history did surprise me though.
Before you do any posting with Chrome, make sure you read the fine print in the EULA:
http://gizmodo.com/5044871/google-chrome-eula-claims-ownership-of-everything-you-create-using-chrome-from-blog-posts-to-emails
Firefox is teh awesome.
No way Google gets more of my data.
fix for your mozilla problem…(I think)
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Configuring+Norton+360
Honestly, been trying chrome and I don’t see the big deal. Its nice but firefox still my top choice for the moment because of add-ons. Chrome may be better in 1-3 yrs but not right now.
The main feature I like in Chrome and wish firefox would implement is the isolated running environment to prevent viruses from accessing computer. That is a great feature.
Personally, I don’t like giving my bookmarks, cookies and history to third parties.
Posted by: Mike in NOLa | Sep 3, 2008 11:37:25 AM
Mike,
see: “You don’t have much privacy anyway so what do you care? Are you really worried about them knowing what you searched for by IP address? It’s not like the Net providers don’t already have the info.”
Posted by: Patrick | Sep 3, 2008 12:36:31 PM
Remember, the only ‘secure’ computer is one that has never seen ‘the web’, even then, don’t be so sure..
“That happened to me once w/ Firefox too. I doubt it has anything to do with Chrome.”
That is why I quit firefox and use opera, becuase I kept losing my bookmarks.
I would suggest anyone read the privacy agereement with chrome. Anything you post , GOOGLE can freely change, period.
I see no reason to use a google browser.
“By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any content which you submit, post or display on or through, the services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the services and may be revoked for certain services as defined in the additional terms of those services.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20080903/tc_nf/61674
IE6 FTW!!!