Help with Firefox, please!

[HardnThick]

I have been using Firefox exclusively for some time now….however, since clicking “yes” to update Firefox, the browser won’t open. I tried uninstalling it but then it freezes mid-way through the re-install.

 

I’ve tried everything on their support pages and FAQs. Nothing works. It seems they have neither phone nor chat live support.

 

I’ve started using Internet Explorer again but therein is my second problem: all my bookmarks were saved in Firefox and since Firefox won't open, I don’t know how to move them to Explorer. Again I’ve followed their suggestions but to no avail. Not having the hundreds of bookmarks (both personal and business) is a VERY big headache.

 

I would sure appreciate help in either getting Firefox to work or even just transferring the bookmarks to Explorer.

 

Thanks.

[+ deej]

Not knowing which version of Firefox or what you're installing FireFox *in*, one of the most common reasons for install failure is security. If you're in Windows, and if it's Vista or later, make sure you "Run as Administrator" when you install. (Right click, then Run as Administrator)

[HardnThick]

Daddy,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I tried right-clicking the Firefox icon in the “all programs” menu and clicking “run as administrator.” The little blue revolving circle appeared for a few moments then disappeared. Nothing else happened.

 

I don’t know where to look to find out which version of Firefox I’ve been using. When I right-clicked the icon, a bunch of info appeared but nothing like a version number.

 

As far as what I’m trying to “install Firefox in,” this is a Windows 7 machine.

 

If you need more info, PLEASE let me know. Losing all those bookmarks is a major headache for me.

 

Gratefully waiting for your reply.

[Kevin Slater]

Have you tried simply retrieving the bookmarks from the Firefox program folder in which they reside?

 

From http://kb.mozillazine.org/Lost_bookmarks:

 

Finding your bookmarks

 

Important: Windows users should make sure they can view and search hidden files and folders as the profile folder containing your stored bookmarks is hidden by default. To locate bookmarks files anywhere on your computer, you can use your operating system’s file and folder search feature to find bookmarks* (be sure to include the asterisk, with no space). You can open any bookmarks file in HTML format from within your Mozilla browser, by using "File -> Open File" from the menu to check its contents; links in a bookmarks file opened in this way will be clickable (see this article for details).

 

Starting in Firefox 1.5 and SeaMonkey 2.1, a limited number of daily bookmark backup files are saved in the bookmarkbackups folder, located in the profile folder (ten backups starting in SeaMonkey 2.1 and Firefox 5; five backups in Firefox 1.5 through Firefox 4). You must recover one of these backups before they are overwritten by newer versions.

 

In Firefox 2 and below and in SeaMonkey 2.0 and below, bookmarks are stored in the file "bookmarks.html", located in the profile folder. There is also a "bookmarks.html" file in the program folder, but this one is only a template and does not hold your bookmarks. To make sure you have the right file, you can open the bookmarks.html file or any bookmark backup file using "File -> Open File" from the menu (see above).

 

Starting in Firefox 3 and SeaMonkey 2.1, bookmarks are stored in the places.sqlite file and bookmarks*.html files are only used for importing and exporting. As of Firefox 3 Beta 5 bookmarkbackup files are stored in JSON format. [5])

Restoring from one of the ten (default was five in Firefox 3) JSON backup files is the safest restoration you can make, and is preferable to messing with places.sqlite and losing the history that makes makes the awesome features of Firefox work. See #Restoring bookmarks in Firefox 3 and above (below)

 

Kevin Slater

[+ deej]

Daddy is the other guy. I'm the young one.

 

I didn't say run Firefox as admin. You need to run the Firefox installer as admin.

[HardnThick]

Kevin,

 

Thank you very much. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t understand much of what you wrote. I’m sort of like a guy who has no clue about automobile mechanics. I use my computer every day but if I have to fix something “under the hood,” I am at a total loss.

 

If you could find a few moments to explain what I have to do in a simple, step-by-step way, I’d sure be grateful!!!