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Can I access old Profile after a Windows 8.1 Refresh

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  • Last reply by John99

Cath1
Cath1
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I totally forgot to sync or backup my firefox bookmarks before doing a Windows 8 'Refresh' as I was in a rush to fix my computer and had been using Chrome recently. However I had years of bookmarks on firefox. A Windows 8 'Refresh' (as opposed to a 'Reset' which is more drastic) is supposed to get rid of new desktop programmes but keep all your files/data. However, when I go looking for the firefox profile folder now, only the new one comes up. I think this new one was just installed today when I reinstalled firefox. Would the new Firefox folder have put itself on top of the old one when Firefox was reinstalled, thus getting rid of the old one? Or do you think that the Windows 8 Refresh never kept the old one in the first place as it probably would have considered it 'AppData' rather than 'Files'? (I thought AppData were files and would be included in what was rescued in the Refresh...) OR - is the old profile still there somewhere but just hidden?

I totally forgot to sync or backup my firefox bookmarks before doing a Windows 8 'Refresh' as I was in a rush to fix my computer and had been using Chrome recently. However I had years of bookmarks on firefox. A Windows 8 'Refresh' (as opposed to a 'Reset' which is more drastic) is supposed to get rid of new desktop programmes but keep all your files/data. However, when I go looking for the firefox profile folder now, only the new one comes up. I think this new one was just installed today when I reinstalled firefox. Would the new Firefox folder have put itself on top of the old one when Firefox was reinstalled, thus getting rid of the old one? Or do you think that the Windows 8 Refresh never kept the old one in the first place as it probably would have considered it 'AppData' rather than 'Files'? (I thought AppData were files and would be included in what was rescued in the Refresh...) OR - is the old profile still there somewhere but just hidden?

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John99
John99
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(I am not a Windows 8 user.) This is a Firefox support forum so we are not able to deal with Windows 8 issues in any detail or depth.

I note this

  • http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/restore-refresh-reset-pc Refresh your PC without affecting your files
    Warning
    Apps you installed from websites and DVDs will be removed. Apps that came with your PC and apps you installed from the Windows Store will be reinstalled. Windows puts a list of removed apps on your desktop after refreshing your PC.

So I think unless Firefox was on the recovery partition it will be lost and its profile data along with it.

We can not start a detailed Windows 8 discussion here but if anyone has useful links to MS material or a Windows forum where this is explained post a very brief summary and the link. This is obviously important information to Windows 8 Firefox users.

Having no idea what the Refresh does I do not know if there is any data that may be recoverable. If your years of bookmarks are important it may help any slim chance of recovery if you stop using that computer whilst investigating whether recovery may be a possibility. I did find this

Presumably if you had made any backups or disk images you would have mentioned that. I also don't suppose you made any manual bookmarks backups

Sorry to be pointing it out after the event, but it is always good practice to make manual backups.

You mention Sync but personally I would not recommend over reliance on Sync to keep bookmarks safe.