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Firefox 3 Backup doesn't want to import anymore! .file

  • 4 replies
  • 4 have this problem
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  • Last reply by Trooper

Trooper
Trooper
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I have exported bookmarks using Backup in Firefox 3.6 Then I have reinstalled my OS and formatted everything. Now when I downloaded latest Firefox it doesn't want to import my Backup anymore. (Firefox backup.file) I am pissed off because I have over 80 websites stored in there. And this is going to mess up everything. I can open it in notepad and see the way it is saved, why the hell doesn't Firefox import it itself? I need this fixed soon so I can import all my bookmarks.

I have exported bookmarks using Backup in Firefox 3.6 Then I have reinstalled my OS and formatted everything. Now when I downloaded latest Firefox it doesn't want to import my Backup anymore. (Firefox backup.file) I am pissed off because I have over 80 websites stored in there. And this is going to mess up everything. I can open it in notepad and see the way it is saved, why the hell doesn't Firefox import it itself? I need this fixed soon so I can import all my bookmarks.

All Replies (4)

SafeBrowser
SafeBrowser
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  • Firefox has an export to html option for exporting bookmarks (to a .html file, named some_name_you_gave.html)
  • Firefox has a Bookmark backup option for backing-up bookmarks (to a .json file, named similar to bookmarks-2011-07-27.json but with the date of the backup)

Where did you get the file backup.file. That is not a file name/extension that will be recognized by Firefox. If you used Bookmarks > Show All Bookmarks > Import and Backup > Backup, it should be a .json file and would be dated similar to the one in the second bullet above and would be in your profile folder, in a folder named bookmarkbackups

Trooper
Trooper Question owner
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In Firefox Backup option, I think. I made it quickly and saved it on desktop, put on HDD. Didn't looked at extension, but it was name Firefock Backup.file The text inside it is formated like: '{"title":"","id":1,"dateAdded":1219838271095689,"lastModified":1270308249669000,"type":"text/x-moz-place-container","root":"placesRoot","children":' and so on. Is there any Importer compatible with this kind of... backuping?

How can a browser export unrecognisable file I do not know. It was on the old version, 3.6 or something.

the-edmeister
the-edmeister
  • Moderator
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That is JSON bookmarks code. That type of file needs to be restored, not imported.

Windows is good for hiding file extensions that it thinks it knows, which makes it difficult for users to know what the file type is. As far as Firefox goes, Mozilla relies on the user to be sharp enough to import what they exported, and to restore what they backed up. Each type has a separator between them in Library > Import & Backup.

In WinXP there's an option for that in the control panel > folders options -> view - hide extensions for known file types = un-check it
Sorry, I haven't used Win7 so I don't know the exact names for everything relative to that pref.

Trooper
Trooper Question owner
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I have already tried that. Yes I have tried restoring it. It didn't worked, I have tried changing into .JSON and it said 'Unsupported file type'.

Tried renaming the Firefox Bookmarks 'bookmarks-2011-07-23.JSON' and it still didn't worked.