If I install FF 4, are my settings, plug-ins, add-ons, passwords, … lost ?
This seems like the obvious information to have in the introduction to any 'upgrade' document. What will I gain' seems hyped, 'what will I lose' seems ignored. I spent a year or so, gradually getting Firefox 3 amended, setup, & configured as rqd for my needs, into a comfortable tool. Will I have to suddenly stop my actual work, to re-learn how to get all the (18) plug-ins, and passwords, and add-ins, etc. re-installed and working again? or can I hope that the new install brings those forward? I have been unable to find any mention of what happens to the setup of the old version. Must I look forward to a month or two of re-solving last year's problems for the new version?
All Replies (3)
When you upgrade Firefox to Firefox 4 it will use your existing bookmarks, passwords, settings and other user data.
For the extensions, it will check to see if they are listed as compatible. If they are not compatible it will offer to check for updates, and will disable any that have no updates.
Sometimes there are updates to extensions to make them compatible but Firefox will not find them. This can happen for example if the developer does not publish the update on the Mozilla add-ons site.
Though not comprehensive, the following report gives the compatibility of many add-ons, any that are shown as 4.0.* or 4.2a1pre will work in Firefox 4 - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/compatibility/report
Modified by TonyE
This is very reassuring. Do you know how to promote it as I suggested, so it will be available to all those receiving the Ff 4.0 promo. I think you lost a few significant words in the sentence, "...and will {missing words?} any that have no updates." Possibly 'uninstall' or 'retain' or 'ask you about'? I went to the 'report' page, but can't interpret the graphs. It seems oddly unexplained except for your comment above. Perhaps the installer program will explain more fully. Perhaps the gray, color, and white bar indicate something about the use or compatibility or problems with that addition? Perhaps the green(3.6+)/amber(3.6a2)/gray(<3.6a2) # indicates the 'recentness' or compatibility? I wonder what the "*" means. Thank you for your reply.
The missing word was disable, not sure what happened there.I've corrected it now.
In the compatibility list, 4.0.* means it works with 4.0, and should also work with 4.0.1, 4.0.2 etc when they are released.
Those with numbers below 4.0 will not work in Firefox 4.