if not possible to change, can i keep my email for firefox sync if that email account is closing down by its provider?
i have just figured out after searching, that it is not possible to change my email for my firefox sync. it is already a nightmare for me that nokia email provider just simply closes down my account which i use for EVERYTHING in my life... i have somany account to change the email in it, but firefox sync doesn't allow me to do that. i really don't want to lose any details of my mozilla settings, so will it be possible to keep it with a non-existing email? or is there a way to open a new account with a new email and merge my settings to it?
All Replies (13)
Yes, copy the email and email folder to local folder.
NO, don't even think of doing that. Your email address is your username for the Sync service. Plus it used, along with your account password, to create the encryption "key" that protects your data while "in-transit" and while on the Sync server. Without that exact "key" your data is a scrambled bunch of bits & bytes.
You need the create a new Sync account, after disconnect / unlink from Sync on every device you have connected to that account. If you only have one device on that Sync account you aren't using Sync as intended. You won't lose anything because the data that is on the Sync server is also in Firefox on each device you have connected to it. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-set-up-firefox-sync After creating a new Sync account on the first device allow the initial Sync to complete, then close Firefox. Then go to each device one at a time and connect that device to Sync using "Already have an account?"
IMO, best to do it now when "everything" is working fine, instead of postponing that until you need to receive an email from Mozilla Services for "maintenance" or other purposes.
iamjayakumars said
Yes, copy the email and email folder to local folder.
i don't have a clue what are >>Thunderbird and SeaMonkey, and Local Folders, and Global Inbox<<.
i'm talking about my firefox sync, which is an account to store my mozilla browser settings, bookmarks, etc. it is using my email to log on to it, and that email will be closed soon by nokia provider.
so i was trying to change the email but was not possible for firefox sync.
the-edmeister said
NO, don't even think of doing that. Your email address is your username for the Sync service. Plus it used, along with your account password, to create the encryption "key" that protects your data while "in-transit" and while on the Sync server. Without that exact "key" your data is a scrambled bunch of bits & bytes. You need the create a new Sync account, after disconnect / unlink from Sync on every device you have connected to that account. If you only have one device on that Sync account you aren't using Sync as intended. You won't lose anything because the data that is on the Sync server is also in Firefox on each device you have connected to it. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-set-up-firefox-sync After creating a new Sync account on the first device allow the initial Sync to complete, then close Firefox. Then go to each device one at a time and connect that device to Sync using "Already have an account?" IMO, best to do it now when "everything" is working fine, instead of postponing that until you need to receive an email from Mozilla Services for "maintenance" or other purposes.
i mainly use only my laptop with sync. it was very helpful when i bought a new laptop, or when i haven't had one and i was using my partner's computer for a while. also, i can occasionally be at other computer rooms and use their device, log in to my sync and use my firefox settings, but those are not my devices.
so i just want to double check if i got it right. do you say that i can merge the existing firefox settings of my computer to a new sync account with my new email, but only if i use it on more devices, and start using it on an other device?
i'm not even sure that my settings in firefox will remain if i log out the sync...
i'm really grateful for your help.
Doesn't sound like you are using Firefox Sync for its intended purpose. Plus, it sounds like you might be leaving your Sync data "all over the place" - using Sync on computers owned by strangers.
Sync doesn't just "use" your Firefox data in real-time from the Sync server, it downloads your data to each device that you connect to your Sync account. That data remains on each device until it is removed manually. And if you didn't "unlink / disconnect" that computer when you were done using it, Sync will stay connected to your Sync account until the "owner" of that device gets tired of seeing "his data" get changed as your data changes. Plus, unless you manually remove your Sync username and password data from the Password Manager, that other person might be able to re-connect to your Sync account at will. Of course, the risks you are taking by doing that depend upon which types of data you fed to Sync in the beginning. Hopefully at least not Passwords.
IMO, you would be better off carrying a USB stick around with a copy of Firefox Portable to use on Windows computers that you don't own or don't have exclusive control over. Sync will work between "Portable" and regular Firefox, even when they're both being used on the same device, at the same time. That will "fix" two things - it will give you a 2nd "device" [even when plugged into your own computer] and it will allow you to use your own Firefox installation on on another persons computer without "sharing" your Sync data with that other person, where such is allowed by "permissions set on that device. Nothing that you do will appear on any device that the USB stick is plugged into, at least as far as Firefox is concerned. That applies to any "loaner" computer that you might use, too. http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
As far as setting up a new Sync account goes, your data is in Firefox [even when it is in Sync, too] - so just "disconnect" from your current account, and then set up a new new account. At the end of the setup procedure the Sync service will automatically "Sync" your data to the new account, and you'll be "good to go".
I highly encourage you to do the Firefox Portable on USB stick as I mentioned above, because it sounds like the way that you have been using Sync sounds very risky with your data. Once your data gets Sync'd to another persons computer its "meshes" with their data and is all but impossible to remove completely - unless the person set up a Logon User Account specifically for you and then deleted that LUA after you were done. Doubtful, because from what I have seen the "average" PC owner has no concept of what a Logon User Account is all about.
In conclusion, tell me that you weren't sync'ing your Password data.
hi. thanks for your help. i do understand your concern but i think no need to worry this time. obviously you can't see the circumstances and i haven't told them. the project office room that i rarely use is a well run place. they have a guest user log on for me and many others (and many other personal log on) and i can assure you they do understand how to set it. for the guests is set to delete all changes made to a computer each time is been used. sometimes i need to install programs even, because there is not much set up there. i even do scan there staff like my passport or other personal things. i do completely trust the whole organisation so it's really no worry. each time i log on again (even the same day) all changes disappeared and i have to do it again. but since (only couple months ago) i have my smaller laptop, not too heavy, i prefer to carry and use that with me. not always. so do you say, for the sync account. i just log out in firefox, it will remain the same on my laptop, and i create a new account with new email, and that's it all done? what happens with the other account then?
Yes, "disconnect" from your existing Sync Account and create a new Account with the new email address. The new Account will Sync with the data that is on your computer and you're all set.
As far as your current Account goes after "disconnecting", it won't be used anymore by you, and no one else will be able to access your data or use it without having your specific 'hidden' encryption key string. I have no idea if the Sync service clears account data from their servers after a specific period of account inactivity or not - but Mozilla is paying the "storage bill" so I wouldn't worry about that.
the-edmeister said
Yes, "disconnect" from your existing Sync Account and create a new Account with the new email address. The new Account will Sync with the data that is on your computer and you're all set. As far as your current Account goes after "disconnecting", it won't be used anymore by you, and no one else will be able to access your data or use it without having your specific 'hidden' encryption key string. I have no idea if the Sync service clears account data from their servers after a specific period of account inactivity or not - but Mozilla is paying the "storage bill" so I wouldn't worry about that.
it actually didn't work! all my extensions were gone, my theme i used was gone, ecosia search engine gone, and i have not a clue whatelse?
now i feel in trap, when i have moved back to the old account first it did let me do it, and i got back all lost extensions whatsoever. but then when trying to merge that again to new account, it said it will merge but again it disappeared!
it was very weird as at first checking extensions, not all, but more than half of them were still there but turned off. so when i clicked on 'restart firefox' to turn them on - they were all gone!
and so now i have no more of my settings, only my bookmarks (atleast).
if i would want to sign back to old account now it wants to merge again the state as is now. i'm in trap.
i'm thinking to delete new account as it always says when i want to sign back "an other account was recently used and now this settings will merge with the account you sing in now" - or something like that.
so maybe if i just delete the old account and don't use it for couple of days, would let me to sign back to old account? or should i reinstall firefox to get back my old settings that are saved on the old account now only?
help please... thank you
I keep current backup copies of the themes and extensions I use, and also of the profiles for my browsers and email reader. I do not use sync. I also keep an extra copy of my bookmarks. If something gets lost, I can restore it again easily from a backup. If the idea is to preserve setups, I think that is the best way to do it.
finitarry said
I keep current backup copies of the themes and extensions I use, and also of the profiles for my browsers and email reader. I do not use sync. I also keep an extra copy of my bookmarks. If something gets lost, I can restore it again easily from a backup. If the idea is to preserve setups, I think that is the best way to do it.
how do you do that?
do you have to back up all that one by one or all together? i consider how much time it takes? and so, do you have to back up again and again each time you make a small change? (update extension, new bookmark, and so..)
i am happy with the sync, it's only the problem that made by nokiamail! they simply close down my email account, they give zero support in moving my tonnes of emails to new yahoo account, and i have to change all over every little accounts i ever made, and i do have a lot. nokia mail was my main for emailing and to make all my accounts. even to make the official account such as bank, school, gp - really everything. now i am fakt up with all this unwanted work you see.
if i keep a copy of a back up on my computer but my computer breaks down - i will never have my settings. i do appreciate your idea, and i may do a backup if't something easy and quick, but i would like to stay with sync for now.
For bookmarks, yes, I do make a new backup if I change any of them. It does not take very long, and I have a copy of my bookmarks external to the profile, just in case something goes wrong with the profile. I copy the profile to a flash stick to back it up, and that just involves drag and drop. As far as add-ons go, if any theme or extension gets updated, I go to the site and download the installer so that I have a current backup. After installing a new version of an add-on or installing a new version of the application, I backup the profile. I am not doing that all at once, but as the need occurs. I also have user.js files to preserve my settings for Mozilla applications. That is a very handy thing to have.
thank you. i can see how it works for you, but i have already too much on my mind, i try to get rid of things as i cannot even remember all. i have to keep up to date calendar not to forget most important things, and still i do forget sometimes. but one thing is for sure; i don't want to put reminder in my calendar for backing up every single changes i made for my browser.
i carry on with sync and i think i will just try to keep the old account. now i was able to sign back to it. i really hope it won't disappear when nokiamail will close down my email account?!
There is no need to put a reminder in a calendar. Just do a backup when you make a change. Back up the account and set up a new one with the same settings for doing sync.