Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

I cannot start firefox even in safe mode.

  • 3 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 17 views
  • Last reply by arlener

more options

I cannot start firefox. It says it cannot load the profile. The profile files are there, I believer. I cannot start firefox even in safe mode, by holding down the shift key. I stopped firefox when it was trying to do a Refresh (it was taking a very long time). So there is a folder of old data which I copied to the default profile folder.

I cannot start firefox. It says it cannot load the profile. The profile files are there, I believer. I cannot start firefox even in safe mode, by holding down the shift key. I stopped firefox when it was trying to do a Refresh (it was taking a very long time). So there is a folder of old data which I copied to the default profile folder.

Chosen solution

Hmm, also:

arlener said

...there is a folder of old data which I copied to the default profile folder.

If you want to use the profile contents that you copied back, make sure they are not "nested" a layer down in the profile folder.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (3)

more options

It is possible that when Firefox was interrupted, it did not properly enter the correct profile name in the profiles.ini file. If Firefox is looking for the old folder, you could try renaming the post-Refresh folder to the old name.

It sounds as though you already know how to find the profile folders, but just in case, you can type or paste this into the Run dialog and press Enter:

%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles

If you navigate up one level to the Firefox folder, you should find a settings file (text format) named profiles.ini. right-click > Edit that file and Notepad should launch. If you then go back to the Profiles folder and compare the folder name, you may be able to see the mismatch. You can edit either profiles.ini or the name of the profile folder, but please make sure Firefox is not running while making the change.

Any luck?

more options

Chosen Solution

Hmm, also:

arlener said

...there is a folder of old data which I copied to the default profile folder.

If you want to use the profile contents that you copied back, make sure they are not "nested" a layer down in the profile folder.

more options

jscher2000 said

Any luck?

Success! Thank-you very much.