Hi tavanbos, Thank you for your question and my apologies for the delay in an answer. I understand that you are having issues with session restore.

In the latest release there was a fix for this bug: Bug 1001167 - Session Restore doesn't handle a corrupted sessionstore.js file properly

In order to investigate further, can you please check the following:

• Does this happen in Safe Mode Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode
• I understand that this happens in new profiles as well. Do you have any locked preferences?How to fix preferences that won't save
• Before doing this make a copy of the sessionrestore files before you reset firefox. The files may also save in the folder titled on the desktop: "Old Firefox profile" Does resetting Firefox to the defaults restore this issue?
• How big is the sessionrestore file and does the session show up in about:sessionretore ?

Thank you and we look forward to your post back!

Hi guigs2,

Thank you very much for your reply. I wrote the results below:

• Does this happen in Safe Mode.

Yes it does.

• I understand that this happens in new profiles as well. Do you have any locked preferences?

I checked the options under "How to fix preferences that won't save". Everything seems as it should be.

• Before doing this make a copy of the sessionrestore files before you reset firefox. The files may also save in the folder titled on the desktop: "Old Firefox profile" Does resetting Firefox to the defaults restore this issue?

Resetting does not help. Actually, I could not try this properly, because, my sessionrestore files are missing. sessionstore.js or sessionstore.bak do not exist in the profile folder.

• How big is the sessionrestore file and does the session show up in about:sessionretore ?

about:sessionrestore brings the "Well this is embarassing etc..." window, but there is no available session to restore.

Thank you once again.

I have this problem as well.

Happens in safemode.

Happens for new profiles.

sessionstore.js and corresponding .bak are never created, before, during or after the session.

Clean install, no addons, affects main, nightly and beta channels of firefox.

@quoloth please check your History settings to make sure "Remember tabs from last time" is selected. (as well as if you have custom History settings there is an option to "clear history when Firefox closes")

@ tavanbos ok, thank you for your reply. The session will not show up in about:sessionrestore if the profile is new and has not been closed and the preference mentioned to quoloth has not been changed. (as well as if you have custom History settings there is an option to "clear history when Firefox closes")

So may I confirm the steps to reproduce these, are you File > Exit, are you Xing etc. Once we get the steps to consistently reproduce this we can move to the next steps.

Thank you for your reply. I have checked all of those. As before, the sessionstore.js is never created so there is no session data saved to restore from. To my understanding that should exist at least temporarily no matter your settings? With, maybe, privacy mode being the exception.

about:sessionrestore shows no restore options available while I have a session going or after.

You can check browser.sessionstore.* prefs including browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash on the about:config page and reset browser.sessionstore prefs that are user set (bold) via the right-click context menu to the default value to make sure that Session Restore is enabled and working properly.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Session_Restore
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/restore-previous-session
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/browser.sessionstore.resume_from_crash

Make sure that you do not run Firefox in permanent Private Browsing mode (Never remember history).

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Private+Browsing

• Tools > Options > Privacy > Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history"
• Deselect: [ ] "Always use Private Browsing mode"

Boot the computer in Windows Safe Mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test.

• http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-start-windows-in-safe-mode/

Checked all the settings under about:config in browser.sessionstore.*, everything is default, this is a clean install. No old profile or profile files were used.

Firefox is not running in permanent Private Browsing mode, it is set to remember history.

Safe mode was the same, sessions are not saved, sessionstore.js is still never created.

@guigs2: I tried with new and old profiles. My history is not in "clear history when Firefox closes" mode.

@cor-el: same here. I tried all those methods. Still no chance.

By the way, I have non of these problems with Firefox 29.00. The problem seems to start with the release of 29.01.

Theory: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=639992 that bug without the crash.

Confirmed all methods do not create a sessionrestore:

• Does selecting this [Under Options/General "Show my tabs and windows from last time" is selected.] restore a session?
• History > "Restore Previous Session" is greyed out
• about:sessionrestore is blank

Methods tried for exiting:

1. File> exit
2. Right click close Firefox

Settings:

• Remember tabs from last time
• History is not closed on exit

It did not crash in the past and in safe mode there is no session restore created either.

Also in the past there has been a directory "sessions" in another user's profile folder. If you take a look at the profile folder is there a folder like this? Also are there any add ons that are working with the session management of this profile? As you said a new profile there is still no session file.

Can you please also provide the troublshooting information from the about:support page?

@guigs2: There is not a "sessions" folder under the profile folders. I checked the default profile and the new one that I've created. It is a clean installation with no add-ons. I chose "copy text to clipboard" in the about:support page. The data is below. I hope that is what you asked for:

Application Basics

Name: Firefox Version: 30.0 User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; WOW64; rv:30.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/30.0

Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days

All Crash Reports

Extensions

Name: avast! Online Security Version: 9.0.2018.95 Enabled: false ID: [email protected]

Important Modified Preferences

browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion: 7 browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID: 20140605174243 browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone: 30.0 dom.mozApps.used: true extensions.lastAppVersion: 30.0 gfx.direct3d.last_used_feature_level_idx: 0 network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858 plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types: application/pdf plugin.importedState: true privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs: true

Graphics

Adapter Description: NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M Adapter Drivers: nvd3dumx,nvwgf2umx,nvwgf2umx nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um Adapter RAM: 1024 ClearType Parameters: Gamma: 2200 Pixel Structure: R ClearType Level: 100 Enhanced Contrast: 200 Device ID: 0x1050 Direct2D Enabled: true DirectWrite Enabled: true (6.3.9600.16384) Driver Date: 3-4-2014 Driver Version: 9.18.13.3523 GPU #2 Active: false GPU Accelerated Windows: 1/1 Direct3D 10 Vendor ID: 0x10de WebGL Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M Direct3D9Ex vs_3_0 ps_3_0) windowLayerManagerRemote: false AzureCanvasBackend: direct2d AzureContentBackend: direct2d AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0

JavaScript

Incremental GC: true

Accessibility

Activated: false Prevent Accessibility: 0

Library Versions

NSPR Expected minimum version: 4.10.6 Version in use: 4.10.6

NSS Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSSMIME Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSSSL Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSUTIL Expected minimum version: 3.16 Version in use: 3.16

No folder named sessions or anything similar under the account folders. sessionCheckpoints.json is the only session related file/folder name in the account folder.

No add ons currently installed.

Here is the requested troubleshooting information from the about:support page:

Application Basics

Name: Firefox Version: 30.0 User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; WOW64; rv:30.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/30.0

Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days

All Crash Reports (including 7 pending crashes in the given time range)

Extensions

Important Modified Preferences

accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0 browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion: 7 browser.sessionstore.resume_session_once: true browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID: 20140605174243 browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone: 30.0 dom.mozApps.used: true extensions.lastAppVersion: 30.0 gfx.direct3d.last_used_feature_level_idx: 0 network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true places.database.lastMaintenance: 1402074310 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858 plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types: application/pdf plugin.importedState: true privacy.donottrackheader.enabled: true privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs: true storage.vacuum.last.index: 1 storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite: 1402074310

Graphics

Adapter Description: NVIDIA Quadro K1000M Adapter Description (GPU #2): Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000 Adapter Drivers: nvd3dumx,nvwgf2umx,nvwgf2umx nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um Adapter Drivers (GPU #2): igdumdim64 igd10iumd64 igd10iumd64 igdumdim32 igd10iumd32 igd10iumd32 Adapter RAM: 2048 Adapter RAM (GPU #2): Unknown Device ID: 0x0ffc Device ID (GPU #2): 0x0166 Direct2D Enabled: true DirectWrite Enabled: true (6.3.9600.16384) Driver Date: 4-8-2014 Driver Date (GPU #2): 5-16-2014 Driver Version: 9.18.13.3302 Driver Version (GPU #2): 10.18.10.3621 GPU #2 Active: false GPU Accelerated Windows: 1/1 Direct3D 10 Vendor ID: 0x10de Vendor ID (GPU #2): 0x8086 WebGL Renderer: Google Inc. -- ANGLE (NVIDIA Quadro K1000M Direct3D9Ex vs_3_0 ps_3_0) windowLayerManagerRemote: false AzureCanvasBackend: direct2d AzureContentBackend: direct2d AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: cairo AzureSkiaAccelerated: 0

JavaScript

Incremental GC: true

Accessibility

Activated: false Prevent Accessibility: 0

Library Versions

NSPR Expected minimum version: 4.10.6 Version in use: 4.10.6

NSS Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSSMIME Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSSSL Expected minimum version: 3.16 Basic ECC Version in use: 3.16 Basic ECC

NSSUTIL Expected minimum version: 3.16 Version in use: 3.16

Ok, still only most relevant bug was the corrupted sessionrestore file, nut you are both on version 30 and there is only one avast add on, but it has not prevented sessionrestore.js in the past.

Trial in the dark: If you search for the sessionrestore.bak or sessionrestore.js file from the start menu, does any show up? Or if you change the Reading and Writing properties of the open profile on the file structure does this change? Currently the code needs system full control for that folder. This is normally the default but it is a theory.

I looked at the permissions for the account folder and the system user and my own user both have full access. I also had tried running firefox 'as an administrator' awhile back wondering if permissions might have been an issue. That didn't seem to fix the problem.

I did a search (system/hidden files are set to be visible) and didn't see anything.

As of way of test I also tried under another windows user account (administrator) and saw the same behavior.

Also might be worth mentioning this is a brand new install of windows (after updates).

@guigs2: I could not find the sessionrestore files. It was already disabled but, just to be sure, I removed avast as well. How do you change the Reading and Writing properties of the open profile?

@tavanbos (1)Open the profile folder "C:/Users/Username/Appdata/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/Profiles/" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\Profiles" (2)Right click the Folder and select Properties, then go to the Security Tab. Click on system and make sure Full control is selected. However this is the default so this is most likely not the issue as quolth also checked.

There was something in an experiment when I used privatemode on auto start that there was still a sessionrestore.js file.

Also I installed a fresh version of Firefox with the default settings and opened the profile folder with : Open Profile Folder add on It has a sessionrestore.bak, sessionrestore.js file, could you show a screenshot of this folder?

Here's a screenshot of mine.

Hey the lockfile! Please try to disable this http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_in_use#Remove_the_profile_lo... The next oddity is the certoveride, but lets try the lockfile first.

I completely copied a new profile to match the profile folder from the screenshot above and have good and bad news.

Good news: found the culprit: the storage file is missing. I disabled the "storage file" and the "Clear Recent History" greyed out. The [about:cache] also will show that the Information about the cache is disabled. If you could test the bad news in a new profile I can confirm it is not just my computer :-)

Bad news: I do not know if you can get this information back. What you can try however is to enable the cache. In the about:config page change browser.cache.disk.enable to true and that folder should show up. If not may need to do a clean reinstall.

I will have to do a clean reinstall in either case, removing the parent.lock file breaks the firefox GUI (menu no longer opens, bookmarks will no longer appear in toolbar, though they are there). I don't suggest anyone else remove it. Replacing it does not seem to fix the issue (firefox creates a new one next time it launches and replacing the old one doesn't resolve the issue). It also doesn't seem to resolve missing session data.

browser.cache.disk.enable is already set to true, and would have been when I took the screenshot

Looks like I missed your about:cache step. Here's a screen shot of that page, looks like its in use... other then the offline portion. The files don't show at those locations but the 'List Cache Entries' on the first two have actual lists being built.

Thanks again.