Firefox Sync
I have a new laptop that I'm trying to move my booksmarks etc from my old laptop. I used sync once before on a laptop that I returned to the store because of repair issues. So, I know I've used it before. After I enter my email address, I didn't know my password so I reset it. When I went to use sync, I got the12 digits that were given to me on the new laptop and entered them into my old laptop. Then it would go to the next page and ask me to enter my username and password again and asked me for a recovery key. I have no recovery key. It says for me to go to options then sync and then recovery key. Well, I go to options but there is no selection for sync. It just lists the menu bar and tool bars and add-on bar. Under the Firefox button there is a set up sync option but when I tried that it said my username was already used. I would then select I've already got an account and the same thing would happen again! It asks for the 12 digits again and the cycle starts all over again. Now I've also tried my main Firefox password and it says there's no such password. So I have been sitting here for hours trying to figure this out. The first time I used it I had no problem at all! I put in the 12 characters and it synced. I don't understand why it's not working now. I really need an answer on this.
Chosen solution
If it turns out you can't use Sync and you still have access to your old laptop, you can manually copy over your bookmarks and other Firefox data to the new computer. See Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles
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HI ladytwothemax,
Thank you for continuing to use Firefox Sync, I would he happy to help troubleshoot to get those Bookmarks synced to your new laptop.
These are the steps you are going through to pair the device:
- Please update both devices to the latest version of Firefox
- If you have reset it, unfortunately all of your data has been deleted, to make sure that it was not you can check the bookmarks on the old device, if they are still there, readd the device to the new laptop. [Add a device]
- From your old laptop, open up a Firefox browser window and type in the url bar about:home
- At the bottom of the page click "Sync"
- Then click the Pair a device link and the Firefox Sync Setup window will open.
- Go to your new device and open up a Firefox browser window and type in the url bar about:home
- Click on sync and then click on "Pair a device"
- When the code is accepted you will see a Device Connected message and your device will immediately begin syncing. Click Done to close the setup window.
Note: Where can I find the code to add a device to Firefox Sync?
For recovery keys corruption please try these steps: Firefox Sync troubleshooting and tips Note: you mentioned that there was an issue with the recovery key, please take note of the part of the article with the title "How do I resolve a wrong Recovery Key error?"
If you have any other questions we are happy to help.
Cheers!
Now that I think about it more, re-adding the device to the profile and checking your email spam for the password reset.
Lets hope its not the password, when this happens to me I get a lot of this: Hmmm
Chosen Solution
If it turns out you can't use Sync and you still have access to your old laptop, you can manually copy over your bookmarks and other Firefox data to the new computer. See Back up and restore information in Firefox profiles
One more thing to add, if you did not reset the recovery key you can recover the account password and profile from this previous version link: Account Services
I think I mentioned in my first post that I had tried the pair a device thing but then it asked me for a recovery key which I don't have. I only have used sync once about 6 months ago, and evidently didn't write down the recovery key code. I did not keep that laptop and it was returned to the store. I really didn't think this was going to be so difficult to do again, but evidently it is....
I looked in my spam email and there wasn't anything there.
One more thing to add, if you did not reset the recovery key you can recover the account password and profile from this previous version link: Account Services
This did not work. It only gives me the option of deleting my account, changing my password, etc. nothing about a recovery key.
Is there no one to actually talk to that can help me? I can roam the forums forever and not find what I'm looking for. Geez, all I want to do is transfer my stuff from my old laptop to my new one. who would have thought it would be rocket science....
You can't pair a new device unless you have access to a computer that still has Sync installed and working.
When Sync is no longer installed then you need the Sync key (that you do not appear to have).
If sync is no longer installed on the laptop and also doesn't show in the Password Manager then your personal data stored on the Sync server is lost.
You can find the sync account password and the sync (recovery) key in the password manager on computers where a sync account with a specific e-mail address has been set up.
- Tools > Options > Security: Passwords: "Saved Passwords" > "Show Passwords"
Look for:
- chrome://weave (Mozilla Services Password)
- chrome://weave (Mozilla Services Encryption Passphrase)
Thank you Alice for the suggestion of backing up my bookmarks and transferring them to my new laptop. That is what I did and it worked! I did bookmarks only as the other option looked like it was going to be more involved. So tabs and history didn't get transferred but I'm thinking that's no big deal. The main thing was I wanted all my bookmarks to be transferred. I'm still confused as to why I can't use sync though. It really shouldn't be so complicated. But thanks again!!! :)
Marilyn
Hey, that's great! Glad to hear you got your bookmarks transferred over.