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restore cleared download history

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tools---DOWNLOADS = PUT A "RESTORE" LOST DOWNLOAD LIST = A "COPY" DOWNLOAD LIST TO A SECOND SECURE SAVE A COPY OF IT FILE = A CANNOT DELETE ENTIRE DOWNLOAD LIST WITHOUT AGREEING TO DELETE DOWNLOAD LIST ON A SECOND POPUP WARNING BOX !!!!

i have lost my download lists over and over----you should not have "clear downloads anywhere --it is too easy to remove clear lose entire download history list-----=you should remove it from top of page next to organize----you should remove it from the right click drop down menu.....you should make it so manually remove one by one....if want to remove clear entire download history list you should make it hard to do accidentally .....

you should also make it find and highlight like it did before each download when you right click on item to ?"find in folder"

the "go to download page" no longer works at all...PLEASE RESTORE THIS FUNCTION....

what is email for mozilla itself...or phone number or email of anyone who can put the above changes in firefox....how do you leave a message on their Facebook or twitter..Mozilla impossible to contact.....

locking this old thread

tools---DOWNLOADS = PUT A "RESTORE" LOST DOWNLOAD LIST = A "COPY" DOWNLOAD LIST TO A SECOND SECURE SAVE A COPY OF IT FILE = A CANNOT DELETE ENTIRE DOWNLOAD LIST WITHOUT AGREEING TO DELETE DOWNLOAD LIST ON A SECOND POPUP WARNING BOX !!!! i have lost my download lists over and over----you should not have "clear downloads anywhere --it is too easy to remove clear lose entire download history list-----=you should remove it from top of page next to organize----you should remove it from the right click drop down menu.....you should make it so manually remove one by one....if want to remove clear entire download history list you should make it hard to do accidentally ..... you should also make it find and highlight like it did before each download when you right click on item to ?"find in folder" the "go to download page" no longer works at all...PLEASE RESTORE THIS FUNCTION.... what is email for mozilla itself...or phone number or email of anyone who can put the above changes in firefox....how do you leave a message on their Facebook or twitter..Mozilla impossible to contact..... ''locking this old thread''

Modified by the-edmeister

Chosen solution

You could try to restore a previous version of the places.sqlite file in the profile folder.

You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)

Restore a previous version of the file:

  • Right-click: Properties > Previous Versions
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All Replies (11)

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Hi, You can click on the download icon arrow and select "Show all Downloads", this will take you to the "about:downloads" page.

Find in folder functionality is the magnifying glass on the right hand side of the download.

The restore lost downloads on the other hand sounds like a good idea. Check out the new How to manage your downloads article in the meantime, this may make is easier to see how to keep the history.

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tools---options---general----downloads---browse----

the above shows all the downloads in a stored file----but i want them restored to : tools-----downloads (downloads library list)

how ? where is Mozilla help on this ? why is a clear downloads button on top of page & drop down right click on an item in downloads library list. why is so easy now to clear entire download library list ? why isn't there a restore ? why are downloads list so hard to restore and prevent from being clear by using a second allow or do not allow pop up box or have the clear list hidden harder to access.

if mozilla would spend more time fixing their browser .... moderator deleted prejudice statements - Please see the Rules and Guidelines for this forum.

Modified by the-edmeister

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Chosen Solution

You could try to restore a previous version of the places.sqlite file in the profile folder.

You can use this button to go to the currently used Firefox profile folder:

  • Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Show Folder (Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder)

Restore a previous version of the file:

  • Right-click: Properties > Previous Versions
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i follow you up till after i clicked open folder----then i have long list of files-----what is the name of the one i click on----? content-pref-sqlite ? i tried that one got a pop up with box listing dates but says if i restore if will replace and be unable to redo....i dont know what to do can you explain better..thanks

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hello--i don't think we talking same thing here...the places. sqlite you suggest are for bookmarks history....

      i need DOWNLOAD LIBRARY LIST  not bookmarks.....http://kb.mozillazine.org/Bookmarks_history_and_toolbar_buttons_not_working_-_Firefox

above link says places.sqlite is for bookmarks....are you sure you are telling me the right file for downloads ???

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That KB page is out of date.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Bookmarks_history_and_toolbar_buttons_not_working_-_Firefox
This page was last modified 12:25, 15 December 2012.

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Ye, downloads are part of the history and stored just like normal history and the bookmarks in the places.sqlite file.


Firefox manages downloads in the Downloads folder in the Library (History > Show All History)

  • Downloads are treated as history items: clearing history removes included download items and vice verse.
  • When downloads are in progress you see an animated download button on the Navigation Toolbar showing an estimate of the remaining time
  • The Download button gets a green highlight once all download are finished to make you aware that new downloads are available.
  • Pause and Resume can be found in the right-click context menu of an item.

You can display the Downloads Manager in a tab by opening the about:downloads page.
You can consider to open the about:downloads page in a separate window.

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you are repeating same thing that is not helping me....i want to restore lost download library list..i am quite familiar how to use downloads and bookmarks..ive had firefox browser since 2000.......i am asking for help here how to restore lost download list.....the file: places .sqlite will not restore download library list ? correct ? it is only for bookmarks , correct ? i am not trying to restore bookmarks.....although i cant seem to import my firefox bookmarks to opera but thats another question....

you keep telling me how downloads work....i know how they work..restoring the sqlite file that contained the download list is the problem....get it ? which file is the one to restore that has the downloads history and how do i restore my cleared accidentally download list ?? i need step by step instructions on restoring the list.....NOT BOOKMARKS OR HOW DOWNLOADS WORK..

does anyone here know how to do this ????

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The places.sqlite file has the bookmarks and the history and because downloads are a special kind of history they are included as well and also stored in places.sqlite.

Restoring an older places.sqlite file will cause you to lose bookmarks that were added after the creation date of the places.sqlite file, so best is to create an HTML backup of the bookmarks or restore the bookmarks from the most recent bookmarks-####-##-##_xxxx.json backup in the bookmarkbackups folder (xxxx is the number of bookmarks in the JSON backup).

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I tend to agree - what is "show all history" and "clear recent history" doing right next each other, if you have a twitchy mouse or the like, you can wipe out your history and anything you may need there - never mind you "may" be able to get it back, its still more hassle than anyone needs.

?: how do I separate the "show all history" and "clear recent history" under history? Just move them away from each other. Simple?