Hi   !

The "Remember Password" extension has been reported to cause issues with the passwords disappearing, so if you have this extension then remove (uninstall) it.

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions   (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions)  or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

Switch to the DEFAULT theme:  Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window

     https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode      https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

You would need a backup copy of the logins.json and key3.db (eencryption key) files if the passwords are really gone. You can check the logins.json file to see if the file contains password records.

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)      http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

Also see:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recovering-important-data-from-an-old-profile

In the event that the passwords information is lost, you should record all information in a separate text file somewhere else on your hard drive, or written down. You can easily copy and paste if you need to do so. If you are concerned about someone else looking at that file, you can compress it using a password.

These can't get your data back, but will help in the future.

These add-ons can be a great help by backing up and restoring Firefox

FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) {web link} FEBE allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions, history, passwords, and more. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your saved files individually into installable .xpi files. It will also make backups of files that you choose.

OPIE {web link} Import/Export extension preferences