firefox v3.6.8 "forgets" google search and other settings
 

NOTE -- "Similar Threads" did not show anything that seemed appropriate.

I use FF v3.6.8 on Ubuntu Lucid. At the Google home page, I select the "settings" item and select things like which languages to search, number of items to display, open a fresh window(tab), disable filtering, etc.
I select the SaveSettings button and all works well.

... for a while ...

At some time later, all of those settings are gone and must be reset.
I believe that I have cookies enabled and that sort of security and privacy settings enabled.

Ideas,
~~~ 0;-Dan

you might need to change the firefox settings
look in
edit / preferences /
and click on the "privacy "tab
turn off " privacy mode "

I'll try these settings and report my results.
Thanks for the tip.
~~~ 0;-Dan

==========
Follow-up
==========
I tried all sorts of variations on the Edit-->Preferences settings
without any success.

On one hand, I feel like a lone ranger. If more were having this sort of forgetful troubles, there would be more screaming. Therefore, the trouble must be unique to my configuration.

On the other hand, I cannot believe that I am the only one who has seen this. Anyone else out there?

Stumpled,
~~~ 0;-< Dan

there are firefox settings that save cookies or DELETE the history and cookies when ff is shut down
there are also settings to save to save cookies for a set time ( life time of the cookie -- 2 weeks for google, never save cookies or keep them permanently
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox.../releasenotes/
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/

FOLLOW-UP: "Firefox settings" == "set plugged in"
 

Folks,
I appreciate all of the replies, but anything "firefox settings" does not seem to help. I admit that there are dozens (hundreds, thousands) of setting combinations -- any of which might resolve the issues -- but I continue to have troubles with FF v3.6.* editions.

The scenario

• visit http://www.google.com
• There is a link for "Search Settings" http://www.google.com/preferences?hl=en
• configure several settings:
  • messages in English
  • search English and French
  • do not filter
  • open a new window
  • display 30 items
  • no search suggestions
  • ... Save Preferences ...
  • SAVED ... OK
• everything seems to work for a while

I don't know if it is quit Firefox or reboot or something else, but
I must reset these preferences quite often. Specifically the desire for English & French search, 30 items, and open new window.

One posting on the net someone implied that there was an OPEN BUG with Firefox, but I cannot find those details.

Other than Firefox settings, does anyone know about other processing that might affect remembering of these settings -- something that Ubuntu (various editions) or Gnome (various editions) would do for me behind the scenes?

Thanks,
~~~ 0;-Dan

Google settings are saved in a cookie. If you remove the Google cookie you lose the settings.
You can use the OptimizeGoogle extension to keep that from happening. Or use one of the many Cookie extensions so the Google cookie is never deleted.

As far as I know, my other cookies are working just fine. Does anyone know what could step on the Google cookie and leave others alone?

Is there any utility or extension that would "notify" or similar if
something tries to change the google cookie?

~~~ 0;-Dan

http://forums.mozillazine.org is a great place for all your Firefox questions and answers.

SaintDanBert the default firefox settings should

ff3 now uses a database file for bookmarks and things
copy it or export to a html file
rename ~/.mozilla to ~/.mozilla.off and restart firefox
re import the bookmarks and see if that fixes it.

This same issue -- firefox "forgets" -- happens under FF v3.6.9 as well as v3.6.8 This same issue DOES NOT happen under Ubuntu Jaunty (v9.04). It only appears under Ubuntu Lucid (v10.04 LTS)

I placed a support request with the firefox site, but since it happens
only for Ubuntu Lucid, it seems to me that is where the problem lies ... something about the distro running underneath FireFox.

Hoping for ideas,
~~~ 0;-Dan

is it ONLY google ?
or yahoo also
and any other sites -- like this one

the only time mine change is when i dump everything ( a new .mozilla/firefox ) folder

it dose sound like a cookie issue

I would agree except that the same FF edition runs fine on Jaunty.
It only fails on Lucid. If it were an issue with FF storage
of cookies, wouldn't both editions fail the same way?

I would expect that the FF code -- Javascript or native -- that implements "save cookie" would fail in both places if it was FF at
fault.

Curious-er and curious-er,
~~~ 0;-Dan