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All Firefox extensions gone after update to Firefox 20.0

I can probably reinstall them but I am not sure I remember them all.
This really sucks!
Instead of working I have to be messing with the system now for who knows how many hours.
Anybody else experienced this after installing the 20.0 update?

I reinstalled 19.0.2 and restored the folder .mozilla/firefox from a backup from couple months ago but my extensions are still gone.
Is there another place where Firefox puts its config files?
Could Firefox sync mess this up too? Does it sync so fast after starting Firefox?

I think my extensions are under ~/.mozilla/firefox/<profile>.default/ where <profile> is a random string. Specifically under .mozilla/firefox/<profile>.default/extensions/.

Updating Firefox (using, say, upgradepkg mozilla-firefox-20.0-x86_64-1_slack14.0.txz, the patch file found at your favorite mirror) does not wipe out your ~/.mozilla/firefox/<random>.default/extensions directory.

The first time you start Firefox after update it checks extensions for version compatibility and will attempt to update any that are not compatible and if that fails it will disable the extension (but not remove it). You should have seen a message window to that effect. If you open a terminal and

Code:

ls .mozilla/firefox/*.default/extensions

{5384767E-00D9-40E9-B72F-9CC39D655D6F}/    {b9db16a4-6edc-47ec-a1f4-b86292ed211d}/

{73a6fe31-595d-460b-a920-fcc0f8843232}.xpi  {d10d0bf8-f5b5-c8b4-a8b2-2b9879e08c5d}.xpi

Those are the extensions; you can use ls to see the content of any of those directories; in my case, there are only two, Adblock Plus and NoScript.

The proper way to install/upgrade Firefox (or any software installed with Slackware package management) is to (1) download the appropriate files from a mirror, (2) upgradepkg packagename*.t?z.

In your case, a good mirror site to use would be the Oregon State University (OSU) site; for example:

Code:

su -

cd some_directory

wget ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.0/patches/packages/*firefox*

<wait a while>

upgradepkg *firefox*.t?z

Obviously, adjust the above for your Slackware version.

I have always upgraded Slackware-provided software using the above method and have never had a problem with any package doing so. Firefox, Thunderbird, SeaMonkey (and everything else) just start and go -- highly recommend doing it this way.

Hope this helps some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 273 (Post 4937836)

I think my extensions are under ~/.mozilla/firefox/<profile>.default/ where <profile> is a random string. Specifically under .mozilla/firefox/<profile>.default/extensions/.

Yes, I have that folder there and the extensions are in there.
Out of 7 only 3 have actual names, the rest a UID type names so I can't tell what they are.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tronayne (Post 4937893)

Code:

ls .mozilla/firefox/*.default/extensions

{5384767E-00D9-40E9-B72F-9CC39D655D6F}/    {b9db16a4-6edc-47ec-a1f4-b86292ed211d}/

{73a6fe31-595d-460b-a920-fcc0f8843232}.xpi  {d10d0bf8-f5b5-c8b4-a8b2-2b9879e08c5d}.xpi

Code:

su -

cd some_directory

wget ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/slackware64-14.0/patches/packages/*firefox*

<wait a while>

upgradepkg *firefox*.t?z

Thank you for the detailed help.
Much appreciated you took the time.
I do use the Slackware provided packages (although some versions back, I think around Slackware 12.2, I did use the Mozilla provided generic tar.gz file).
And I upgrade also using "upgradepkg".
I've been using mostly the "Carol" mirror for packages. I think it's in Manitoba.

What's even more serious now is that I can't install any extension at all.
The list of my previous extensions is empty and if I try to install, for example Add-Block Plus, then it just keeps saying "Installing" in the progress bar" and never finishes.
I will try to back up and remove all extension files and see if that will make a difference.

It seems that you borked your profile.
In the extensions folder you can open these with Ark and then you can find out the name of the extensions (especially in the install.rdf).

Try Help --> restart with add-ons disabled.

If that doesn't work, I think it's best to start all over again with a brand new profile...

Can I make a suggestion here?

Instead of screwing around for more hours, try this: open Firefox and export your bookmarks (click bookmarks, down at the bottom click unsorted bookmarks, then click Import and Backup in the window that pops up, choose backup and where you want the file to go).

When that's done, exit Firefox, get into your home directory and

Code:

mv .mozilla .mozilla.bak

Then start Firefox.

Then install whatever extensions you want.

Then recover your bookmarks from the back up file you made above (the file will be names bookmarks-2013-01-24.json). Do the same thing as above (click bookmarks, etc.) and import that file, overwriting any existing (there won't be any, don't it anyway).

If all that works and you're a happy camper blow away the old directory:

Code:

cd

rm -rf .mozilla.bak

And life goes on.

Hope this helps some.

thanks guys for the suggestions.
I've done all the above.
I do have a backup of my profile.
Two key data sets are very important to me, my bookmarks and saved passwords.
So I can restore those no problem.
I think trying to use Firefox Sync was interfering.
It's a really nasty and buggy feature.
Right now, with a new fresh profile, I still can't install any extensions.
And without extensions, life with Firefox is just a nightmare.
I've unlinked my computer from Firefox sync.
And I'll redo the profile once again, restore my bookmarks and passwords.
And then I'll try to install extensions again.

I'm now an official Mozilla Corporation hater. They waste resources on removing menu items and taking features away instead of fixing long outstanding bugs and problems. I really wish there was a fork of Firefox by an independent non-corporate entity, kind of like Libreoffice. Someone needs to put them out of business!

Quote:

Originally Posted by tronayne (Post 4938146)

Code:

mv .mozilla .mozilla.bak

Code:

cd

rm -rf .mozilla.bak

And life goes on.

Hope this helps some.

Aren't firefox profiles in .mozilla/firefox ?
Why would I need to move the entire .mozilla folder then?
I also have my Seamonkey and Thunderbird data in there and don't want to mess with that.

Ok, this is totally screwy.
I've cleared my entire .mozilla folder.
Firefox will not install any extensions.
All I did was restore my old bookmarks and passwords. Otherwise it was a new profile.

Seamonkey is the same. No extensions will install.
And I recopied my old profile back but my Local Folders will not list any email and that's where I store several years of email.

I've now spent more than a full day on this.
Tomorrow I'll test ram and run some more tests.
But I was able to play UT2004 for over an hour last evening without any problems so I don't think there is anything wrong with my hardware.

How are you restoring your profile? Logged in as "you" or are you using sudo or su -? The only reason Firefox would not be able to install extensions is that "you" don't have permission to do so (as in somebody else owns the files and directories in your ~/.mozilla directory). Too, Thunderbird doesn't "belong" in the ~/.mozilla directory, it is created in ~/.thunderbird when you first start it.

On my systems Firefox, SeaMonkey and Thunderbird have been installed by root using the Slackware installpkg utility from the Slackware packages delivered on the distribution DVD and upgraded with the Slackware packages found in the patches/packages directory on a mirror whenever patches have become available -- those are all installed in the root tree; e.g., Firefox on a 64-bit system that's /usr/lib64/firefox-20.0 (and on a 32-bit system is /usr/lib/). The other two are similar.

Something you might want to check is the ownership of the directories and files in your ~/.mozilla directory:

Code:

ls -l .mozilla

total 12

drwx------ 3 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 extensions/

drwx------ 4 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 firefox/

drwx------ 3 trona users 4096 Feb 12 09:48 seamonkey/



ls -l .mozilla/extensions

total 4

drwxr-xr-x 2 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 {3550f703-e582-4d05-9a08-453d09bdfdc6}/

Note the date stamp of the extensions directory? It's empty, unused (but I leave it alone).

Code:

ls -al .mozilla/firefox

total 20

drwx------  4 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 ./

drwx------  5 trona users 4096 Feb 12 09:48 ../

drwx------  3 trona users 4096 Oct 12  2012 Crash\ Reports/

drwx------ 16 trona users 4096 Apr 25 08:17 lh09h7sl.default/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  94 Dec  3  2011 profiles.ini

What's in profiles.ini?

Code:

cat .mozilla/firefox/profiles.ini

[General]

StartWithLastProfile=1



[Profile0]

Name=default

IsRelative=1

Path=lh09h7sl.default

No big deal, that's what's supposed to be there.

Notice that every file and directory so far is owned by "me" and the group is "users?"

OK, let's make it a little easier to list:

Code:

cd .mozilla/firefox/lh09h7sl.default/

ls -al

total 140032

drwx------ 16 trona users    4096 Apr 25 08:23 ./

drwx------  4 trona users    4096 Dec  3  2011 ../

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users        0 Apr 24 06:52 .parentlock

drwxr-xr-x 18 trona users    4096 Mar 12 12:27 Cache/

-rw-------  1 trona users      424 Mar 30 07:35 NoScriptSTS.db

drwx------ 18 trona users    4096 Mar 12 12:27 OfflineCache/

-rw-------  1 trona users        1 Apr 25 07:59 _CACHE_CLEAN_

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 25 07:58 adblockplus/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  364350 Jan 16 10:28 adblockplus-rules.json

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  524288 Apr 24 12:13 addons.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  295496 Apr 24 12:13 addons.sqlite-journal

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    62534 Apr 24 11:15 blocklist.xml

drwx------  2 trona users    4096 Apr 24 05:42 bookmarkbackups/

-rw-------  1 trona users  196608 Apr 24 06:52 cert8.db

-rw-------  1 trona users      366 Feb 14 09:24 cert_override.txt

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    98304 Dec 20 16:44 chromeappsstore.sqlite

-rw-------  1 trona users      166 Apr 16 18:29 compatibility.ini

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  229376 Apr 24 07:48 content-prefs.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  1048576 Apr 25 07:59 cookies.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    32768 Apr 25 08:00 cookies.sqlite-shm

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  590288 Apr 25 08:00 cookies.sqlite-wal

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    4429 Jan 20  2012 cshelper.cfg

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      152 Jan 20  2012 dh-conv-rules.rdf

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      517 Apr 24 06:52 dh-media-lists.rdf

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    82456 Apr 24 06:52 dh-smart-names.rdf

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    98304 Apr 24 09:28 downloads.sqlite

drwxr-xr-x  3 trona users    4096 Nov  4 14:35 epub/

drwxr-xr-x  4 trona users    4096 Apr 16 18:24 extensions/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      446 Apr 16 18:24 extensions.ini

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  524288 Apr 16 18:24 extensions.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  327680 Apr 24 11:27 formhistory.sqlite

-rw-------  1 trona users    16384 Apr 24 06:52 key3.db

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    27499 Apr 24 15:40 localstore.rdf

lrwxrwxrwx  1 trona users      19 Apr 24 06:52 lock -> 192.168.1.10:+22169

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    22665 Apr 20 09:26 mimeTypes.rdf

drwx------  2 trona users    4096 Jun 10  2012 minidumps/

drwx------  2 trona users    4096 Dec 20 16:45 mozilla-media-cache/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  196608 Apr 25 06:53 permissions.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users 52428800 Apr 25 07:59 places.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    32768 Apr 25 08:22 places.sqlite-shm

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    98408 Apr 25 08:22 places.sqlite-wal

-rw-------  1 trona users    3053 Apr 19 08:05 pluginreg.dat

-rw-------  1 trona users    61143 Apr 25 08:05 prefs.js

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 25 08:00 safebrowsing/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      34 Jul 19  2012 search-metadata.json

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    10828 Apr  3 07:38 search.json

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    65536 Jul  1  2012 search.sqlite

-rw-------  1 trona users    16384 Dec  3  2011 secmod.db

-rw-------  1 trona users    14585 Apr 24 06:52 sessionstore.bak

-rw-------  1 trona users    35657 Apr 25 08:23 sessionstore.js

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  327680 Apr 21 11:46 signons.sqlite

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 16 18:30 startupCache/

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    28672 Apr 25 08:16 thumbnails/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  1622460 Nov 22 07:49 urlclassifier.pset

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users 57671680 Nov 22 07:49 urlclassifier3.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      154 Apr 24 06:52 urlclassifierkey3.txt

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      129 Apr  3 07:39 user.js.conf

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Mar 12  2012 useragentswitcher/

drwxr-xr-x  5 trona users    4096 Jun 14  2012 weave/

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 24 06:52 webapps/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  1966080 Apr 24 06:52 webappsstore.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    32768 Apr 24 09:51 webappsstore.sqlite-shm

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users 24069360 Apr 24 07:58 webappsstore.sqlite-wal

Again, I own everything and the group is users -- other than "trona" as owner, yours should be identical (maybe with a few different files, but pretty much the same).

So, if yours is not the same as the above? Try this:

Code:

Shut down Firefox, SeaMonkey, Thunderbird

Open a terminal window

su -    (or sudo)

<password>

cd your_home_directory

chown -R your_userid.users .mozilla

Ctrl-D

Then start Firefox -- "you" must own every file and directory in your ~/.mozilla directory for you to be able to install or remove extensions.

Oh, yeah, if you're copying a back up, make sure to do the "chown" before you start Firefox (you've probably got ownership messed up in the backup).

Hope this helps some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tronayne (Post 4938603)

Code:

ls -l .mozilla

total 12

drwx------ 3 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 extensions/

drwx------ 4 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 firefox/

drwx------ 3 trona users 4096 Feb 12 09:48 seamonkey/



ls -l .mozilla/extensions

total 4

drwxr-xr-x 2 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 {3550f703-e582-4d05-9a08-453d09bdfdc6}/

Note the date stamp of the extensions directory? It's empty, unused (but I leave it alone).

Code:

ls -al .mozilla/firefox

total 20

drwx------  4 trona users 4096 Dec  3  2011 ./

drwx------  5 trona users 4096 Feb 12 09:48 ../

drwx------  3 trona users 4096 Oct 12  2012 Crash\ Reports/

drwx------ 16 trona users 4096 Apr 25 08:17 lh09h7sl.default/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  94 Dec  3  2011 profiles.ini

What's in profiles.ini?

Code:

cat .mozilla/firefox/profiles.ini

[General]

StartWithLastProfile=1



[Profile0]

Name=default

IsRelative=1

Path=lh09h7sl.default

No big deal, that's what's supposed to be there.

Notice that every file and directory so far is owned by "me" and the group is "users?"

OK, let's make it a little easier to list:

Code:

cd .mozilla/firefox/lh09h7sl.default/

ls -al

total 140032

drwx------ 16 trona users    4096 Apr 25 08:23 ./

drwx------  4 trona users    4096 Dec  3  2011 ../

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users        0 Apr 24 06:52 .parentlock

drwxr-xr-x 18 trona users    4096 Mar 12 12:27 Cache/

-rw-------  1 trona users      424 Mar 30 07:35 NoScriptSTS.db

drwx------ 18 trona users    4096 Mar 12 12:27 OfflineCache/

-rw-------  1 trona users        1 Apr 25 07:59 _CACHE_CLEAN_

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 25 07:58 adblockplus/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  364350 Jan 16 10:28 adblockplus-rules.json

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  524288 Apr 24 12:13 addons.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  295496 Apr 24 12:13 addons.sqlite-journal

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    62534 Apr 24 11:15 blocklist.xml

drwx------  2 trona users    4096 Apr 24 05:42 bookmarkbackups/

-rw-------  1 trona users  196608 Apr 24 06:52 cert8.db

-rw-------  1 trona users      366 Feb 14 09:24 cert_override.txt

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    98304 Dec 20 16:44 chromeappsstore.sqlite

-rw-------  1 trona users      166 Apr 16 18:29 compatibility.ini

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  229376 Apr 24 07:48 content-prefs.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  1048576 Apr 25 07:59 cookies.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    32768 Apr 25 08:00 cookies.sqlite-shm

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  590288 Apr 25 08:00 cookies.sqlite-wal

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    4429 Jan 20  2012 cshelper.cfg

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      152 Jan 20  2012 dh-conv-rules.rdf

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      517 Apr 24 06:52 dh-media-lists.rdf

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    82456 Apr 24 06:52 dh-smart-names.rdf

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    98304 Apr 24 09:28 downloads.sqlite

drwxr-xr-x  3 trona users    4096 Nov  4 14:35 epub/

drwxr-xr-x  4 trona users    4096 Apr 16 18:24 extensions/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      446 Apr 16 18:24 extensions.ini

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  524288 Apr 16 18:24 extensions.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  327680 Apr 24 11:27 formhistory.sqlite

-rw-------  1 trona users    16384 Apr 24 06:52 key3.db

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    27499 Apr 24 15:40 localstore.rdf

lrwxrwxrwx  1 trona users      19 Apr 24 06:52 lock -> 192.168.1.10:+22169

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    22665 Apr 20 09:26 mimeTypes.rdf

drwx------  2 trona users    4096 Jun 10  2012 minidumps/

drwx------  2 trona users    4096 Dec 20 16:45 mozilla-media-cache/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  196608 Apr 25 06:53 permissions.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users 52428800 Apr 25 07:59 places.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    32768 Apr 25 08:22 places.sqlite-shm

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    98408 Apr 25 08:22 places.sqlite-wal

-rw-------  1 trona users    3053 Apr 19 08:05 pluginreg.dat

-rw-------  1 trona users    61143 Apr 25 08:05 prefs.js

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 25 08:00 safebrowsing/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      34 Jul 19  2012 search-metadata.json

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    10828 Apr  3 07:38 search.json

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    65536 Jul  1  2012 search.sqlite

-rw-------  1 trona users    16384 Dec  3  2011 secmod.db

-rw-------  1 trona users    14585 Apr 24 06:52 sessionstore.bak

-rw-------  1 trona users    35657 Apr 25 08:23 sessionstore.js

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  327680 Apr 21 11:46 signons.sqlite

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 16 18:30 startupCache/

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    28672 Apr 25 08:16 thumbnails/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  1622460 Nov 22 07:49 urlclassifier.pset

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users 57671680 Nov 22 07:49 urlclassifier3.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      154 Apr 24 06:52 urlclassifierkey3.txt

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users      129 Apr  3 07:39 user.js.conf

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Mar 12  2012 useragentswitcher/

drwxr-xr-x  5 trona users    4096 Jun 14  2012 weave/

drwxr-xr-x  2 trona users    4096 Apr 24 06:52 webapps/

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users  1966080 Apr 24 06:52 webappsstore.sqlite

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users    32768 Apr 24 09:51 webappsstore.sqlite-shm

-rw-r--r--  1 trona users 24069360 Apr 24 07:58 webappsstore.sqlite-wal

Code:

Shut down Firefox, SeaMonkey, Thunderbird

Open a terminal window

su -    (or sudo)

<password>

cd your_home_directory

chown -R your_userid.users .mozilla

Ctrl-D

Thanks Tronayne for the detailed help.
I've done all that though. I even chmod -R 755 .mozilla to make sure the folder was writable.
The only files I copied from my backup into the new Firefox profile were key3.db and signons.sqlite which I understand have my passwords.

When I try to install an extension, let's say Addblock Plus, I go to search in the Extensions tab, then click the install button.
It should quick download progress, and then it stalls at installing and the progress bar just stays saying "Installing".
When I close Firefox and start it again, there is no extensions.
Same goes for Seamonkey.
But what's even more troubling is that my Local Folder email will not work (and I have almost a Gigabyte of old emails there) and one of my email accounts will not display either.

Yes, Thunderbird profile is on its own and not in .mozilla. I named it by mistake.

Anyway, I'm pretty stuck right now.
My next test will be taking my profile backups to a Windows machine and restoring them there, both Firefox and Seamonkey.

And what happens when you downgrade to FF 19*?
Or use a beta?

Just for grins: open Firefox then click Help and About Firefox.

What's it say?