Moving the Firefox bookmarks.html file off C:

[Sylvander]

In the middle of doing this and want to record here what I've just done, hoping that it works.

1. At http://kb.mozillazine.org/Browser.bookmarks.file

2. Put about:config in the Firefox address window and hit Go.

3. Right-click in the resulting window and enter...
a) Preference Name = browser.bookmarks.file
b) String = [The address desired for the file, long string finishing...] = \bookmarks.html
e.g. D:\Moved\Firefox\Bookmarks\bookmarks.html in my case.

[Sylvander]

Well...
The good news is that two files were made in the new location as shown in the image below.

The bad news is that both the original and the copy appear to have been reset with all bookmarks lost.

Although I replaced both with a backup copy held in an image backup file, yet still when I open Firefox now, all of my bookmarks are gone.
Not only that, but my customisations of the Firefox toolbar have been lost.

Looks like I'll need to restore an image backup of C: to undo the changes.

[Sylvander]

Looks like I've found the fix for this...

1. Went to folder...
C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\default.5kb
and copied both...
bookmarks.html
bookmarks.bak

2. ...to the new Firefox Bookmarks backup folder...
D:\Moved\Firefox\Bookmarks

3. That meant that the two 16 kB files were replaced by 601 kB files.

Now when I open Firefox and look at my bookmarks they are all present.

4. The file at...
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\profile\bookmarks.html
is still there and unchanged.
That must be the wrong file to use [the default].

5. I wonder what interplay there will be [if any] between the files at 1 with the files at 2?

[Sylvander]

In case you're asking yourself why I bothered to do this...

It's so that when I restore an image backup of the contents of the C: partition, and everything on C: "jumps back" to the way it was when the backup was made...
The Firefox settings [in addition to the other things already done like emails, Address Book, My Documents, IE Favourites] will remain untouched and just as up-to-data as they were before the restore. :D :cool:

[jlreich]

I just use MozBackup (http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/). Works very well at backing up all your Mozilla settings and bookmarks. Also very useful to transfer all your settings to another machine.

That's good information to know though. Nothing wrong with a little experimenting to figure things out. :)

[malcore]

I just simply keep my Firefox profile folder on another drive. By using th -p switch (for FF profile manager) on your FF shortcut, ie firefox.exe -p you can then create a new profile folder on any drive you wish and set Firefox to use this profile by default.

You can also copy and paste your profile folder to another drive, then use the -p switch to change your profile to this new folder.

[Sylvander]

JLReich
From my point of view, this was never about backing up the bookmarks.
I routinely make image backups of the whole C: partition.
This is about keeping all the OS and Programs on C: but moving all the data off C:
Especially the data that change by the second.
But Why?
So that when an image backup of C: is restored all those informations remain unaffected and right up-to-the-second.

Malcore
I came across a "bug" discussion on this topic out there on the web, and this issue was included.
"Why not just move the whole profile" it was suggested.
Answer: Because that uses so much more storage space, and all that really needs to be moved is the bookmarks file.
Some people keep such files on a rather limited USB memory stick so they can take them with them wherever they go.
I prefer to keep all but the bookmarks file on C: because I like to keep ALL of the OS & Programs & configuration files [everything that affects program operation] on C: and all the data files that change and record things off C:

Each to his own preference though. :)
Evolution through diversity!

[malcore]

Answer: Because that uses so much more storage space, and all that really needs to be moved is the bookmarks file.

Why only bookmarks? Any extensions, themes or toolbar operations will remain as they were just prior to a restore of C. The cache is also includued, which removes dynamic clutter from the C drive.

What exactly is the bug that is mentioned? It seems to be just this person's preference. I've noticed no trouble with Firefox using this method. I can also create other profiles, for testing or for other users on this machine who have different bookmarks, extensions and toolbar configurations.

[Sylvander]

"Why only bookmarks? Any extensions, themes or toolbar operations will remain as they were just prior to a restore of C."
GOOD POINT!
I'll need to reconsider.
Does that mean I've got to think? OUCH! :)
[Pauses for thought.]
OK, I think I'm convinced, sounds like a god idea to me, and all that's stopping me is some inertia and not being sure exactly how this is done.
Perhaps you could take me in easy steps.
How would what I've only just got working fit into that?
Would I need to undo it?
Is the key just to add [space]-P to the end of the "Mozilla Firefox" properties "Target"?

"What exactly is the bug that is mentioned?"
Above in post #1 I gave a link in point 1 to a Mozilla webpage. At the bottom of that webpage "Related Bugs" are linked.
I think THIS (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=31623) is the one where I read those comments just mentioned.
"Bug 31623"; first in the list of bugs, entitled: "Location of Bookmarks file cannot be changed".

[malcore]

Yes, just adding the -p to the end of the Firefox shortcut target will now open the profile manager ( if Firefox is not already started).

I don't think you need to undo what you've just done, but in the end will be somewhat redundant.

What I would do to move an existing profile is copy your original profile folder to your D: drive, or whatever drive you wish. Rename the folder to whatever you want.

Start the FF Profile Manager, select Create Profile, name it what you like and click Choose Folder and browse to the profile folder you just copied to your D: drive.

Finish out and make sure you have this new profile selected in Profile Manager, tick the "Don't ask at startup" box and start Firefox. You will now be using the profile stored on your D: drive.

You can either delete the original profile in Profile Manager, or delete the original folder completely, or both. ;)

Can easily be changed back if you change your mind upon further thinking. :)

PS- don't forget to remove the -p switch from your shortcut.

[Sylvander]

Following your instructions I copied the original profile folder on C: [with all its sub-folders and files] to a new location on D: and deleted the original folder.
Also removed the reference to browser.bookmarks.file in the about:config Firefox window and deleted the new bookmarks.??? files and their folder.
With all this done, the bookmarks are still showing in Firefox, so it appears to have worked. :D :cool:

[malcore]

so it appears to have worked. :D :cool:

:cool:

[Sylvander]

All working well so far. :)

Made an image backup of the C: partition including the new arrangement, so I now have one before and one after.

Many thanks. :D :cool:

[Sylvander]

This morning, suddenly the thought came to me that I needed to make an image backup of D: to match the image backup of C:
This so that if at some time in the future I were to restore the C: image AFTER the Firefox change, then I'd need to have a matching image backup of D: so that the profile referred to on C: could be made to actually exist on D:

If I were to restore an image backup of C: made BEFORE the Firefox change, then the profile and settings would be on C: and the profile on D: would be sitting there ignored and unused...
But I could always repeat the above process to have them used once again.

Making the image of D: took only a few minutes because the contents of D: only occupy 370 MB of a 600 MB partition. :)
That's an advantage of keeping such key partitions small. :D

[Sylvander]

Coming back to this after a couple of months...

Something odd is happening to my profile and I want to check that the same profile is being used, but I cannot get the Profile Manager to run.
Made a new "Firefox.exe" shortcut, opened the "Properties" window, added a space then -P to the end of "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" in the "Target:" box, but when I run that I just get an ordinary Firefox window, no "Profile Manager". :(

[Sylvander]

Discovered that an easier way to run the "Profile Manager" is to paste/enter...
firefox.exe -ProfileManager

...Into the "Start->Run->Open:..." drop-down-box and click OK.
Used this and it worked.

If that doesn't work you use the whole pathway to the firefox.exe file.
e.g.
On my Win2000Pro system that is:
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe -ProfileManager
Haven't tried this.