Cannot remove some cookies
Dear Support:
I am having two issues with cookie management using Firefox 4.0.1.
First, I am having problems deleting cookies.
Second, I do not understand the cookie "Permissions" feature.
The first issue concerns deleting cookies:
In the Firefox preferences directory (Windows)
C:\System\Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\ abcdefgh.default (where abcdefgh is the preferences folder prefix),
I create a copy of "cookies.sqlite" and rename it "cookies_one.sqlite.
I start Firefox.
From the "Tools" menu I start SQlite Manager, open "cookies_one.sqlite and delete all but one entry in the database - presumably leaving only one cookie.
I exit Firefox.
I use a hex editor to view the file cookies_one.sqlite. The editor showed the following information:
x0080000 total bytes last non-zero (OO) byte: x0000fe1 after this byte, all bytes are 00, until the last byte x0080000 which is 0a.
I copy this file and "cookies.sqlite" to a folder in a separate directory on another primary partition on my disk.
In abcdefgh.default I delete "cookies.sqlite" and rename "cookies_one.sqlite" to "cookies.sqlite".
So, in the preferences folder there is only one file containing the string "cookies". This file presumably contains the data for 1 cookie.
I check the file with the hex editor and it shows the same information given above, indicating the file contains only one cookie entry.
I start Firefox 4.0.1
Tools -> Options -> Privacy: Show Cookies
shows 165 cookies. I expect to see only one.
In the "Cookies" window, I click "Remove all cookies". The window clears.
I close the window, close the Options window and exit Firefox.
In the "Quit Firefox" window I select "Save and Quit".
Using the hex editor, I view "cookies.sqlite". It has changed. The file
seems to have many entries.
x0080000 total bytes last non-zero (OO) byte: x00083ff after this byte, all bytes are 00, until the last byte x0080000 which is 0a.
the original file had last non-zero (OO) byte: x0000fe1
a difference of 741e (29726) bytes.
I restart Firefox.
Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Show Cookies
shows all of the cookies I deleted.
I start SQlite Manager. I open the "cookies.sqlite" database. All of the 165 cookies that I deleted have reappeared.
I have tried using SQlite to remove the cookies, but, as noted, this
doesn't work.
I have tried changing different settings under "Tools -> Options", but nothing seems to work. The cookies always reappear.
I cannot remove these 165 cookies.
What am I doing wrong?
Why do the deleted cookies under "Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Show Cookies -> Remove All Cookies" come back?
Where are they stored, if not in the SQlite database file?
Very frustrated.
My next step is to backup the defaults folder, uninstall Firefox, reinstall it and restore the old folder with the new "cookies.sqlite" file.
However, doing this doesn't answer my questions.
The second issue concerns using cookie "Permissions":
This one is not nearly as bothersome.
When I start Firefox, under
Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Exceptions
there are two entries for "example.com".
One shows the site is "Blocked".
A second entry (the same string "example.com") shows the site is "Allowed".
When I use SQlite Manager to view the permissions database, I see only one entry for "example.com", which is "Allowed".
When I enter "example.com" in the text window to change its permission, no change to "example.com" is shown.
Why are the two versions - the Permissions window and SQlite Manager's view - different?
Please respond to
doon_tu_wish@yahoo.com
Settings:
I am using Firefox 4.0.1 with the following changes to about:config (recommended)
browser.tabs.warnOnClose true browser.warnOnRestart true browser.showQuitWarning true
In Firefox I have the following settings:
Privacy
History: Firefox will: Use custom settings for history Permanent Private Browsing mode unchecked
Remember my browsing history checked Remember download history checked Remember search and form history checked Accept cookies from sites checked Accept third-party cookies checked Keep until: ask me every time
Clear history when Firefox closes checked
Settings for Clearing History History Browsing History unchecked Download History unchecked Form & Search History unchecked Cookies checked Active Logins checked Cache checked
Data Saved Passwords checked Site Preferences unchecked Offline Website Data unchecked
Advanced
Tell web sites I don't want to be tracked checked (for all the good it does)
All Replies (1)
Do you have an extension like TACO (Abine) that maintains a set of OPT-OUT cookies?
- Targeted Advertising Cookie Opt-Out (TACO): https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/11073