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My home computer now looks like my work computer after it synced...help

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I followed directions to transfer my work bookmarks to my home computer but now my home computer looks like and only has my work bookmarks as well as the same opening page and toolbars. I need my home stuff back. Please help how do I reset it to how it should be for home.

I followed directions to transfer my work bookmarks to my home computer but now my home computer looks like and only has my work bookmarks as well as the same opening page and toolbars. I need my home stuff back. Please help how do I reset it to how it should be for home.

All Replies (8)

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Hello,

Firefox automatically creates backups of your bookmarks.

  • Go to Bookmarks (or New Fx Menu > Bookmarks > Show All Bookmarks
  • At the top of the Library window, click on Import and Backup and select Restore.
  1. Click the date of the bookmark backup you want to recover.
  2. In the new window that appears, click OK.
  3. Your bookmarks from the selected date should now be restored.

For more information, see the Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer article. For other solutions, see the Recover lost or missing Bookmarks article.

Note that you can also export bookmarks from that same Import and Backup, so you can export your bookmarks from your work computer and import them to your home computer without overwriting your bookmarks.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

Thank you.

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Before restoring a bookmark backup on your home computer (see above reply), I suggest disconnecting Sync with your work computer, to avoid the possibility of creating a new problem at the office...

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I see where that corrects my bookmarks issue but why does my computer look like my wok computer (same home screen and toolbars) instead of the way my home computer was before. I am just beside myself here and don't know what I did wrong.

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I did turn Sync off. I hope that is what you mean here.

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A couple of articles that are relevant to you:

If you go to:

  • Tools (or New Fx Menu) > Options > Sync

You should be able to select the things you want synced across devices. You may have had everything selected when you meant to do just bookmarks.

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CoryMH I believe you are right that I perhaps had more options checked but can that be undone now? Is there any hope of getting my HOME computer back to how it was before?

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Unfortunately if you don't have a backup, I am not sure you would be able to undo your changes. If you just used the default interface (no changes to your interface), you can go to the about:customizing page by entering it in your address bar, or go to:

  • New Fx Menu > Customize

At the bottom right, you can Restore Defaults. Alternatively, you can click and drag the tools and features back onto your toolbars however you like. Please see the article Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars for more information.

If you have lost extensions, I don't know if Firefox deletes them during a sync, you can check your about:addons > Extensions page or go to:

  • Tools (or New Fx Menu) > Add-ons > Extensions

And see if they are disabled. For future reference, you can back up your extensions and preferences for those extensions with these extensions:

Modified by CoryMH

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Windows 7 has a feature that allows you to restore individual files from earlier restore points, which often are created monthly when Windows installs updates. To see whether there is an earlier version of your prefs.js file (where your home page, toolbar button choices, and various other settings are stored), you can try this:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

Scroll down to prefs.js, right-click, choose Properties, then Previous Versions. This tab will show what earlier versions of the file are available in your Windows restore points. If you find one that looks promising, make sure to exit Firefox and allowed it time to update and release prefs.js before restoring the earlier file. Alternately, you might be able to restore it to a different location so you can look inside (right-click > Edit) and see whether it has the correct home page.