Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Is it possible to install and use firefox 5 separately without updating my 3.6.18 installation?

  • 2 balasan
  • 5 ada masalah ini
  • 2 paparan
  • Balasan terakhir oleh cor-el

more options

I would just like to be able to continue using my Version 3.6.18 for a while as I experiment with and become familiar with Firefox 5 before making a decision to upgrade. Would keeping the 2 separate versions lead to problems? Current system is Windows 7SP1 edit

I would just like to be able to continue using my Version 3.6.18 for a while as I experiment with and become familiar with Firefox 5 before making a decision to upgrade. Would keeping the 2 separate versions lead to problems? Current system is Windows 7SP1 edit

Penyelesaian terpilih

Note Windows 7 and other windows have hidden files, make sure that you will be including them in your backup.

Make sure you will be able to see all of your files when copying.

(this is from step #10 in http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/windows-7/win7.htm )
My Computer, Tools(or View), Folder Options, View
Hidden files and folders
(_) Don't show hidden files, folders, or drives
(X) Show hidden file, folders, or drives
[_] Hide empty drives in the Computer folder
[_] Hide extensions for known file types
[_] Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)

before starting as a precaution backup your entire profiles folder

  1. observe Window-7 hidden files note (below)
  2. type about:support into the location bar
  3. click on "Open Containing Folder"
  4. make a note of the filename, it contains your profile name
  5. go up one directory to your profile folder, the profile folder contains your profile and any other profiles you might have.
  6. go up one more directory to your firefox folder
  7. back up your profiles folder, and your profiles.ini file to a (preferably) empty USB thumb-drive. I prefer using XCOPY myself, but you can copy from one Windows Explorer window to a Windows Explorer window that shows your thumb-drive. Hold the Ctrl key while dragging the folder and the file to the thumb drive you must see Copy not move when you drag them over

Your main reference from this point on is

Download 5.0 from the download link on http://www.mozilla.org (don;t use the .com link it will try to update your 3.6.18)

Ctrl+J will bring up the downloads manager (in Fx5 it closes at end of download, so get used to reopening it)

Start the install, as custom, install the application into its own directory, not the one that your 3.6.18 is in. You will probably haveit through Firefox 7 so you may want to choose something different than how I named mine

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox 5.0\

At then end of the download, do not let it start firefox, your old Firefox is the default.

Rename the new firefox 5 desktop shortcuts so you can identify them as Fx5

You need to change the properties so that the target is something like "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox 5.0\firefox.exe" -p Firefox-Five -no-remote

The name would be what you chose when you installed, that name will probably last you through Firefox 7. so choose the directory name well when you install Firefox accordingly.

That "-no-remote" is what will allow you to run both at the same time later. Since this will not be your default browser other applications such as email will not recognize this browser unless email is web based and you started from this browser.

You can play with Firefox 5 as long as you start it with -no-remote

You can later copy your old Firefox 3 profile into your Firefox 5 profile and test some more.

You can make Firefox 5.0 look like Firefox 3.6.18, see numbered items 1-10 in the following topic Fix Firefox 4.0 toolbar user interface, problems (Make Firefox 4.0 look like 3.6)

I would suggest coloring of toolbars to identify your 5.0 from other profiles, at the very least create a folder named "**Fx5**" at the leftside of the bookmarks toolbar.

Baca jawapan ini dalam konteks 👍 0

All Replies (2)

more options

Penyelesaian Terpilih

Note Windows 7 and other windows have hidden files, make sure that you will be including them in your backup.

Make sure you will be able to see all of your files when copying.

(this is from step #10 in http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/windows-7/win7.htm )
My Computer, Tools(or View), Folder Options, View
Hidden files and folders
(_) Don't show hidden files, folders, or drives
(X) Show hidden file, folders, or drives
[_] Hide empty drives in the Computer folder
[_] Hide extensions for known file types
[_] Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)

before starting as a precaution backup your entire profiles folder

  1. observe Window-7 hidden files note (below)
  2. type about:support into the location bar
  3. click on "Open Containing Folder"
  4. make a note of the filename, it contains your profile name
  5. go up one directory to your profile folder, the profile folder contains your profile and any other profiles you might have.
  6. go up one more directory to your firefox folder
  7. back up your profiles folder, and your profiles.ini file to a (preferably) empty USB thumb-drive. I prefer using XCOPY myself, but you can copy from one Windows Explorer window to a Windows Explorer window that shows your thumb-drive. Hold the Ctrl key while dragging the folder and the file to the thumb drive you must see Copy not move when you drag them over

Your main reference from this point on is

Download 5.0 from the download link on http://www.mozilla.org (don;t use the .com link it will try to update your 3.6.18)

Ctrl+J will bring up the downloads manager (in Fx5 it closes at end of download, so get used to reopening it)

Start the install, as custom, install the application into its own directory, not the one that your 3.6.18 is in. You will probably haveit through Firefox 7 so you may want to choose something different than how I named mine

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox 5.0\

At then end of the download, do not let it start firefox, your old Firefox is the default.

Rename the new firefox 5 desktop shortcuts so you can identify them as Fx5

You need to change the properties so that the target is something like "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox 5.0\firefox.exe" -p Firefox-Five -no-remote

The name would be what you chose when you installed, that name will probably last you through Firefox 7. so choose the directory name well when you install Firefox accordingly.

That "-no-remote" is what will allow you to run both at the same time later. Since this will not be your default browser other applications such as email will not recognize this browser unless email is web based and you started from this browser.

You can play with Firefox 5 as long as you start it with -no-remote

You can later copy your old Firefox 3 profile into your Firefox 5 profile and test some more.

You can make Firefox 5.0 look like Firefox 3.6.18, see numbered items 1-10 in the following topic Fix Firefox 4.0 toolbar user interface, problems (Make Firefox 4.0 look like 3.6)

I would suggest coloring of toolbars to identify your 5.0 from other profiles, at the very least create a folder named "**Fx5**" at the leftside of the bookmarks toolbar.

more options

Do a custom install and install each version in its own program folder to use multiple Firefox versions.

Create a new profile exclusively for each Firefox version.
Create a desktop shortcut with -P "profile" appended to the target to launch each Firefox version with its own profile.

See these mozillaZine KB articles for information: