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How to migrate "dbsjc2i1.default" from XP (Firefox vs 46) to Windows 7?

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I was forced to stop updating Firefox at version 46 because my processor and RAM couldn't handle the extra load. It just kept crashing. I rarely used Firefox, preferring something much smaller and faster -- K-Meleon.

Now I've acquired a newer machine running Windows 7 Pro. I thought I could install vs. 46 onto it, copy the "dbsjc2i1.default" file into the profile folder and get all my bookmarks and customizations back. After that I would tackle the business of upgrading to a newer version (although I don't plan on updating to Quantum (vs. 59) until the add-on authors have had a chance to rewrite their add-ons).

Only problem is, the name of the file in the Firefox profile folder has changed to something completely different. So how can I migrate my vs. 46 profile to vs. 56 on a Windows 7 machine??

Dandelion

I was forced to stop updating Firefox at version 46 because my processor and RAM couldn't handle the extra load. It just kept crashing. I rarely used Firefox, preferring something much smaller and faster -- K-Meleon. Now I've acquired a newer machine running Windows 7 Pro. I thought I could install vs. 46 onto it, copy the "dbsjc2i1.default" file into the profile folder and get all my bookmarks and customizations back. After that I would tackle the business of upgrading to a newer version (although I don't plan on updating to Quantum (vs. 59) until the add-on authors have had a chance to rewrite their add-ons). Only problem is, the name of the file in the Firefox profile folder has changed to something completely different. So how can I migrate my vs. 46 profile to vs. 56 on a Windows 7 machine?? Dandelion

All Replies (7)

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Web search; There are no results for dbsjc2i1

Did you get the correct file name? The Firefox file that you are talking about is; places.sqlite : History and Bookmarks

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"dbsjc2i1.default" is the name of the old Profile folder in Firefox 46. A different Firefox installation will have its own unique Profile name by default and the Profile Manager in a different Firefox installation won't recognize it, or be able to use a Profile that is just "placed" in the Profiles folder. It wouldn't be in the profiles.ini file which is used by the Profile Manager to "catalog" the Profiles which are available for that particular installation on that device for that Logon User Account.

What you need to do is to copy all the files that are in that "dbsjc2i1.default" folder into the new Profile folder, replacing the files that were created when that "new Profile" was created.

Do that and Firefox will get the necessary data from the old Profile, but due to a few changes made prior to Firefox 56 (and after Firefox 46) some inconsequential files won;t be used. Main thing is bookmarks favicons storage was changed in Firefox 55; but iirc nothing more severe should be affected.

Alternately, you could create a new entry for the profiles.ini file so Firefox would recognize that "dbsjc2i1.default" as belonging there. But I don't advise that seeing that you are unaware of its relationship to the operation of Firefox and that won't help with changes made to files in the Profile folder. Mess up the formatting of profiles.ini and you make matters even worse.

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Edmeister,

Your solution worked perfectly, for about 30 seconds. Not enough time for me to go into Options and tell Firefox not to automatically update itself.

So I unplugged my cable modem, uninstalled Firefox, reinstalled the old version. and here I am back again, with all my old bookmarks and add-ons intact.

Of course I acknowledge the necessity of updating Firefox. I just want to do it without losing my customizations, add-ons and bookmarks.

I will NOT be upgrading to Firefox 59, because I understand most of my add-ons will not work until the authors have had a chance to rewrite them.

So I need a version of Firefox that will retain the add-ons I most want:

Adblock Plus Lazarus Form Recovery Print Edit MAFF UnMHT

I also want to keep my classic toolbar with Copy, Paste, + – (text size) and full screen.

I downloaded an Extended Support Release version of Firefox (vs 52), in the hopes that that might ease my transition. I absolutely loved the MAFF archive format, and am very, very disappointed to hear that it has been discontinued. Those MAFF files were so much smaller than the mht format. A real pity.

In the past, I always uninstalled whatever older version of Firefox I was using before installing a standalone setup of the version I wished to upgrade to. I'm fearful of using this method going forward, for the obvious reasons described above.

Any suggestions as to how I may -- relatively painlessly -- upgrade to that Extended Support Release version I would like to install?

Thanks in advance,

Dandelion

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I've downloaded the Extended Support Release version of Firefox (vs 52), but preparatory to installing it, I want to be clear on a couple of things:

1) Do I uninstall the previous version before installing the ESR version as I have always done in the past?

2) Do I repeat the process outlined by the-edmeister of copying all the files that were in that "dbsjc2i1.default" folder into the new Profile folder, as I did when installing version 46? This did restore all my add-ons and customizations as I had hoped, but I don't want to encounter any unexpected surprises when I repeat this procedure for version 52.

Thanks in advance,

Dandelion

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When you run a new Firefox installer, it typically finds your existing profile folder(s) and performs an "upgrade-style" installation. So you usually do not need to uninstall the existing version first. If you want a cleaner start:

Clean Reinstall

We use this name, but it's not about removing your settings, it's about making sure the program files are clean (no inconsistent or alien code files). As described below, this process does not disturb your existing settings. It's not essential to uninstall Firefox, but you can if you like, saying No to any request about removing personal data.

It only takes a few minutes.

(A) Download a fresh installer for Firefox to a convenient location:

(B) Exit out of Firefox (if applicable).

If you use Microsoft Office, please change your default browser to Internet Explorer temporarily before the next step.

(C) Using Windows Explorer/My Computer (hold down the Windows key and press E to launch it), right-click > rename the program folder as follows (you might have one or both):

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox =to=> C:\Program Files (x86)\OldFirefox

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox =to=> C:\Program Files\OldFirefox

(D) Run the installer you downloaded in step (A). It should automatically connect to your existing settings.

Any improvement?

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Note: If you are downgrading from 56 => 52, you may lose your history. I think there was a format change to the database in Firefox 56 that makes it incompatible with earlier versions.