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Used 'Reset Your PC' in Windows 10. Lost All Firefox Bookmarks

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6K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  tcseacliff 
#1 ·
Hi. I downloaded the new Windows 10 Upgrade. Problem is, the Start Menu, Search Box, Edge browser and Action Center in Notification are were all frozen. Tried numerous fixes including a Command I found in both the Command Prompt and Powershell, ran sfc /scannow in Command Prompt, ran two different 'dism' commands in Prompt and Powershell. Tried opening with a new user account, and nothing changed. I used the 'Go Back To Windows 7' feature in Settings. After going back to 7, I reinstalled Windows 10 Upgrade. At first the Start Menu, Search Box and Edge worked fine, but then they didn't, for whatever reason. At this point I am fed up. This was over the course of 3 days. I decided to use the 'Reset This PC' feature in Settings. It Reset my PC and Windows 10 then worked perfect, but in the process, it uninstalled ALL MY APPLICATIONS, except for the Microsoft ones. I re-installed the ones I wanted back. The only problem left is that I lost ALL my bookmarks in my Firefox browser, both Firefox and old Internet Explorer ones. I never manually saved my bookmarks, although I know NOW I need to on a regular basis, but Firefox does do that for you automatically. I could only find the ones from yesterday and today. That won't help. I need the ones starting from August 29th, the day before I did 'Reset My PC'. I searched everywhere with the search feature and found even found the 'Saved Boookmarks' folder in App Date/Firefox/Roaming... or whatever the folder is. Only the 30th and 31st are in there. I downloaded software called 'System Restore Explorer' that allows you to search your Backup using a Mount feature. I FOUND the old Firefox bookmarks! Only problem is when I attempt to restore the JSON file from August 29th, Firefox Library says it can't do it. I go to Import and Backup/Restore/Choose File. I have the JSON file with all my old Bookmarks in it, but can't import it in to the browser. It says 'Unable to process the backup file'. When I open the file in Notepad, it's all in chinese or japanese.
Now what?? I don't come in here very often unless it's something really difficult. Now is one of those times.
I'll attach the JSON file and a Print Screen of the Firefox Library error. Whoops JSON file won't attach!
Note: The JSON file's file extension is .jsonlz4. Because it's a Backup file? Maybe that's why? I'm stumped.
I also posted this same question in the Windows 10 threads.
Thank you.
 

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#3 ·
SOLVED Re: Used 'Reset Your PC' in Windows 10. Lost All Firefox Bookmarks

OK. I came back in here to inform you guys that after another hour or two of diligent detective work, I finally resolved this. Eventually I found the 'windows.old' folder in Program Files. I did a Search in there using keyword 'bookmark' and all the same search results came up as from the System Restore Explorer software. Instead of using the JSON file from August 29th, I found the one from the 28th and attempted to import that one using the Import and Backup/Restore/Browse Files feature in Firefox Library. This time it WORKED!! I couldn't believe it. Have no idea why that one worked, and the 29th did not. So nice when there's a happy ending, huh?
Thanks for the link to decompressing the JSON file. I would've tried that next, but thankfully didn't need to. Whew!
Thanks again for your reply. It's appreciated.
Tom B.
 
#4 ·
You're welcome.

Now that you finally have them restored, might be a good time to get them backed up to a USB thumb drive (or whatever).

Anywho, good to hear the problem's been resolved. Thanks for letting us know.
 
#8 ·
Hi,
just read this post. this has happened to me also. win 10 upgrade. but mine were lost during Win 10 doing an update of some sort.not sure exactly when they disappeared from Firefox and reading this post , i do not have the computer savvy of hypnotized.this sounds involved ! yikes! I just survived a bout with you folks over my java! so, where do these files go to? I never though I would lose these so easily before! how would I begin to look?
 
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