Firefox 1.0.6 installation question

I'm curious who has installed Firefox 1.0.6.....and did so without "uninstalling" a previous version of Firefox. For example, installed the new version by 'overwriting' and placing the selected download location as the existing directory. And if so, did it have any affect on your extensions, bookmarks, etc.

I'd like to download 1.0.6, but I have a ton of bookmarks and a couple of extensions that I would hate to lose. I also know that Mozilla recommends "uninstalling any previous versions"...but I seem to recall some people simply downloading over the current version. All help with this is appreciated....Thanks

 

You can usually install over the previous version, but here is what I do:

1. Back up my Mozilla folder located in C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application data
I just zip it up.

2. Uninstall previous version using Add/Remove programs.

3. Install new version.

4. Delete "New" Mozilla folder and unzip the old one in it's place. The zipped one has my profile, extensions, passwords, cookies, etc.

It maybe a bit redundant but it always works and is safe.

 

I just go to add/remove and delete firefox and when it ask's if I want to remove all folders I click no which saves my FF profile and bookmarks. after I have deleted it there I reinstall the new version and when FF opens it is just like it was before except it is the new version. It has worked since the first FF version.

 

bigc....you mean Windows Add/Remove programs under Control Panel, and then highlight Mozilla Firefox and select "change/remove"? I don't seem to recall Windows asking that particular question (to remove "all folders", etc.), but I'm kind of hazy tonight, and not thinking all that clearly at the moment (and no, I'm not drunk...might like to be, but no).

Did you have a backup of FF when you selected that option, or does it just remember and retain your settings without any backup?

 

It will ask me that question with FF and opera, but I dont remove opera before I install the new version. It will install right in the opera folder and just overwrite the old files with the new ones. Oh and I don't have a back up of FF. It will go about half way through the removal before it will ask if I wan't to remove all files, (not folders) my bad.

 

Do you have any FF extensions, bigc? Are they included in the "profile"?

 

Hi JR,

I do it the same way as BigC, uninstall using add/remove ... and then install the new version, it won't affect your profile. I do keep a backup of my profile though as well as making an image of that drive, just in case, although it's never been required.

Steve

 

all of my skins and extensions will just be in the new version when I open FF. My profile folder doesn't delete and saves all of the goodies. I update it every time there is a new version but I never use FF I use opera exclusively. except for IE for windows updates

 

Yes, the extensions are stored in your profile, in the extension folder, navigate to where Arlic has shown ... which is something like this :

C:\Documents and Settings\<Your Account Name Here>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\rrfsbadg.default -

(the default folder will be called something like this) ... you'll see the extension folder and everything else within the XXXXXXX.default folder.

 

If your worried about losing anything just back it up. The following are stored in these files - Cookies are stored in cookie.txt, passwords are stored in signon.txt, and your bookmarks in bookmarks.html

 

Thanks everyone. Tomorrow, I'll probably read this thread, laugh and it will make complete sense. Tonight, though, I have a major migraine and just don't feel too hot...and Mozilla isn't helping matters much (I'm stressing wanting simplicity here)

Why does it seem that those in the computer buz seem to want to show how smart they are, by making things more complicated than need be? If they're that damned smart, find a way to make it more simple for the general public

 

Yeah, Steve, I downloaded MozBackup, but don't think I wanna go that route. I have the backup in case I need to use it, but I'm just really lazy and don't feel good and looking for the simplest means to an end tonight.

 

Thanks, I'll check it out...when I'm thinking clearer and feeling better.

Going to be now, feel like crap....good night

 

Don't worry ... just uninstall 1.05 and then install 1.06 - everything will be fine. - We just back it in case something happens ... because we're paranoid There really isn't a need to do it, I'm positive 90% just uninstall and install the new version without any extra steps, and if there was a problem with doing so we'd have heard people squawking about it. The fact that there isn't any noise about it, would indicate that it would be a rarity that something goes wrong. Just do it the easy way.

PS. Sorry you don't feel well, hopefully tomorrow you'll be back running at 100%

 

It is exactly the same with me excepting that I do click 'yes' on being asked about removal of all folders.I did not face any problem when i installed 1.0.6 or when i had installed the earlier version.

Must be because the profiles are stored separately in the windows directory and do not seem to be affected during insts/uninsts.

 

Thanks for your help with this and kind words, Steve. I knew once I felt better today I would look back and laugh at this. Sorry for making a mountain out of a molehill.

As far as doing it the "right" way and ensuring the best and safest resolution, Ailric probably explained in detail the correct "in depth" procedure. As far as simplicty goes, bigc, dog and yogishree probably provided a simple but yet very reliable means as well.

Now, as for what I did....I simply downloaded it to the existing folder location over the existing version. And it worked! And upon closer inspection, the folder contents look to be identical (i.e. - not a bunch of duplicate or added files). I now have Firefox version 1.0.6 running on my computer, and my bookmarks and extensions are exactly the same, as if nothing ever happened. The only difference is now when I select "Help>About Mozilla Firefox", it reads 1.0.6 rather than 1.0.4.

Simple enough. And I read that this IS the preferred way (download over existing version without uninstalling anything) from the Firefox forum as a "pinned" topic started by the user support moderator. The only thing they "recommend" is to make a backup (which I had already done by installing MozBackup). I feel kinda silly now for even asking. Oh well, maybe someone else will read this and realize that downloading on top of the existing browser version DOES work.

Thanks again, for everyone's help....

 

Glad it all worked out JR. The only thing with installing directly over the old version, it tends to leave the old version listed in add/remove programs (I don't know if it still does, but it use to) ... it just looks messy to me. The other small concern would be, if the new version doesn't use all of the same (old) files because it's configured differently (rather than just updates to the files themselves), while it will rewrite all the new files and register everything correctly, if their are any old and no longer need files they will remain behind, again this is more of a house keeping issue than anything.

 

I don't know about "Add/Remove", but I just ran CCleaner's registry ("issues") scanner utility to analyze....and it had "Mozilla Firefox 1.0.4" pegged as an "uninstaller referrence issue" for removal. Registry Mechanic did not flag any Firefox items for removal when I ran it....but CCleaner has impessed me with some of the stuff that it finds that others (Registry Mechanic, Fix-It Utilities, etc.) have missed! I haven't removed it yet, because I thought this might be a good time to ask and see if anyone else has had CCleaner flag an "old" version of Firefox, and if they removed it how it went.

Yeah, this was kind of my thinking as well. Trust me, Steve, if they didn't post in their own forum to do this exact procedure (Mozilla mod starting a topic suggesting this exact method), then I wouldn't have. I guess I'll find out over time how it works out, but so far, so good....

 

It should be totally safe to remove If you're worried about it just have CC clean/fix that one item if there are multiple (ie other unrelated issues listed), ensure make backup is checked, save the backup to the location you desire, then rename the file from the standard date/time stamp CC uses to something like ... Firefox 104 uninstaller. So that you can easily identify it later on and if needed and re-merge it to the registry singularly.

Steve