Questions migrating from old 5.33.6 to Classic 5.55.21

Greetings. I've been using 5.33.6 for many years. A recent Windows update breaks it (I've read parts of that thread here at Wilders). After some thought and conversations with another poster, I've decided to go with Sandboxie Classic 5.55.21 for now.

Regarding 5.33.6, I have about 12 separate/unique sandboxes in which, years ago, I downloaded and installed special software programs...mainly pertaining to video editing and other media tasks. It's my understanding I need to uninstall 5.33.6 including those 12 sandboxes, and do a fresh install of 5.55.21. I have copied the 5.33.6 .ini file and intend to paste it when I install 5.55.21. Question: Is there a way to save those 12 sandboxes currently in 5.33.6 that contain my media-related programs and apply them somehow to 5.55.21 so they will continue to work? Some of those programs are old and no longer available so I don't have a means to download and install fresh versions of them into 5.55.21.

I'm somewhat computer-literate, but not as skilled as most of you. So your patience with me if I have follow-up questions is appreciated.

 

I dont have clue you can test by myself just remember do backup if you screw something you dont must worry becasue you can undo by read back that backup
Full with system and rest folder or just stand alone folders if its portable.

If you need backup full system there is many cool soft most of them will do job same great as other
Free version for home usage
Paragon backup Free: https://paragon-software.pl/bezplatne/br-free
Macrium Reflect Free: https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree
Clonzezilla: https://clonezilla.org/downloads.php
Dont push me to count each free amazing solution i dont have all day for describe them all

Just remember do backup for other offline disk for safety against ransomware etc.

About sandboxie
Standalone settings from sandboxie are storage in text file under name Sandboxie.ini
default setting path is C:\Windows

So you can copy it to other place also if you care about reconfigure once again all these stuff.

 

Before you try anything, please please make an image of your pc (macrium etc).
As to your specific question, other more knowledgible members are sure to chime in and offer their insights.

EDIT: Good advice posted by @Quassar above while I was typing!

 

When you uninstall the sandboxie you will be asked if you want to keep the sandboxie.ini file there you must say yes,
then you can install the new sandboxie and all your old sandboxes should be still there and working.

And of cause as already mentioned by others make a full system backup just in case to be on the safe side.

 

Hi Doodler

Suggestions:

You can try an over the top installations. If it doesn't work and probably won't work, you re-image your system.

The over the top should work but because of the experience I had and the fact that Plus and 5.33.6 are not really the same, I doubt an over the top update works for most people who have multiple sandboxes and/or sophisticated programs installed in sandboxes.

Suggestion for saving your sandboxes even if you have to clean install SBIE:

Before uninstalling 5.33.6, copy the sandbox folders of the programs you installed in Sandboxie. This folders are located inside C:\Sandbox\User name. Save the folders in a safe place. After clean installing SBIE, place the folders back in C:\Sandbox\User name. I would place back a folder at a time and test each program one at a time.

Note: If you have an issue doing an over the top and end up doing a clean install. I would disregard completely using the old SBIE ini. Using it after a clean install will most likely corrupt the new installation.

God luck

Bo

 

Did the uninstall of 5.33.6 and fresh install of 5.55.21 this evening. Pasted back my sandbox folders (thank you Bo). Regarding the existing ini file, I selected "yes" to the gui option to keep it during the uninstall / fresh install process (thank you David).

I've done some testing and everything seems fine so far. David, I've given a donation.

 

Greetings. I'm experiencing a problem now that I'm running Classic 5.55.21. Specifically, bookmarks are not being saved in my browser even though I am providing Direct Access in SBIE settings.

Some details:

• My browser is the portable version of Firefox. It's just my preference to use the portable version.
• The firefox executable and associated folders are installed in a "Portable Firefox" folder that I made on my C drive.
• The "Portable Firefox" folder is a forced folder in Sandboxie, so anytime I open Firefox it opens sandboxed.
• I've been using the portable version of Firefox and Sandboxie this way for many, many years.
• When I was running Sandboxie version 5.33.6 my Direct Access settings in Sandboxie resulted in any changes to my Firefox bookmarks (i.e. adding new bookmarks or deleting old ones) being successfully saved outside the sandbox in the Profiles Firefox sub-folder (I think).
• However, Bookmark changes are not being saved outside of the sandbox in version 5.55.21 even though I believe I am using the same Direct Access settings I was using in version 5.33.6. And I have tried many different settings, including those in this post: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/portable-firefox-or-any-other-portable-browser.439880/

Suggestions are appreciated.

 

@Doodler please try this:
EDIT: A good idea to save a copy of sandboxie.ini before proceeding!
Start with empty box. Open the Classic UI =>Configure=>Edit Configuration
This will open the file sandboxie.ini for editing.
Under the firefox box (DefaultBox in your case?) settings add this line

Code:

OpenFilePath=firefox.exe,*\places.sqlite

Save. Reload configuration (from classic UI =>Configure=>Reload Configuration).
Test firefox to see if a bookmark is saved.
If successful, please replace "*\places.sqlite" by its exact path on your PC
(e.g. C:\Portable Firefox\blah\blah\places.sqlite)

 

Hi Doodler. Settings in Sandbox settings are not designed for portable programs. To allow access to portable Firefox bookmarks you must allow access to file places.sqlite (this file is where Firefox saves bookmarks) via:

Sandbox settings>Resource access>File access>Direct access, Click Add Program, add firefox.exe or whatever is called for portable Firefox, so firefox.exe becomes the only program running in the sandbox that is allowed access to your bookmarks file. Afterward, Click Add, navigate to your Firefox profile folder inside the installation folder for the portable Firefox installation, look and find file "places.sqlite" (you ll find it in AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles), once you locate this file, select it and click Apply, Accept.

Bo

 

@soccerfan, @bo,

Unfortunately, neither of these suggestions worked.

SBIE 5.55.21 and Portable Firefox are on my desktop computer that I built from scratch 4 years ago. So that's my primary machine and the one that I'm using here. But I also have an old, old laptop that has an old version of SBIE installed (v 5.33.3) as well as Portable Firefox. I seldom use this laptop, but I just booted it up, opened Portable Firefox in a sandbox, and added a bookmark. When I emptied that sandbox and re-opened Portable Firefox again in a sandbox, the bookmark was saved. So bookmarks are being successfully saved using v 5.33.3, but not in v 5.55.21.

AFAIK, the SBIE settings in v 5.33.3 on my laptop are the same as the ones in 5.55.21 on my desktop computer.

It's very odd.

 

I had forgotten, for programs installed in a sandbox, you need to give Full access. Sandboxie does this for security.

So, follow the instructions as explained in my earlier post, but instead of giving Direct access, give Full access. This will work.

Note: Read the words in the Direct access window in Sandbox setting, specially the ones written with smaller letters.

Bo

 

Do you see other processes (eg firefoxportable.exe) running for portable firefox?
Mind posting your firefox sandbox settings in sandboxie.ini for v5.33.3 and 5.55.21?

 

Bo and soccerfan,

I'll be home later tonight and will respond. Thanks.

 

Doodler, I just realized that you didn't install portable Firefox in a sandbox (I don't know why I thought you did). So, never mind my previous post. You could try giving Full access but giving Direct access should be all that's needed.

Bo

 

I’m now able to successfully save bookmarks in my Portable Firefox running in Sandboxie 5.55.21 Classic, but the process to get it to work seems different than SBIE 5.33.6. I don’t think it’s possible to provide an explanation without going into a whole lot of detail that few, if any, are interested in reading…particularly since I’m sure there aren’t many people that use Portable Firefox and Sandboxie together like I do.

So my quick summary is this: In SBIE 5.33.6 the method I used for years to save bookmarks in Portable Firefox involved SBIE’s Applications folder and using the “Alternate Location” field to indicate the location of Portable Firefox’s “profile” folder. But when I tried this same approach in version 5.55.21 Classic, bookmarks would not save. So I ended up trying Resource Access > File Access > Direct Access. That provided me with successful results, but only after I did some weird tweaking. If anyone wants more details about that tweaking in the Direct Access settings, feel free to PM me. Otherwise I won’t bore everyone with over-information.

Bo and soccerfan, thank you both for your kind responses and suggestions. They provided me with helpful ideas that led to what I think is a happy ending.

 

Glad you got it sorted out. The effect(s) of your tweaking will show up in sandboxie.ini.
If you post it here, we can all get an idea of how this was resolved, no PM necessary. Thanks.

 

Not sure if this will be informative, but I've attached the 5.33.3 and 5.55.21 ini files.

 

Yes, quite informative, especially that last line (in the ini file for v5.55.21)
detailing the rather non-standard location of your firefox portable
The three lines for firefox templates may not even be necessary (otoh if it's not broken....)