Migrating Firefox from XP to Vista or Windows 7

LazyLion

LazyLion

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When you have your Firefox set up the way you want with all your extensions, bookmarks, saved passwords, etc. You might want to migrate that same setup to other computers.

Disclaimer: This isn't what's recommended by Mozilla, it's just what worked for me.

* Install Firefox on Vista or Windows 7, launch it once, then close it. Make sure Firefox on XP is closed also. Important! Make sure they are the same versions! You cannot migrate between different versions!
* Go to XP: Back up C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles. It should contain only one folder, which has a garbage name like "9cofchse.default" or some such nonsense.
* Hit Ctrl-C to copy that entire folder.
* On Vista, go to C:\Users\<username>\AppData. Now go in to the "Roaming" folder, then Mozilla, Firefox, Profiles to get to C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles. There will be another folder there with a garbage name.
* Hit Ctrl-V to paste the folder from the XP Firefox to this folder next to the other folder with the garbage name.
* Now go to the other folder in this area and select it. Write down that folder name. Then Press F2 as if you are going to change the file name. But when the filename is highlighted, press Ctrl-C again to copy that filename. While it is still selected, rename it to "default.profile" and press enter to change the name.
* Go back to the folder you just pasted in and change its name to the same as the folder name you wrote down (that you just copied to the clipboard).
* You have just replaced the default folder in the new Firefox location to the same as your other XP profile.
* close all the windows and review your steps.

Now all you have to do is start Firefox and pray. If you did it correctly your new Vista or Windows 7 Firefox should have everything that your old XP Firefox had. :)

Edit: I am aware that the mozbackup extension can do this as well. But I figure why load an extension in memory for a function that you can perform once a year by hand. Whenever you have to back up your profile, just backup that profile folder... it has everything you need!
 
Last edited:
It would've helped me if you posted it 5 days ago :p

This also helps if you want to move your current profile over to a Firefox Portable installation. I'm even using Portable on my desktop now, so I won't have to worry about fiddling with profiles ever again, just copy the entire Firefox folder over and you're done.
 
Gosh, Maxthon is somewhat easier. :) Upload settings on PC1, install Maxthon on PC2, log in with email address and password, download settings, and favorites are synced automatically. Easy.
 
Claymore said:
Gosh, Maxthon is somewhat easier. :) Upload settings on PC1, install Maxthon on PC2, log in with email address and password, download settings, and favorites are synced automatically. Easy.
Click to expand...

Maxthon does not support Extensions beyond the normal IE plug-ins! Firefox does! :p I'll bet my kitted out Firefox can do a hundred things more than Maxthon! ;)
 
I'm using Mozbackup because it works with both my Firefox and Thunderbird. But I haven't gone over to W7 yet, glad to hear it works.
 
Garyvdh said:
Maxthon does not support Extensions beyond the normal IE plug-ins! Firefox does! :p I'll bet my kitted out Firefox can do a hundred things more than Maxthon! ;)
Click to expand...

Er...Maxthon does support plugins (there's fairly large selection too), as well as IE extensions, as well as filter packs! And a bare-bones Maxthon can handle heaps more than a bare-bones Firefox. :)
 
I share the same profile between my Linux OSes and XP or Vista. I just run firefox –profilemanager and create a profile and then point firefox to the directory (works with thunderbird as well).

The great thing being that I can then create a directory like /data/profiles/ff/milomak (or D:\data\profiles\ff\milomak for windows). And I often run differing versions of FF and I have never had any issues.
 
Nice guide, Garyvdh :D

Been using this method since FF 1.0 or so, had the same profile since then, have moved from XP, Ubuntu, Suse, Vista, XP, 7 etc; with almost no hassles (only some linux-specific plugin config changes, but nothing big)

For those that don't know yet, download the Xmarks addon (formerly Foxmarks) so you can sync your bookmarks across multiple PCs, a lifesaver.
 
Like nililist said, use Xmarks for syncing bookmarks and passwords and just redownload the *.xpi files for extentions (and I'm not sure if it is the same thing with themes).
 
DJNgoma said:
Like nililist said, use Xmarks for syncing bookmarks and passwords and just redownload the *.xpi files for extentions (and I'm not sure if it is the same thing with themes).
Click to expand...

Why waste the bandwidth and the time on searching for and re-downloading all your extensions? Just move your entire profile folder. :rolleyes: It may look complicated but it is in fact, very very easy.
 
Garyvdh said:
Why waste the bandwidth and the time on searching for and re-downloading all your extensions? Just move your entire profile folder. :rolleyes: It may look complicated but it is in fact, very very easy.
Click to expand...

It isn't hard but for the average joe, MozBackup seems easier.
 
Yeah, I swear by Mozbackup - I've changed PC's at work and home in the last month, so it was a big help! But before I knew about MB, I used to do FF and TB by hand as well...
 
DJNgoma said:
It isn't hard but for the average joe, MozBackup seems easier.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but as I stated earlier... for some of Geeks, we don't like having an extension installed that we only use once every six months or so.
 
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