Clean out dross in about:config?

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AndrewAM
Posts: 18
Joined: January 15th, 2018, 5:33 am

Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by AndrewAM »

There are dozens of items in about:config left over from defunct extensions.

Is it worth deleting these?
Brummelchen
Posts: 4480
Joined: March 19th, 2005, 10:51 am

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by Brummelchen »

create a new profile
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Creating_a_ne ... on_Windows
or
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager

This article explains how to selectively transfer Firefox user data and settings to a new Firefox profile
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Transferring_ ... _-_Firefox
AndrewAM
Posts: 18
Joined: January 15th, 2018, 5:33 am

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by AndrewAM »

In a minute or two I can delete most of these entries in about:config, far far less time than it would take to read the references (which I would do instantly if the situation required creating a new profile). And that's not counting the time to make sure I didn't lose anything in the process.

Things are working fine the way they are, but if a minute's clicking would improve things, it would be worth spending that time.
Brummelchen
Posts: 4480
Joined: March 19th, 2005, 10:51 am

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by Brummelchen »

section "user_pref("extensions." is no longer used, but thats all i can tell you. for unexperienced users it NOT recommended to delete in the wild. thats why i point to a new profile where you can start over. i did same and copied bit by bit some settings from one to another profile. but i did when quantum was beta so i have finished before its release came. moving to quantum now a new profile is strong recommended. so it is not worth to investigate without any further knowledge.

this one is NOT complete
http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config_entries
> http://kb.mozillazine.org/About%3Aconfig_entries

(Edited to insert the correct KB link.)
Last edited by LIMPET235 on January 24th, 2018, 5:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Corrected the about:config link.
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the-edmeister
Posts: 32249
Joined: February 25th, 2003, 12:51 am
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by the-edmeister »

You can also do a Refresh, which basically is a new Profile but with many types of data moved to the "new" Profile.
These types of data are in the "new" Profile
Browsing and download history - Passwords - Open windows and tabs - Cookies - Web form auto-fill information - Personal dictionary
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/re ... d-settings

Extensions,extension data, and prefs, along with "settings" will be gone.

If that's what you decide to so and you're using the Default Profile, do the Refresh from Help > About Troubleshooting - I don't like the button that is on that KB page. for no particular reason other than it caused issues for me when I used it with a Profile other than the Default Profile.

.
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Mine has wandered off and I'm out looking for it.
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BuddhaNature
Posts: 537
Joined: January 3rd, 2008, 9:44 am
Location: Scotland

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by BuddhaNature »

Brummelchen,

The information provided in the article you point to: Transferring data to a new profile - Firefox is incomplete now that FF v58 is out. The article doesn't mention cert9.db or key4.db. I wouldn't know what to do with them though I would guess they should be copied into the new profile along with cert8.db and key3.db (but I'm just guessing). I'm kind of wondering if cert8.db and key3.db are still needed at all.
OS: Windows 10 Pro. x64
Brummelchen
Posts: 4480
Joined: March 19th, 2005, 10:51 am

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by Brummelchen »

article doesn't mention cert9.db or key4.db
those 2 files are converted automatically when lifting from v57 to v58 - nothing you need to correct for me. but firefox wont delete the older ones.
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BuddhaNature
Posts: 537
Joined: January 3rd, 2008, 9:44 am
Location: Scotland

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by BuddhaNature »

Thanks Brummelchen. I wasn't trying to correct you, just pointing out that the article is now out of date in this respect. Is it safe to delete the older ones? In what circumstances would it be safe to delete them? Or are they really needed for some reason?
OS: Windows 10 Pro. x64
AndrewAM
Posts: 18
Joined: January 15th, 2018, 5:33 am

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by AndrewAM »

Brummelchen wrote:NOT recommended to delete in the wild ...
Well anything that includes "allinonegest" probably belonged to the defunct All In One Gestures extension, and anything including "tabmix" probably belonged to Tab Mix Plus, etc., so deleting these would probably not be too wild.
AndrewAM
Posts: 18
Joined: January 15th, 2018, 5:33 am

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by AndrewAM »

So FF 58 is now out. Guess I'll wait and see what new surprises are in store ...
Brummelchen
Posts: 4480
Joined: March 19th, 2005, 10:51 am

Re: Clean out dross in about:config?

Post by Brummelchen »

yes. cert8/key3 can be deleted, no longer functional.
The information provided in the article you point to: Transferring data to a new profile - Firefox is incomplete
several kb articles are out of date, mozilla lacks free agents to renew some information (also for german articles).

humble

Code: Select all

http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config_entries
this a conversion from firefox, i dont know why it posts dec #58 instead hex 3A which stands for : ](*,)
thx for correction
section "user_pref("extensions." is no longer used, but thats all i can tell you.
and copied bit by bit some settings from one to another profile.
what i tried to tell you that is compared old and new prefs.js and copied some preferences. some of them are good know, some are new so i linked to the kb for you to investigate yourself - there is too much to explain it all or in detail.
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