How to restore missing session tabs?

[Beadmaster]

I'm using Firefox version 67.0.4 (64-bit) with Windows 10 and ran into a huge problem.

I was working on my computer and pressed some key combination I didn't mean to press. Suddenly, everything was closed. All open programs, including Firefox, were gone as if I'd shut them all down at once. Worse, there were no commands to save anything that was unsaved (such as in a graphics program, where I did the accidental keystroke). My desktop was the only thing that was displaying as usual.

I couldn't believe everything was closed, so I reopened Firefox, believing it might restore as usual or I might have some kind of window asking if I wanted to restore tabs, but all I got was my designated home page (which wasn't open in any tab at the time I had the problem). Not a single tab was restored, nor did the program ask me to restore any.

I did find a file in the sessionstore-backups folder that's dated from around the time of the problem. It's called recovery.baklz4. Is this something I can use to restore my tabs, and if so, how?

Thank you for any information.

[Beadmaster]

PS I'm assuming the abovementioned file IS a backup of my tabs...but is there a way to know for sure?

[Beadmaster]

Oddly, the problem just resolved itself. I guess. No idea?

I brought up Thunderbird, which did something odd...it didn't start up as usual. it *slid* across the screen from right to left, as if it had been sitting somewhere else, waiting to show up. And oddly, the two emails that had been open were open.

I checked Firefox next (I was leaving it open to verify here if I could restore the session somehow before losing everything and shutting the browser down) and there were my tabs, undisturbed. It was even open to the tab I'd been using at the time everything mysteriously shut down.

All of my programs were back as before. And Edge, the browser from where I'd posted before, was shut down. I had to open it back up and navigate back here.

So I have NO idea what changed and why "opening" Thunderbird brought everything back? Is this what Microsoft would call a feature of Windows, rather than a bug?

[DanRaisch]

You may have simply initiated a second virtual desktop in Windows and your original desktop was just out of sight -- https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use- ... windows-10

[Beadmaster]

Thank you, Dan!

I had a quick chat with Microsoft earlier and discovered this is exactly what it is, so you're spot on! Thank you for the link...it's so informative and invaluable...I'll be saving this for future reference.