After update profile not available?

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Dirki
Posts: 953
Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

After update profile not available?

Post by Dirki »

There just was a Firefox update. When I try to start it again, a message shows up:
Image

Saying something like: The use of an older version of Firefox can damage bookmarks, etc. of an existing profile. Protect it by creating a new profile.

I clicked create new profile. How can I use my old profile now.

And what does the mean, why do I have now an older Firefox?

And now - after the update - I have a new message showing there is an update available:
Image
why is that?
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
kerft
Posts: 585
Joined: January 30th, 2019, 9:38 am

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by kerft »

If you were using normal Firefox, I believe the fix to this would be to rename the installs.ini and compatibility.ini files in %appdata%\Mozilla\Firefox, then start Firefox, update Firefox, then go to about:profiles and set the preferred profile to be the default. Renaming compatibility or installs would override the version check.

For portable, the solution I think will be different. You should ask you question at the portable support forum. I have a clunky idea of a fix, but they should have something better.

Backup <your portable folder>\Data to somewhere else. Download a new Firefox portable and extract it to a new name you have not used before, and with all Firefox processes closed, put a copy of your \Data folder inside the new name with Firefox Portable and run it, by running its firefoxportable.exe. Make sure your data appears. If it does, then always use the new one, and optionally clean away the leftovers.

In my opinion, if you make firefox portable the default browser, everything will break. You can tell that trouble has happened if there is also a profile in %appdata% instead of only inside your portable folder, or if you end up with Firefox installed to program files along with your portable folder. If you only have been using portable, those places should have started and ended without Firefox in them.
Dirki
Posts: 953
Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by Dirki »

Thank you very much.
Backup <your portable folder>\Data to somewhere else. Download a new Firefox portable and extract it to a new name you have not used before, and with all Firefox processes closed, put a copy of your \Data folder inside the new name with Firefox Portable and run it, by running its firefoxportable.exe. Make sure your data appears. If it does, then always use the new one, and optionally clean away the leftovers.
Not much to say, that worked very good. Yes, I use a portable Firefox.

And yes, somehow those portable programs, Firefox, Thunderbird, Notepad++ sometimes cause troubel while / after updating, data missing, now the profile of Firefox, missing add ons and such. That is quite unpleasant (each time). It is a portable Apps Firefox. And though there are paths (for profiles) going to C: (I guess, like the installed Firefox has).

Many thanks again!
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
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BuddhaNature
Posts: 537
Joined: January 3rd, 2008, 9:44 am
Location: Scotland

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by BuddhaNature »

Dirki. I don't know how you are updating your Firefox Portable but you should never allow it to update via any official Mozilla update. Only update when PortableApps offers a new update at this webpage (you have to scroll down the page to get the German version): https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable

Just download the paf file from there and update using that.

The same rule applies to any other portable app you use from PortableApps. Only ever update using an official PortableApps update (paf) file.
OS: Windows 10 Pro. x64
Dirki
Posts: 953
Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by Dirki »

Hello BuddhaNature,

Oops, I really didn't know that. I always clicked the usual update messages showing up in Firefox. I would think / have thought, if updating that way is not right the PortableApps people would have avoid that Firefox would show such messages at all. Respectively those messages might be from PortApps as well or clicking them would download an PortApps update.
Just download the paf file from there and update using that.
So one has to do it like that for each new update, I assume.

Thank you very much for letting me know and for the link.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
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mightyglydd
Posts: 9813
Joined: November 4th, 2006, 7:07 pm
Location: Hollywood Ca.

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by mightyglydd »

Dirki wrote:I always clicked the usual update messages showing up in Firefox.
I've had a Portable Fx (64bit) installed for years, never had a problem with the updater.....
#KeepFightingMichael and Alex.
Dirki
Posts: 953
Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by Dirki »

I mean to remember to have had problems after 2, 3 updateds, but I do not know whether they were caused by the update.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
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BuddhaNature
Posts: 537
Joined: January 3rd, 2008, 9:44 am
Location: Scotland

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by BuddhaNature »

mightyglydd, yes you can use the Firefox built-in updater but there is some risk in doing so. See Gord Caswell's post in this PortableApps Forum thread: Updating before PortApps offers?

As you likely know Gord Caswell is a major developer/maintainer at PortableApps. My own interpretation of his advice is, to be on the safe side, only update your portable app from an official PortableApps update. If you do otherwise you are taking a risk that might result in breaking in some way your Firefox Portable and its portability.

Generally a new version Firefox Portable will be available within a couple of weeks of Mozilla making their own new official Firefox release so there really isn't much of a time-lag before you get the latest safe-to-apply Firefox Portable update. I just practice patience, and wait.
OS: Windows 10 Pro. x64
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BuddhaNature
Posts: 537
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Location: Scotland

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by BuddhaNature »

I should add that I think it is the case that if you are using the PortableApps.com Platform then the Platform itself is capable of managing the update of Firefox Portable whenever a new PortableApps Firefox is available. However, I don't use the Platform so I'm not 100% sure if that is the case.

Doing the Firefox Portable update manually is completely straightforward, couple of clicks, so that's what I do.
OS: Windows 10 Pro. x64
Dirki
Posts: 953
Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by Dirki »

As you likely know Gord Caswell is a major developer/maintainer at PortableApps. My own interpretation of his advice is, to be on the safe side, only update your portable app from an official PortableApps update. If you do otherwise you are taking a risk that might result in breaking in some way your Firefox Portable and its portability.
I had such problem with Notepad++ the other way, each update of PortApps let my own settings go.
I just practice patience, and wait.
Yes, I will try to do so as well from now on.
Doing the Firefox Portable update manually is completely straightforward, couple of clicks, so that's what I do.
Yes, that is right, if I had known about the issues I would have done it resectively wait for it using that platform.

Many thanks!
I should add that I think it is the case that if you are using the PortableApps.com Platform then the Platform itself is capable of managing the update of Firefox Portable whenever a new PortableApps Firefox is available. However, I don't use the Platform so I'm not 100% sure if that is the case.
Yes, I use it, and I am 99 % sure it is capable. But I do not have it running all the time, so I miss many updates, I guess.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
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dickvl
Posts: 54146
Joined: July 18th, 2005, 3:25 am

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by dickvl »

Note that Firefox also has a command line switch: -allow-downgrade
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Com ... ne_Options
Dirki
Posts: 953
Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: After update profile not available?

Post by Dirki »

Alright, thank you for the link!
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
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