Two FF versions?

[iamme99]

Is it possible to run two different FF versions on one machine?

I would like to start the new version with a clean profile. But as that may take me sometime to reload all my add-on's and config changes, I don't want to lose functionality until I have everything set up on the new version.

[LIMPET235]

Yes...
To run 2 or more Firefox versions at the same time...
1/. Back-up your existing profile. (JIC.)
2/. Run the new versions installer & choose "Custom" installation.
Choose a different folder/directory from your current version.
eg; C:\Firefox_V5 (or whatever.)
3/. Before you run the new version, open the Profile Manager &
create a new profile with the name, Firefox_V5 (or whatever.)
3a/. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager
4/. Create a desk top shortcut from the new version's .exe.
Open it's Properties & in the Target line add a space at the end, followed by, -p yournewprofilename -no-remote
eg; C:\Firefox_V5\firefox.exe -p Firefox_V5 -no-remote
(NB: No spaces in your name but note the spaces between .exe -p and Firefox and V5 -no-remote)
Do not set it as the default & do not use the -no-remote in your default version.
5/. If you want to transfer your bookmarks, just copy the "places.sqlite" file from the older version
while Firefox is closed.
(Original detailed post by Gingerbread Man. > viewtopic.php?p=10557827#p10557827)

[Gingerbread Man]

viewtopic.php?p=10557827#p10557827

[LIMPET235]

That's where I found those detailed instructions.
I couldn't remember who posted them. Thanks GbM.
So noted in my Clippings & ^^, above.
I just expanded them a tad.

[iamme99]

There is a file in the Mozilla folder that is outside of the profile folder named PLUGIN.DAT. What do I do about this file if I am trying to start clean?

[Gingerbread Man]

There is a file in the Mozilla folder that is outside of the profile folder named PLUGIN.DAT. What do I do about this file if I am trying to start clean?

Nothing. Plug-ins are shared across profiles.

[iamme99]

There is a file in the Mozilla folder that is outside of the profile folder named PLUGIN.DAT. What do I do about this file if I am trying to start clean?

Nothing. Plug-ins are shared across profiles.

Not clear on that. Will having this file in the Mozilla folder automatically start the new version with the old plug-in's loaded and enabled? I don't want that. I want to start from a brand new profile in all ways (since FF never cleans out old stuff).

[saneti]

Plugins (not extensions) are autodetected by a clean install and so show up even in a clean install. If you want to clean them up you need to either block the autodetect or remove them - on the other hand, you can disable plugins instead:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_ ... ng_plugins

[iamme99]

Yes...
To run 2 or more Firefox versions at the same time...
1/. Back-up your existing profile. (JIC.)
2/. Run the new versions installer & choose "Custom" installation.
Choose a different folder/directory from your current version.
eg; C:\Firefox_V5 (or whatever.)
3/. Before you run the new version, open the Profile Manager &
create a new profile with the name, Firefox_V5 (or whatever.)
3a/. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager
4/. Create a desk top shortcut from the new version's .exe.
Open it's Properties & in the Target line add a space at the end, followed by, -p yournewprofilename -no-remote
eg; C:\Firefox_V5\firefox.exe -p Firefox_V5 -no-remote
(NB: No spaces in your name but note the spaces between .exe -p and Firefox and V5 -no-remote)
Do not set it as the default & do not use the -no-remote in your default version.
5/. If you want to transfer your bookmarks, just copy the "places.sqlite" file from the older version
while Firefox is closed.
(Original detailed post by Gingerbread Man. > viewtopic.php?p=10557827#p10557827)

I created a new profile named 2011-07-30. I then kicked off the install of FF 5.0.1. I chose "Custom" install. I specified the new install folder that I put V5 in (different than where the profile is stored).

BUT I did not get a prompt to point to the new profile I created.

I think that FF automatically decides that it will do an upgrade from the existing version on the system. But I don't want that to happen.

What to do to make FF use the new profile? Is there a "clean" install switch

[rob64rock]

Yes...
To run 2 or more Firefox versions at the same time...
1/. Back-up your existing profile. (JIC.)
2/. Run the new versions installer & choose "Custom" installation.
Choose a different folder/directory from your current version.
eg; C:\Firefox_V5 (or whatever.)
3/. Before you run the new version, open the Profile Manager &
create a new profile with the name, Firefox_V5 (or whatever.)
4/. Create a desk top shortcut from the new version's .exe.
Open it's Properties & in the Target line add a space at the end, followed by, -p yournewprofilename -no-remote
eg; C:\Firefox_V5\firefox.exe -p Firefox_V5 -no-remote
(NB: No spaces in your name but note the spaces between .exe -p and Firefox and V5 -no-remote)
Do not set it as the default & do not use the -no-remote in your default version.
5/. If you want to transfer your bookmarks, just copy the "places.sqlite" file from the older version
while Firefox is closed.
(Original detailed post by Gingerbread Man. > viewtopic.php?p=10557827#p10557827)

I created a new profile named 2011-07-30. I then kicked off the install of FF 5.0.1. I chose "Custom" install. I specified the new install folder that I put V5 in (different than where the profile is stored).

BUT I did not get a prompt to point to the new profile I created.

I think that FF automatically decides that it will do an upgrade from the existing version on the system. But I don't want that to happen.

What to do to make FF use the new profile? Is there a "clean" install switch

If you didn't do the first part of step 3 above then, yes your new Firefox 5.0.1 installation will launch the last used Firefox profile in the Firefox profile directory. Then make sure you do step 4 correctly or your new Firefox installation will not launch using the newly created profile.

If you want your Firefox profile in the same Custom Installation Directory as an alternative to step 4 above you could move the newly created Firefox profile(2011-07-30) to a new folder call "Firefox Profiles" (or whatever.) in the Mozilla Installation directory "C:\Program files\Mozilla Firefox\Firefox Profiles" (or whatever.), then use Desktop Shortcut Properties Target Line: profile "<path>"
Desktop Shortcut Target Line Example: "C:\Program files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-remote -profile "C:\Program files\Mozilla Firefox\Firefox Profiles\2011-07-30"

That may not answer your last question but hope it is helpful to you.

[iamme99]

If you want your Firefox profile in the same Custom Installation Directory as an alternative to step 4 above you could move the newly created Firefox profile(2011-07-30) to a new folder call "Firefox Profiles" (or whatever.) in the Mozilla Installation directory "C:\Program files\Mozilla Firefox\Firefox Profiles" (or whatever.), then use Desktop Shortcut Properties Target Line: profile "<path>"
Desktop Shortcut Target Line Example: "C:\Program files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -no-remote -profile "C:\Program files\Mozilla Firefox\Firefox Profiles\2011-07-30"

That may not answer your last question but hope it is helpful to you.

I DID create the new profile. I CAN'T YET create a shortcut to the new version (step 4) because the new version is NOT installed.

Does FF install automatically upgrade a new version AND THEN you have to point it to the new profile and start over from there?

[iamme99]

Whew. What a mess!

The instructions above are wrong.

The only way to create a new install of a new FF version and keep the old version is to rename the Mozilla profile folder (on my system, that is: D:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Mozilla

Once I did this, I got an INSTALL prompt instead of an UPGRADE prompt.

But this leads to more problems. I wanted a CLEAN install. But despite renaming the Mozilla profile folder to Mozilla_Old, the FF5 install still managed to load almost all my old plugins and even a few extensions!

See:
FF5 Plugins loaded after new install
http://i.min.us/ijjD8o.jpg

FF5 extensions loaded after new install
http://i.min.us/ijfRic.jpg

So WHERE did FF5 install find my old plugins and a few extensions despite my renaming the old Mozilla folder? And WHY is a new install gathering this old info?

I am guessing that this info must be coming from the Windows registry. If not, then where is it coming from and how do I stop it? I want to truly start over from ZERO. I don't want any plugins installed until I choose to install them.

And to make matters more interesting, FF5 REMOVED FF 3.6.18 from the Add/Remove program listing.

FF5 replaced FF3 after new install
http://i.min.us/il1cXc.jpg

WHY did a FF supposedly NEW install of a NEW version remove the old entry in the list? I could understand this IF I were doing an UPGRADE install but I wasn't. I was doing a NEW install. Now I can't uninstall 3.6.18 via the Add/Remove Programs list.

I returned to the 3.6.18 version by deleting the Mozilla profile containing folder, renaming the old 3.6.18 profile foler back to the original and deleting the FF5 folder. Now I wonder what might happen if I try to run an uninstall of FF5. Will doing so corrupt my FF3. Guess I will have to take an image backup before I do that.

[iamme99]

Yup, I was right about where the plugins came from in a NEW install. It was the registry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions

Same for the 3 extensions that got ported in:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins

[couldabeen]

The procedure provided above DOES work!
I have a folder on my C:\ drive called FirefoxTest. It contains ALL of the versions of Firefox(4 at this time that I run, the Beta6, 7.0b2, and two versions of the 8.0a1Nightly). The released version of 5.0.1 is in the Program Files area.

I have a folder on my C:\ drive named FirefoxProfiles. IT contains ALL of the profiles I use, including the one for the released version.

You are making it harder that it needs to be. Don't over think it!
You NEED to create the folder you want to install a different version in BEFORE you install it! Then choose to do the 'custom Install' and path to where the new install folder is located.

You can use the firefox.exe -p (from any existing version of Firefox) command to open the profile manager, and create a new profile. AGAIN, YOU NEED to have the folder created and named before you do the CREATION of the NEW PROFILE. And you will need to navigate to that folder to make the new profile.

Once you have installed a different version, go to the folder where it is installed and right click on firefox.exe and tell it to 'Send To' the desktop as a short cut.
Then Right Click on the desktop icon Select PROPERTIES, and DO NOTHING but add -p "ProfileName" -no-remote to the end of the Target box string. ProfileName is the name of the new profile you created.

I will leave it up to you to COPY any or all of the EXISTING profile to the NEW Profle, or start over so that there are not any bits of possible conflicts that you may copy over.

[iamme99]

[quote="couldabeen"]The procedure provided above DOES work![quote]

No, it does not!

If you read my prior post closely you will see that I did follow the instructions. And what happens is that if an existing FF installation exists (i.e. a profile exists in Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Mozilla) THEN you will be presented with an UPGRADE button, NOT an INSTALL button in the FF new version install. And the new version of FF will then port all the OLD extensions and plug-ins to the new installation. You will also LOSE your old installation.

Now with this new version, you could then create a new profile, delete the old profile that was created as part of the UPGRADE and then rebuild the new profile. But AGAIN, you lost your old install (because your OLD profile was upgraded). There does not seem to be any way to tell FF to not upgrade an existing install nor any way to specify that an install should be to a new profile. An added option like "Do you want to keep your old FF version" is needed. If checked yes, then a further prompt for a new profile (existing or create one) would be required.

Again, with the new version upgrade, you will still have all the OLD plug-ins loaded and installed. I am thinking that I might be able to delete selected plug-ins out of the registry key I referred to previously but I haven't tried this yet to see if it works.