Ok now what?

[WES007]

Hi, me again
Ok so I had issues with my windows explorer exe
fixed it by doing a custom install
now all my other files are in windows.old file which is fine, I don't wall of them back
but some I do want back. What I REALLY need is all my passwords and book marks that were stored. I re-installed a fresh firefox, i didn't know that it was in windows.old when i did it. So with this freshFire fox. none of my book marks or passwords are there...of course. so how do I get that information into the new fire fox? or is it even possible?

my other question is, in windows.old are the programs still installed there? if they are what do i do to bring them to new windows? im confused.
thanks in advance for help

 

[richc46]

Welcome

Windows.old does not contain programs. They must be reinstalled with the original DVD or downloaded, again.

Passwords, settings etc, should have been saved by use of Windows easy transfer prior to the install

 

[WES007]

Welcome

Windows.old does not contain programs. They must be reinstalled with the original DVD or downloaded, again.

Passwords, settings etc, should have been saved by use of Windows easy transfer prior to the install.

ok, thanks you. but how do I get the passwords from old fire fox into the new one?

 

[richc46]

As far as I know the passwords are there, but cannot be accessed.

If important you can reinstall everything. Then transfer what you need passwords etc via Windows Easy Transfer or back up another way.

 

[WES007]

okay ill do research but I never heard of windows easy transfer. i'm just not sure why I can go to windows old. find the application of firefox. click it, and firefox comes up. just not installed, found my old profile but I can't do anything with it. I have tried to swap profiles, delete new replace with old. nothing works....still brings up firefox with NONE of my old information.


ok windows easy transfer is from old computer, to new computer. this not the case for me.
same computer, had to do a custom install cause old 7 was messing up. did custom install so would not lose info. so i have windows.old (all info/settings) new windows(none)so what do I do?

 

[Corrine]

Hi, WES007.

Please refer to this Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: How to restore your personal files after you perform a custom installation of Windows Vista or of Windows 7

The Windows.old folder

When you install Windows Vista or Windows 7, the Windows.old folder is created. The installation program creates this folder to store the files from the Windows XP installation. To locate the Windows.old folder in Windows Vista or in Windows 7, click StartCollapse this imageExpand this image

, type drive:\windows.old (for example, c:\windows.old) in the Start Search box, and then click Windows.old in the Programs list.

Additional information is in the KB article.

 

[WES007]

Hi, WES007.

Please refer to this Microsoft Knowledge Base Article: How to restore your personal files after you perform a custom installation of Windows Vista or of Windows 7

The Windows.old folder

When you install Windows Vista or Windows 7, the Windows.old folder is created. The installation program creates this folder to store the files from the Windows XP installation. To locate the Windows.old folder in Windows Vista or in Windows 7, click StartCollapse this imageExpand this image

, type drive:\windows.old (for example, c:\windows.old) in the Start Search box, and then click Windows.old in the Programs list.

Additional information is in the KB article.

Thanks that was very helpful. But I still didn't accomplish recovering the username and passwords for my Chrome and Firefox browsers. I was under the impression that these were auto saved into my personal files for each browser. I installed and unstalled chrome and firefox. hoping that something would trigger and they would appear again. I even did the cut and paste from windows.old firefox and chrome to the new and replaced the files. thinking that would bring them back. but it didn't it just stayed the same...i'm confused on if its all saved. then why would the info not be back? if there is an answer for this I would welcome it...if not. I guess its just lost.

 

[Corrine]

Hi, WES007.

At least getting the IE information is a start. Perhaps the information below on Firefox will help you locate that information in Windows.old:

• The normal path for Firefox is C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\profile name.
• In that folder is where you would find places.sqlite which contains all your Firefox bookmarks as well as the list of all the websites you’ve visited.
• Your passwords are stored in the key3.db and signons.sqlite files.

Although I don't use Chrome, it makes sense that it would use a similar path in Google\Chrome

 

[WES007]

Thank I found that as well...and replaced the old with the new...nothing happened. I guess I was supposed to back it up manually...cause nothing is there. or I could have messing around with the old file and messed it all up...I think its a loss...same for chrome. but thanks so much again for helping

 

[Corrine]

You're welcome.

At least you have the files for IE and you can at least import the bookmarks to Firefox and Chrome.

 

[fishnbanjo]

In the future you can keep a backup of your Passwords for Firefox but I tend to like things the same as I move from PC to PC having 3 on the network. I use an add in program/plugin called Xmarks which loads into Firefox and then is synchronizes my Bookmarks and Passwords when I tell it to, i.e. if I add a new Bookmark or Passwords I run the sync if not it does it the next time the PC boots up.

 

[richc46]

Welcome

Windows.old does not contain programs. They must be reinstalled with the original DVD or downloaded, again.

Passwords, settings etc, should have been saved by use of Windows easy transfer prior to the install.

ok, thanks you. but how do I get the passwords from old fire fox into the new one?

I could be wrong, and I hope that I am. I have never experienced it myself, but I thought that they were encrypted and could not be accessed once in Windows.old.

 

[24c]

FWIW - I've used MozBackup - MozBackup - Backup tool for Firefox and Thunderbird - to save my FF data. In years of use it has never failed me.

I know it is too late for you now WES007, but never too late for the future.

 

[madtownidiot]

windows.old/users/(your old username)/app data/local/mozilla/profiles

copy that folder and merge it with the new mozilla folder