Hi cathc, it's not you, it's Firefox. There is a bug in Firefox 67 related to clearing data at shutdown. If you use BOTH of the following features, some of the cleaning may carry over to the beginning of your next session, and that seems to preempt showing a custom home page. A fix should be in Firefox 68, and maybe in an interim update to Firefox 67.

Here is the problem combination:

(1) "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed"

• set in Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies section
  
  
• about:config => network.cookie.lifetimePolicy => 2 (modified)

(2) "Clear history when Firefox closes"

• set in Options > Privacy & Security > History section, with "Firefox will: Use custom settings for history" selected to show detailed options
  
  
• about config => privacy.sanitize.sanitizeOnShutdown => true (modified)

If you set either of those red-boxed preference back to its default value (unchecked), the problem should not occur. If you do not want to change settings, you'll have to click the Home button at startup.

Thanks, I do appreciate you getting back to me.

However I don't have " delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" checked and my History is set to "remember history"

Is this about opening a new window via the New Window menu item (Ctrl+N)?

Are you possibly using permanent Private Browsing mode (Always use Private Browsing mode; Never Remember History)?

Thanks for your help. Sorry to take so long to respond - the site's been down most of the day.

i open a window from a desktop shortcut, but yes, I get the same problem if I use Ctrl+N.

I don't know what Private Browsing mode is, or how to set it. As above my History is set to "remember history"

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link}

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh). Is the problem still there?

Thanks FredMcD. It does now open to the home page but without remembering my bookmarks sidebar! So I've still lost out to the latest update.

Is there a way for it to remember my settings?

Do I always have to open Firefox in safe mode now?

Does this still happen in Firefox 67.0.2?

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/update-firefox-latest-version

cathc said

It does now open to the home page but without remembering my bookmarks sidebar!

Does the Bookmarks Sidebar still open using Ctrl+b or the Sidebars button? But Firefox doesn't automatically re-open it at the start of the next session?

jscher2000 said

Does the Bookmarks Sidebar still open using Ctrl+b or the Sidebars button? But Firefox doesn't automatically re-open it at the start of the next session?

That's exactly right. It opens with the button but doesn't automatically re-open at the start of the next session.

cor-el said

Does this still happen in Firefox 67.0.2?

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/update-firefox-latest-version

Yes. I've updated and it still opens without the sidebar.

Try to rename/remove xulstore.json and when present delete localstore.rdf in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed.

You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.

• Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
  Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

cor-el said

Try to rename/remove xulstore.json and when present delete localstore.rdf in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed. You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.

• Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
  Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

Sorry. I really don't know what any of this means.

i think I may be best going back to the earlier version of Firefox. I try to leave updating as long as possible as it never seems to result in improvements.

Why can't they just leave it alone?

Hello cathc,

Apologies if this is a rethorical question, but have you checked "Restore previous session" in Options => General => under "Startup"  ?

McCoy said

Hello cathc, Apologies if this is a rethorical question, but have you checked "Restore previous session" in Options => General => under "Startup"  ?

Thanks, I have done that now! Isuppose I need to re-update and see if that works now :-(

cathc said

cor-el said

Try to rename/remove xulstore.json and when present delete localstore.rdf in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed. You can use the button on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page to go to the current Firefox profile folder or use the about:profiles page.

• Help -> Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Directory:
  Windows: Show Folder; Linux: Open Directory; Mac: Show in Finder
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox

Sorry. I really don't know what any of this means.

The xulstore.json file stores the status of which bars are displayed, which sidebar is open (if any), and what size windows are. If Firefox stops showing the expected items at the expected sizes, it could be due to that file becoming corrupted with nonsensical values. However, since Ctrl+b is only one extra keypress, it might not be worth removing the file. You certainly can decide later.

Thanks McCoy! It's working with the latest version now, opening to the home page and with the sidebar.

Thanks to everyone for your input.

said </blockquote>

The xulstore.json file stores the status of which bars are displayed, which sidebar is open (if any), and what size windows are. If Firefox stops showing the expected items at the expected sizes, it could be due to that file becoming corrupted with nonsensical values. However, since Ctrl+b is only one extra keypress, it might not be worth removing the file. You certainly can decide later. </blockquote>

Thanks jscher2000 for persisting. I think i'm there!jscher2000

cathc said

Thanks McCoy! It's working with the latest version now, opening to the home page and with the sidebar.

My pleasure, cathc - I'm glad everything's back to normal.