Sync Setup is completely deceptive
I just set up firefox sync a few hours ago because I was going to reformat my computer. I was going to be smart and use spideroak, but I had remembered firefox included a syncing option. Why not give it a try I ask myself. I set it up, get an accounted created, and sync tells me I am done. I think, wow this was easy, firefox is awesome. I got and reformat my computer, get everything setup and then try to get firefox back to the way it was via sync. Oops. I need the private key associated with the account. Well now I am out of luck, because I was not told this prior to reformatting at all, and as such I never saved it. I of course can create a NEW private key, but that destroys all of my old data.
I am not even saying this system is bad, it is immensely secure. Here's the problem, I needed to read the actual FAQ article first to realize this. What needs to be done is put in huge bold letters that there is an ADDITIONAL step necessary. This is pretty basic stuff and it is 100% absurd I am in this situation because for some reason mozilla developers can't be bothered to explain that the process isn't actually complete. I cannot be the only person this has happened to and in fact have found people confused about this very issue. Needless to say, I am forever switching to Chrome.
All Replies (4)
Sorry to hear about your data loss. I realize from other threads that some people are trying to use Sync as though its name were Backup, and perhaps that should be addressed with a warning that Sync is NOT a backup service.
As part of your reinstall of Windows, did Windows create a C:\Windows.old folder? If so, that typically will contain your old Firefox settings.
Part of how sync advertises itself is as a way to backup your stuff. Yes, the other part is sharing. I don't think the name her is necessarily the problem, the big problem is that you need the private key to be able to utilize it. This needs to be made very explicit. Even if I wanted to just share it with my GS4, I would have run into the same problem. Granted in that case I would have been ok because I could eventually do so, but what if I decide to do it when I am in Asia on business? Well I can't then, and then i become frustrated basically for no reason simply because firefox decided not to inform me of of the process works without reading through all the FAQs. At first I felt kind of stupid because I did not read the FAQ first, but if you read the ones trying to sell it a sa good option, not once are you told about the additional private key requirement.
Also, thank you for trying to help get around this problem via other methods, but unfortunately my only option is to use my spideroak backup from 6 months ago (again not smart to not back it up there regularly, oh well). It's not a huge loss, I will live for sure. But this is something that does not need to happen and can be alleviated very simply.
Another suggestion would be two different sync options. A strong and weak one. Have the strong one as it is today (with the appropriate language to inform the user) and a weak one that is based purely on account credentials.
scher2000
How do I know when Sync is completed (Or even "working") I crated a dummy profile to use to Sync my Android Phone with "Main" Computer.
My smart phone says "Sync Complete"---but I see nothing on my Main PC that anything was "uploaded.
Thank you.
Hi WhereIsMyMindAt, I'm going to post a comment in your new question here: How do I know when Sync is Completed?