BOOKMARKS NOT Being Saved:

Not saving Bookmarks or History -- check your settings for Tools > options > Privacy', to make sure you are not clearing more than just cache in "Settings for Clearing History"

• http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4928/clearcachew.png
• Within clearing your history at end of session, cache is the only one you would want to clear at end of session, if you don't want to lose things

There are several things that are related to private browsing and

not saving Bookmarks and History;

• Private Browsing Ctrl+Shift+P
• If you selected "Never remember history" in first drop-down of Tools > Options Privacy and all of the check marks disappear (See picture above)
• If "Permanent private browsing mode" was check-marked under "Use custom settings for history" in the first drop-down of Tools > options > Privacy (see picture above)

Also see http://kb.mozillazine.org/Corrupt_localstore.rdf

A possible cause is a problem with the file places.sqlite that stores the bookmarks and the history.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Bookmarks_history_and_toolbar_buttons_not_working_-_Firefox

Thanks for both suggestions. Cor-el, I don't think its the places/sqlite file as I have quit firefox and closed the computer a few times and when I started again the problem was still there. Dmcritchie, I think its what you said. It turned out I was clearing everything when I cleared the history, and so I changed it to clear cache only. At first this seemed to have no effect, but then suddenly some apparently unsaved changes appeared, so maybe that's solved it. The time-lag is a bit odd, though, and I notice that 'recently bookmarked' in the bookmarks menu always shows empty, even when I have just saved some bookmarks. So maybe there's still something not quite right.

A page I bookmarked successfully about a week ago has just vanished from the bookmarks menu for no apparent reason, so there are still problems. I'll have to go back to safari, I suppose, but if anyone can think of a better solution I'd be pleased to hear it.

Did you try to delete the file places.sqlite in the Firefox Profile Folder?

We see a lot of problems on Mac caused by problems with SQLite database files (Firefox uses native SQLite provided by the OS on Mac), so give that a try if you haven't done that.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
• Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Open Containing Folder

Thank you, Cor-el. I only unlocked the file places.sqlite before, so this time I've deleted it, and places.sqlite-journal too. I'll see what effect that has. In fact I can see two immediate effects: the 'recently bookmarked' folder is no longer empty - first time I've ever seen anything in it! Also the vanishing bookmark I mentioned in my previous reply has reappeared. So it's looking promising.

Thanks to Cor-el and dmcritchie, the problem is solved. I haven't clicked 'solved it' against any single one of the replies, because they all did. I'm grateful to you both for your time and expertise.