Preferences not saved: Difference between revisions

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m (→‎See also: replaced multiple bookmarks and cokkies links with Multiple profile files created)
(Read-only preference file: linked to Multiple profile files created and removed other article content covered by the linked article)
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This article deals with Firefox or Mozilla Suite not saving any changes made to options or preference settings after you restart the application.  If only Firefox toolbar customizations are not being saved, see [[Corrupt localstore.rdf |this article]].
This article deals with Firefox or Mozilla Suite not saving any changes made to options or preference settings after you restart the application.  If only Firefox toolbar customizations are not being saved, see [[Corrupt localstore.rdf |this article]].


==Read-only preference file==
==Read-only or locked preference file==
The inability to save any preference changes can be caused by having the [[prefs.js]] or "prefs.js.moztmp" file in the [[profile folder]] set to read-only.  You may receive an error similar to "Failed to save the preferences file.  Any preference changes will be lost at the end of the session"  [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=455989].  You may also find multiple files named "prefs-n.js" (where n is a number) appearing in the profile folder.   
The inability to save any preference changes can be caused by having a read-only or locked  [[prefs.js file]] or "prefs.js.moztmp" file in the [[profile folder]].  You may receive an error similar to "Failed to save the preferences file.  Any preference changes will be lost at the end of the session"  [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=455989].  You may also find multiple files named "prefs-n.js" (where n is a number) appearing in the profile folder.  Check the file properties of the  [[prefs.js]] file and any "prefs.js.moztmp" file found and remove the "read-only" attributes.  You can also delete any "prefs-n-js copies. See the article, [[Multiple profile files created]] for more information.
 
Check the file properties of the  [[prefs.js]] file and any "prefs.js.moztmp" file found and remove the "read-only" attributes to resolve the issue.   
 
Note that other read-only files in the profile folder can cause similar problems, for example, a read-only [[cookies.txt]] or "cookies.txt.moztmp" file can cause loss of cookie data and creation of multiple cookies files and a read-only [[bookmarks.html]] or [[bookmarks.html.moztmp]] file can cause bookmarks not to be saved (see [[bookmarks not saved]]) and creation of multiple bookmarks files.


==Dell Network Assistant==
==Dell Network Assistant==
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If you are able to change some preference settings but not others,  look for a [[user.js file]] in your [[profile folder]] (Windows users, read [[Profile_folder#For_Windows_users |this]]).  The user.js file does not exist by default; it is created by users and, in a few  cases, by [[Resetting_preferences#Software_that_changes_preference_settings |some software programs]], so that certain settings get written back to the [[prefs.js file]] each time you restart Firefox or Mozilla Suite.  If you find a user.js file, either remove it from the profile folder or edit the file to remove any unwanted settings.  See the article [[Resetting preferences]] for more information.
If you are able to change some preference settings but not others,  look for a [[user.js file]] in your [[profile folder]] (Windows users, read [[Profile_folder#For_Windows_users |this]]).  The user.js file does not exist by default; it is created by users and, in a few  cases, by [[Resetting_preferences#Software_that_changes_preference_settings |some software programs]], so that certain settings get written back to the [[prefs.js file]] each time you restart Firefox or Mozilla Suite.  If you find a user.js file, either remove it from the profile folder or edit the file to remove any unwanted settings.  See the article [[Resetting preferences]] for more information.


==Related bugs==
* [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=157152 Bug 157152 - read-only/hidden bookmarks.html (or bookmarks.html.moztmp) causes creation of bookmarks-{n+1}.html]
*[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=257288 Bug 257288 - read-only profile files (cookies, bookmarks, etc) not respected, results in data loss]
==See also==
*[[Multiple profile files created]]


[[Category:Issues (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Issues (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Issues (Mozilla Suite)]]
[[Category:Issues (Mozilla Suite)]]

Revision as of 03:03, 6 December 2007

This article deals with Firefox or Mozilla Suite not saving any changes made to options or preference settings after you restart the application. If only Firefox toolbar customizations are not being saved, see this article.

Read-only or locked preference file

The inability to save any preference changes can be caused by having a read-only or locked prefs.js file or "prefs.js.moztmp" file in the profile folder. You may receive an error similar to "Failed to save the preferences file. Any preference changes will be lost at the end of the session" [1]. You may also find multiple files named "prefs-n.js" (where n is a number) appearing in the profile folder. Check the file properties of the prefs.js file and any "prefs.js.moztmp" file found and remove the "read-only" attributes. You can also delete any "prefs-n-js copies. See the article, Multiple profile files created for more information.

Dell Network Assistant

Dell Network Assistant may also cause this problem. If you have this program, try uninstalling it.[2]

User.js file locks certain preferences

If you are able to change some preference settings but not others, look for a user.js file in your profile folder (Windows users, read this). The user.js file does not exist by default; it is created by users and, in a few cases, by some software programs, so that certain settings get written back to the prefs.js file each time you restart Firefox or Mozilla Suite. If you find a user.js file, either remove it from the profile folder or edit the file to remove any unwanted settings. See the article Resetting preferences for more information.