Best practices for backing up FireFox profile?

[one1]

It's important to me that I have a backup of my FireFox profile. Using a small app called fBackup I have come up with a list of essential files and folders to backup. I have also found the important plugin data folders and can back those up too. I do this to avoid having a gigantic backup that contains unnecessary information.

However, as I understand it, the FF profile directory should only be backed up when FireFox is closed.

Is there a way to either remind me to close FF before I run my backup, or somehow not run the backup until FF is closed?

Or is there some better way to be doing what I am trying to do?

Thanks!!!

[Zenju]

When you try to backup your FireFox profile, but didn't close it, you'll see the following error message during synchronization, which is also the reminder you asked for:

Cannot read file "[...]Firefox\Profiles\1234a12b.default\parent.lock".

The file is locked by another process:
Firefox [C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe]

[one1]

Thanks.

I didn't have parent.lock in my list of files to sync. Remember I'm not syncing the entire profile. I have now added it.

I guess what I was hoping for was a notification *before* the syncing started, not an error message after syncing had begun.

[xCSxXenon]

Two options:
1) Create a batch script that first kills Firefox and then runs the FFS sync
2) Run FFS as admin and enable "copy locked files". This will use the Windows VSS to get a copy of the files, even when in-use.

[one1]

Two options:
1) Create a batch script that first kills Firefox and then runs the FFS sync
2) Run FFS as admin and enable "copy locked files". This will use the Windows VSS to get a copy of the files, even when in-use.

I guess maybe I wasn't explaining the issue well.

I'm looking for a solution that warns me to shutdown FF before I do the backup.

I don't want to backup the profile while FF is open. Everything I read says that you don't get a proper backup if you copy while FF is open. So #2 above won't solve the issue.

I also don't want to just kill FF because I might have things open that I need to close properly.

I'm old. And forgetful. If I wasn't, then I would just remember to shut down FF before I do the backup. But I am.

Maybe there isn't a perfect solution.

Thanks for the ideas, though.

[xCSxXenon]

Then you will definitely need a batch script that first checks if Firefox is open and then prompts you if it is.
Here you go:

@echo off

:checkFirefox
tasklist /fi "ImageName eq firefox.exe" /fo csv 2>NUL | find /I "firefox.exe">NUL
if "%ERRORLEVEL%"=="0" goto firefoxOpen
goto runSync

:firefoxOpen
cls
echo.
echo Firefox is running!
CHOICE /c cq /n /m "Press [C] to kill Firefox and continue or [Q] to quit"
IF %errorlevel%==1 goto killAndContinue
IF %errorlevel%==2 goto quit

:killAndContinue
taskkill /f /im firefox.exe
goto runSync

:runSync
cls
echo.
echo Running FFS sync!
"C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe" "X:\PATH\TO\YOUR\FFS_BATCH\CONFIG"
goto quit

:quit
exit


I have also attached it for download. As always, make sure you trust and inspect random things you download from random strangers on the internet lol
You can copy/paste that code into your own batch script if you are more comfortable. You will have to change the path to your FFS batch configuration file.

[therube]

Just noting...

Force terminating Firefox (taskkill /f) potentially could lead to corruption.
Better, IMO, to heed the "or [Q] to quit" (& manually close FF).
(Likewise, taskkill will close all instances of FF [if you happen to run multiple instances simultaneously - perhaps not too common, but I am apt to].)

[xCSxXenon]

Just noting...

Force terminating Firefox (taskkill /f) potentially could lead to corruption.
Better, IMO, to heed the "or [Q] to quit" (& manually close FF).
(Likewise, taskkill will close all instances of FF [if you happen to run multiple instances simultaneously - perhaps not too common, but I am apt to].)

Ehhh, technically maybe, but the chances of corrupting anything are extremely tiny, almost impossible. But that is why the choice is given and it is worded as "kill Firefox"

[one1]

Here you go:

Thank you so much!

I'm new to this… do I understand correctly that I would need to use this to do the backup from the command-line?

[xCSxXenon]

No, a batch script is a collection of command-lines, ran in order like a program. If you create a batch script (.bat file), or download the one I attached, you can simply double-click it to run. As I said, after saving the one I provided, you will have to right-click it and edit it. You will have to change the path to your .ffs_batch file