MozBackup: Backup Firefox, Thunderbird & More
Safeguarding Your Mozilla Experience with MozBackup
Do you have a customized configuration for your Firefox browser or another application built on Mozilla code? Protecting that setup with regular backups is crucial. Fortunately, MozBackup provides a swift and straightforward solution for this purpose.
MozBackup demonstrates compatibility with a wide array of Mozilla-based programs, including Firefox (versions 1.0 through 3.5), Thunderbird (up to 3.0 Beta 2), Sunbird (0.3 - 0.9), Flock (1.0 - 2.0), SeaMonkey (1.0a - 2.0 Alpha 3), Mozilla Suite (1.7 - 1.7.x), Spicebird (0.4 - 0.8), Songbird (1.0), Netscape (7.x, 9.x), and Portable Firefox. It’s important to note that currently, MozBackup does not offer support for Linux or macOS operating systems.
Installation and Pre-Backup Procedures
The installation of MozBackup is remarkably efficient, guiding you through just four screens. During the installation process, pay attention to the licensing agreement, which states the software is provided “as-is”.
Once installation is complete, you can begin backing up your chosen Mozilla software. For demonstration, we will use a standard Firefox installation. Prior to backing up, observe the browser’s current state – in this instance, it features 36 extensions, 3 themes, and 3 user styles applied through the Stylish extension.
Backing Up Your Profile
Initiating a backup with MozBackup presents you with the initial screen. Proceed by clicking “Next”.
The subsequent window prompts you to select either backing up or restoring a profile, and to specify the software you intend to work with. In our example, we are backing up the profile for Mozilla Firefox 3.5 (en-GB). Click “Next” to continue.
The next screen requires you to choose the profile to be backed up and the destination for the backup file. We’ve selected the “default” profile. A convenient option for portable installations is also available. For the filename, a simple and concise approach (software name and date) was chosen. The Desktop was selected as the save location for easy access. Click “Next”.
After clicking “Next”, you are given the option to protect the backup file with a password. Select the option that best aligns with your security needs. In this case, we opted not to password-protect the file and clicked “Next”.
If you choose to password-protect your backup, this window will appear, requiring you to enter and confirm your chosen password. Click “OK” when finished.
The following screen allows you to specify which components of the Mozilla profile you want to include in the backup. Simply check or uncheck the desired options. The “Unknown files” button at the bottom provides further customization. Click “Next” when you’ve made your selections.
Clicking “Unknown files” reveals a window with additional backup options. Select or deselect as needed, then click “OK”.
Once you click “Next” on the fourth window, MozBackup will begin creating your backup file. The process is now underway…
Upon completion, a window will display a list of the items included in the backup file.
Restoring Your Profile
To restore your profile, start MozBackup and proceed through the initial window by clicking “Next”. For this example, we will restore the profile to a portable version of Firefox. Note: A fresh install of Portable Firefox must be run once to create a default profile directory.
The second window again asks you to choose between backing up or restoring a profile and the target software. We’ve selected “Restore a profile” and Mozilla Firefox 3.5 (en-GB). Click “Next”.
The third window requires you to locate the backup file you created earlier and select the profile to restore to. For our portable installation example, we clicked the “Portable” button.
Clicking “Portable” opens a browsing window to locate the portable browser’s profile folder. In our case, the folder was named “Mobile Fox” (Mobile Fox –> Data –> profile). Click “OK”.
Once the profile folder is selected, “Portable profile” will appear in the list. Choose the appropriate profile and click “Next”.
The fourth window allows you to refine the restoration process by selecting which items to restore, including options from the Unknown Files window. Make your selections and click “Next”. Note that all items in both the Components Selection and Unknown Files windows are selected by default.
Choose any additional files you wish to restore and click “OK”.
After clicking “Next” on the fourth window, you’ll be prompted to confirm overwriting the selected profile folder. Click “Yes” to begin the restoration process.
MozBackup will now restore the profile. The restoration process generally completes more quickly than the backup process.
Upon completion, a window will display a list of the restored items.
Final Thoughts
MozBackup offers a valuable solution for quickly backing up and restoring your Mozilla-based software profiles. It’s an invaluable tool for system re-installations or for maintaining a portable setup with your preferred configurations.
- Download MozBackup (version 1.4.9): [Link to Download]
- MozBackup Homepage: [Link to Homepage]