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how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

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bit:
I keep backup copies of my Firefox Portable folder, and give the backups alpha-numerics like [Mozilla Firefox bkup 1] and [Mozilla Firefox bkup 2].
I rely on these backup copies to get me out of a jamb in case the active copy gets goofed up somehow.
Now I discover that anytime I delete or add something to [Mozilla Firefox], it gets automatically deleted or added to the backups.
I don't need my backups to be automatically screwed up like the main copy, but to stay pristine and unchanged in case of major goof-ups so I'll have something to fall back on.
What is doing this and how do I turn it off?

(edit) Okay yes it seems to be something called 'Sync' and I don't even have an account with Sync but it's 'synching' all my backup FF copies.
Do I have to start an account with Sync to turn it off?
Is there any file in FF folder I can just find and delete or rename with the suffix 'DISABLED' to shut it off?
I still want my passwords to work, I just want to shut off Sync somehow.

(edit) I found some advice but no answers yet:
"You need to go into the Sync Options in the Options/Preferences window and click "Deactivate this device"."
I checked, and my up-to-date FF version show no option to 'deactivate' Sync.
So far I see no file in the Mozilla FF folder named 'Sync' for me to delete or rename to disable it.

(edit) found this:
"How to Disable or Opt-Out of Firefox Sync
If at any time, you decide you no longer want to have the Firefox Sync Service, you may un-install the Firefox Sync add-on. Click on the “Tools” menu, then “Add-ons”, select Firefox Sync and click “Uninstall”."
There is no such option in my FF.

4wd:
Unless you run Firefox from your backup copy location, (rather than restore it), Sync will have no effect on them.

Otherwise:

Menu->Options->Sync

If it looks like:

how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

it's not set up.

Otherwise hit the Unlink this device link if it's there.

bit:
Unless you run Firefox from your backup copy location, (rather than restore it), Sync will have no effect on them.

Otherwise:

Menu->Options->Sync

If it looks like:
 (see attachment in previous post)
it's not set up.

Otherwise hit the Unlink this device link if it's there.
-4wd (February 02, 2015, 06:52 PM)
--- End quote ---
It's not set up and looks like your pic.
When I do anything to any FF Portable copy, all the others get changed automatically.
That's what I want it to stop doing.

Maybe I need to rename the backup copies something harder for Sync to find.
(edit) I renamed my backup to [Moz FF bkup 1], then opened [Mozilla Firefox] and bookmarked a page at random, closed [Mozilla Firefox], opened [Moz FF bkup 1] (from a completely different folder), and there was the new random bookmarked web page in the exact same spot in Bookmarks.

This is not good; Mozilla itself admits that it could jeopardize passwords in a lost cellphone; I've also found a comment that Sync is no longer removable in newer versions of FF.

I can think of one way to fix this; put the backups in a TrueCrypt folder with a simple utility password for easy access.
That should put a stop to Sync's 'impolite' behavior.

4wd:
Maybe I need to rename the backup copies something harder for Sync to find.-bit (February 02, 2015, 07:01 PM)
--- End quote ---

You just said Sync isn't set up, that means that Firefox Sync isn't your problem.

Simple test:
1) Run one of your Firefox Portable iterations, change something, then exit.
2) Disconnect your internet connection.
3) Start one of your other Firefox Portable iterations - did the change appear there also?

This is not good; Mozilla itself admits that it could jeopardize passwords in a lost cellphone; I've also found a comment that Sync is no longer removable in newer versions of FF.
--- End quote ---

IIRC, it never was removable, (it's part of the Firefox codebase), you could either use it, (enable it), or not use it, (don't enable it).

I no longer use it, (even though I have my own Sync server), and never had a problem with things randomly changing across whatever versions of Pale Moon, Firefox, etc, across all my computers.

bit:
^I'll try it, but first I have to fix another new problem.
When I created a new [Mozilla Firefox] backup to put on a thumb drive, I had first put it on Desktop, renamed it as a backup, and deleted all passwords.
Then I discovered -all- my copies of FF Portable had lost their password.
So I just installed this FF 'password importer-exporter';
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/password-exporter/
and it made -all- my FF bookmarks disappear, probably on -all- FF copies.
Removing the FF importer-exporter did not make my missing bookmarks come back.
I do have backup hard drives to stop this madness, but it's becoming rather annoying.
So far, all I've done is dig myself in deeper into this mess.
I do have a slightly outdated external save of my bookmarks.
I also have other types of browsers, but the bookmarks and passwords vary somewhat between them.

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