how do I disable FF Synch or whatever it is?

[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:



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.

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.

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.

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.

[bit]

I put [Mozilla Firefox] and its two backups in the Recycle Bin, and rebooted.
Then I started FF Portable directly from a DVD that has a backup copy I just burned to the DVD before all the problems started, and the bookmarks are missing from that one also.
I mean, the DVD is immune to changes, but after FF starts from the DVD, the changes magically 'appear' (missing bookmarks).
The bookmarks are still there in the DVD that was out of the machine.
They just aren't there after I start FF from the DVD.
Some kind of a 'middle process' is interfering.
I see 'Mozilla Firefox 35.0.1 (x86-en-US)' and 'Mozilla Maintenance Service' in my Control Panel\Programs\Uninstall or Change a Program window, and I wonder if it's doing this.
If I 'uninstall/delete' these, then will I get a conflict by copying FF from the DVD without 'reinstalling' FF from an installer file?

[4wd]

I see 'Mozilla Firefox 35.0.1 (x86-en-US)' and 'Mozilla Maintenance Service' in my Control Panel\Programs\Uninstall or Change a Program window, and I wonder if it's doing this.

You have Firefox installed also?
Sounds like you might have Automatically install updates set in one of the portables - not a good idea.

If you don't use it, uninstall it.

At a guess, all your portable versions are picking up the profile folder for the installed version - therefore, changes in one appear to be propagated to all.  Whereas, they're all just pointing to the same profile folder.

BTW, your computer is a mess  

[bit]

I see 'Mozilla Firefox 35.0.1 (x86-en-US)' and 'Mozilla Maintenance Service' in my Control Panel\Programs\Uninstall or Change a Program window, and I wonder if it's doing this.

You have Firefox installed also?
Sounds like you might have Automatically install updates set in one of the portables - not a good idea.

If you don't use it, uninstall it.

At a guess, all your portable versions are picking up the profile folder for the installed version - therefore, changes in one appear to be propagated to all.  Whereas, they're all just pointing to the same profile folder.

BTW, your computer is a mess  

I appreciate your sense of humor.
You're onto something; I'm sure of it.
I transferred the goofed main and backup copies to Recycle Bin, then copied an ungoofed copy from DVD to Program Files; and it looks goofed also; yet I know it has Bookmarks b/c I can see them in the folder.
'Automatically install updates' is already disabled in the DVD copy.
There must be a Profile folder somewhere outside the Portable folder and I'm not sure where to look?

I have a Bookmark file on the DVD that is half a day old, and no clue how to make it appear in the new active FF copy I just x-ferred to Program Files, and it's there in the copy.

[bit]

Restored my Bookmarks.
Is there a way to restore my FF Profile to earlier today or yesterday I wonder?
Or would an earlier Restore Point do it?
I made one earlier today and yesterday.

[bit]

I ran a Restore Point from earlier today and seem to have corrected everything except the manually deleted passwords.
My FF Bookmarks are back, which I value more than the FF passwords (although losing either is an annoyance).
I already mostly don't use the passwords in FF anyway, in preference to Seamonkey, and I can manually restore the few I need for FF.

I found out that to help recover from snafus, the Profile that contains Bookmarks and Passwords is kept separate from the Mozilla Firefox folder.
This worked against me when I relied on my duplicate FF bkup folders -with FF Portable- to protect me from a manual goof-up.
That's my 'take' on it anyway.

AFAIC, that FF 'password importer-exporter';
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/password-exporter/
is bad news; it ate my Bookmarks and also made a valuable add-on called Scrapbook disappear, but a Restore Point from hours earlier seems to have fixed those problems.

[Deozaan]

I've found that Firefox Portable will still use the default Firefox profile location. Meaning it doesn't matter how many copies you make of it, they're all using the same profile on your computer. I found this out when I downloaded Firefox Developer Edition Portable and it wouldn't run while I had Firefox Portable also running, because "the profile was in use."

[bit]

I've found that Firefox Portable will still use the default Firefox profile location. Meaning it doesn't matter how many copies you make of it, they're all using the same profile on your computer. I found this out when I downloaded Firefox Developer Edition Portable and it wouldn't run while I had Firefox Portable also running, because "the profile was in use."

Tnx. AFAIC, this means FF Portable is -not- portable.
I had not fixed all my FF problems caused by FF 'password importer-exporter';
https://addons.mozilla.or.../addon/password-exporter/
If you want to totally goof up FF, that is the perfect add-on.

All my bookmarks had lost their individual icons, or 'favicons'.
After a little research, I rebooted with a backup HD connected in secondary mode.
Then I navigated through both HDs to this location;
C:\Users\Vinyard Crew\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox
and same spot in the backup HD.
Then I copied the Firefox folder from the backup HD to the same spot in C:, replacing it.
Result; I fixed FF '(not)-Portable', and got back a full set of slightly out-of-date Bookmarks, complete with favicons (a few still missing, but only about 1%), and even got all my Passwords back.
Shut down, unplugged the backup IDE-HD, rebooted, and tidied up with reg, antivirus, and PUP scans.
I suggest Mozilla rename their FF 'portable' version 'Firefox Unportable' (which also makes it all but 'unsupportable').

[4wd]

I suggest Mozilla rename their FF 'portable' version 'Firefox Unportable' (which also makes it all but 'unsupportable').

AFAIK, Mozilla itself doesn't make a portable version of Firefox, that's done by others who package it up in a wrapper, (PortableApps), or who recompile/install it to be so, (Pale Moon, IceDragon).

All being said, if you want a portable version of Firefox I probably would have used Pale Moon or IceDragon since they don't use a wrapper to write things to the system and then clean up afterwards.

[bit]

I suggest Mozilla rename their FF 'portable' version 'Firefox Unportable' (which also makes it all but 'unsupportable').

AFAIK, Mozilla itself doesn't make a portable version of Firefox, that's done by others who package it up in a wrapper, (PortableApps), or who recompile/install it to be so, (Pale Moon, IceDragon).

All being said, if you want a portable version of Firefox I probably would have used Pale Moon or IceDragon since they don't use a wrapper to write things to the system and then clean up afterwards.

Tnx. Any particular add-ons you would recommend? 

[4wd]

Tnx. Any particular add-ons you would recommend?  

I have the following installed in Pale Moon x64 (non-portable):

- Advanced URL Builder 1.6.29
Append selected text to the URL of your favourite site.
- Bluhell Firewall 2.5.0
Lightweight Ad-Blocker and Tracking/Privacy Protector.
- Download Statusbar 0.9.10
View and manage downloads from a tidy statusbar
- DownloadHelper 4.9.24
Download videos and images from many sites
- DownThemAll! 2.0.18
The mass downloader for Firefox.
- Extension List Dumper 1.15.2
Dumps a list of the installed extensions.
- Form History Control 1.4.0.2
Manage Form History (view, edit, delete, clean-up, export/import)
- Ghostery 5.4.1
- Google search link fix 1.4.9
Prevents Google, Yahoo and Yandex search pages from modifying search result links when you click them. This is useful when copying links but it also helps privacy by preventing the search engines from recording your clicks.
- Greasemonkey 1.15
A User Script Manager for Firefox
- Lightbeam 1.0.10.2
Lightbeam is a Firefox add-on that allows you to see the third parties that are collecting information about your browsing activity, with and without your consent. Using interactive visualizations, Lightbeam shows you the relationships between these third parties and the sites you visit.
- Master Password+ 1.21.3
Various enhancements for built-in "Master Password" feature
- Open RegEdit Key 0.2.0
Open selected registry in the registry editor from context menu.
- RefControl 0.8.17
Control what gets sent as the HTTP Referer on a per-site basis.
- RequestPolicy 1.0.beta8.2
Control which cross-site requests are allowed. Improve the privacy of your browsing. Secure yourself from Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and other attacks.
- Self-Destructing Cookies 0.4.6
Fix the web. Gets rid of a site's cookies and LocalStorage as soon as you close its tabs. Protects against trackers and zombie-cookies. Trustworthy services can be whitelisted.
- Speed Dial [FVD] - New Tab Page, Sync... 6.7.2
FVD Speed Dial - Speed dial button, Online Synchronization, New Tab Start Page, Organize bookmarks, Custom backgrounds, custom dials, organized groups, most visited dials.
- Stylish 2.0.1
Restyle the web with Stylish, a user styles manager.
- Suspend Tab 0.2.2014050201
Suspends background old tabs automatically to save memory usage.
- Tab Mix Plus 0.4.1.6
Tab browsing with an added boost.
- TinEye Reverse Image Search 1.1
Adds TinEye search context menu item for images.
- TrashMail.com 2.7.1
Create disposable email addresses.
- Vacuum Places Improved 1.2
Defragment your places.sqlite database to speed-up Firefox

I could probably get rid of a couple since they seemed like a good idea at the time but I never use them.