Solved Firefox 100.0 installed, just noticed 99.0 also still installed?

FJRMarty · May 8, 2022

1st noticed it in the Ccleaner 'Uninstall' list a couple of days ago, after I installed Firefox 100.0 via the update channel that both Firefox 99.0 and 100.0 were installed. But this morning only 99.0 shows in Ccleaner 'Uninstall' even though 99.0 and 100.0 are listed in 'Apps & Features' and 100.0 is running fine.
Should I uninstall '99.0' or is there a reason they should remain together? Haven't tried Troubleshooting, never needed it before, dunno what it does.
Scratching my head....

johnlgalt · May 8, 2022

Normally it just updates itself, and you should only see the one entry.

There is a way to uninstall both, although you will *probably* get a message after uninstalling 1 that the other one "doesn't exist" along with a possible message to remove the uninstall entry. However , if you want to save all your settings and whatnot, you'll either need to have Firefox sync enabled for the profile(s), or else manually make a backup of the profile(s) just to be safe.

IIRC, you may get a prompt when uninstalling to keep the profile(s) or not, but I never take something like that for grants, I always make the backup.

More than likely, though, it is simply a duplicated entry in your registry.

As for CCLeaner, I don't use it, and stopped using it a long time ago because of silly little things like this happening in Windows. I'm not saying you should uninstall it or anything like that - it's just my opinion on why I don't use it.

At this point, though, it is not hurting anything, and if you check the installation folder you should only see the one install, with the one firefox.exe in it, and as your screenshot shows, it is ver 100, so there is no real issue.

Berton · May 8, 2022

It's also possible to have both an x86/32-bit version and an x64/64-bit version installed. In C:\File Explorer look in both Program Files\Mozilla Firefox and Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox to check, I have both on my Win10 with the x86 from 2016 [when I got the computer] and the x64 in C:\Program Files from 4 days ago but my Win11 shows only in C:\Program Files. The x86 version shows only one file about Meet so probably is safe to remove.

The-Hive · May 8, 2022

I wouldn't take a lot of notice of CCleaner, it throws in a few anomalies best check with Revo, you probably only have one version installed and if you try to uninstall one, there is a good chance it will affect the other version

FJRMarty · May 8, 2022

I do use Ccleaner sparingly, mostly I use WiseCare 365 for weekly cleanup, and Revo for Uninstalls.
I was worried about uninstalling 100.0 when I wanted to actually uninstall 99.0, if in fact it still exists. I don't see any evidence of 99.0 installed anywhere on my SSD.
I wonder if this is some odd glitch with W11 Home?
No issues like this on my old W10 laptop - only 64-bit 100.0 showing installed.
I'll keep fiddling, report later.

Ghot · May 8, 2022

@FJRMarty

Export your bookmarks.
Then un-install all versions of Firefox.
Then do a clean install of FF 100
Import your bookmarks.

FJRMarty · May 8, 2022

Ghot, I was trying to avoid that, all that custom re-configuring / secrecy / anti-track / trace / cookie settings, add-ons, etc., but I will do that now, since when I tried to Revo uninstall 99.0 it took 100.0 and tried to take 100.0 registry items with it. I stopped it there, tried the Restore point but after 15 minutes and "all your files were restored" they weren't....
Clean install here we go....

SOLVED

FJRMarty · May 8, 2022

Up and running. :) Weird little glitch.
This time Firefox installed in the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox folder.
Until this morning the executable was in the Application Data\Mozilla Firefox folder.
Have to start tweaking settings now.

Ghot · May 8, 2022

FJRMarty said:
Up and running. :) Weird little glitch.
This time Firefox installed in the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox folder.
Until this morning the executable was in the Application Data\Mozilla Firefox folder.
Have to start tweaking settings now.

That's where it should be installed... C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox :)

I dunno if you want/need these, but here some FF tweaks...

Firefox... taming the beast part 2 !! - Windows 10 Help Forums

First things first... stop Firefox from automatically updating. Simply unzip and drop this "distribution" folder into... C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox After manually updating Firefox this folder will be erased, so save a copy somewher

www.tenforums.com

FJRMarty · May 8, 2022

@Ghot
Thanks! I'll check those out. My tweaks are more privacy related. Example of a few here: Sven Taylor has a few.
Dunno why Firefox chose to install in that Application Data folder. I think I was so bedazzled by the beauty of the rounded corners of Windows 11 on my new machine when I installed Firefox I was blind to the error of my ways....

johnlgalt · May 9, 2022

Normally if it installed to your \Users folder it is because it did not get the permissions necessary to install to Program Files. Chrome was notorious for also doing that for a long time, unless you either 1) selected install for all users, or 2) did an advanced installation and manually put it in Program Files.

When installing Firefox I always do a custom install, so I haven't seen where it defaults to with a 'normal' install, but Ghot does say it *should* be in Program Files. so maybe it was a one off for whatever reason.

Glad you got it up and running again.

There is an easy trick to keep not just your bookmarks, but the entire profile (and multiple profiles) through a clean install of Firefox. In your situation it would have been perfectly fine to do so, because your error was in no way related to the profiles, but simply a weird installation location. It's a few steps long, but just amounts to backing up the correct folders before clearing it all up. Firefox Sync (formerly called Weave) should take care of most of that for you, but I like the manual route as it is faster overall.

FJRMarty · May 9, 2022

Yes, with Sync it does make it easier to start over. A minute to install, two minutes to sync add-ons and settings, an hour of program tweaks (I type very slowly.)
Thanks all for the help!

Ghot · May 9, 2022

FJRMarty said:
Yes, with Sync it does make it easier to start over. A minute to install, two minutes to sync add-ons and settings, an hour of program tweaks (I type very slowly.)
Thanks all for the help!

Glad you got it working. Now that it is working, you might want to consider backup software.
It's pretty much the easiest way to "fix" things.

Macrium Reflect | Free 30-Day Trial

Macrium Reflect - Incredibly powerful software that allows you to create and schedule effective backups

www.macrium.com

Quickie Macrium picture guide...

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

Macrium Reflect User Guide...

https://updates.macrium.com/reflect/v8/user_guide/macrium_reflect_v8.0_user_guide.pdf

Macrium Notes:
1. A full OS image backup will be approx. 1/2 the size of the total "used space" on the C:\ drive.
2. Backing up takes about 75 seconds for every 20GB of "used space" on the C:\ drive.

Full tutorial...

Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

How to Create and Restore a System Image Backup with Macrium Reflect

www.tenforums.com

FJRMarty · May 9, 2022

I've been building and using PCs since screens were 1 color, but I was never diligent backing up systems or HDDs, only data and documents. I have Macrium Reflect installed, even tried making a backup image a while ago to one of my external HDD just to try out the program. Guess I'll get more serious about it.

elbmek · May 9, 2022

I used FF for ages until about 3-4 years ago. Then it went 'funny' - thats the best I can describe it now. I Since then I have been on Opera but even that can be dodgy now and then, but its quite solid. Since Win 11, I have loaded up FF but not as default Browser, and still investigating now and then. To be fair I have been busy but still have a 'quick glimpse' at FF. Q: default or not???

Ghot · May 9, 2022

FJRMarty said:
I've been building and using PCs since screens were 1 color, but I was never diligent backing up systems or HDDs, only data and documents. I have Macrium Reflect installed, even tried making a backup image a while ago to one of my external HDD just to try out the program. Guess I'll get more serious about it.

I have just under 40GB on my C:\ drive, so it only takes me two and a half minutes to make a backup, and 2 minutes to restore from one. So I make a lot of backups. :)

Like... tomorrow is patch Tuesday. I have recent backups... so I'm good.
Even if MS messes up, I'm covered.

FJRMarty · May 9, 2022

FF is all I have used since around ver 3, 2006 or 2007, I forget. As I went through different jobs I switched in and out of the old I.E. Always went back. There are ghacks and other settings adjustments to 'privatize' it that I am familiar with.

FJRMarty · May 9, 2022

elbmek said:
Q: default or not???

FF is all I have used since around ver 3, 2006 or 2007, I forget. As I went through different jobs I switched in and out of the old I.E. Always went back. There are ghacks and other settings adjustments to 'privatize' it that I am familiar with.

Oop, sorry, fat fingers...

FJRMarty · May 9, 2022

Ghot said:
I have just under 40GB on my C:\ drive, so it only takes me two and a half minutes to make a backup, and 2 minutes to restore from one. So I make a lot of backups. :)

View attachment 28800

Like... tomorrow is patch Tuesday. I have recent backups... so I'm good.
Even if MS messes up, I'm covered. :)

This laptop is 4 months old, that trial backup I made is 96GB.
Funny, never had a worry or a problem with all those MS patches and updates.
Now ya got me worried... Think I'll make a new image tonight.