disabling extensions before upgrading to FF1.0

I'm currently running FF1.0PR, and would like to move up to 1.0. I read somewhere (?) that extensions should be disabled first -- when I click on Tools/Extensions, I get a little box that says LeechGet, and JSLib. I've tried right clicking on them to either uninstall or disable them, but even after closing the browser and then restarting it, LeechGet and JSLib keep showing up. Am I supposed to assume that merely right-clicking "disable" means the job is done? When I right-click on each of them again, no checkmarks show up in front of "disable" or anything...
I've backed up my profile from 1.0PR as a precautionary measure. Do I still need to uninstall my current version before installing the new one?
Thanks,
Rebecca

 

rebecca,

Check this information from the Firefox Release Notes for uninstall Themes and Extensions, before installing Version 1.0:
http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/releases/1.0.html#extensions

The Release Notes also state:

If you are still concerned that the extensions are not removed, you can delete the chrome subfolder located in your *.slt folder, before uninstalling your existing version. You can then reinstall those extensions, IF they are compatible with Version 1.0.

By all means do not install over an existing Version. Always uninstall the existing version through Add/Remove, Reboot your PC, then install the new Version.

Ramona

 

I'm sorry, Ramona, but what is my .slt folder? I ran a search for *.slt on my computer, and it comes up blank. On the other hand, a search for "chrome" yields 3 separate chrome folders - two under Firefox\Profiles, and one under Mozilla Firefox\extensions.
As far as I know, I won't need either extension any more - I got rid of LeechGet, and I don't know what the JSLib is for. If it turns out to be something I need in the future, I can always look for it and download it then.

 

rebecca,

Sorry for the confusion. In Firefox the equivalent to the *.slt folder is:
<path>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\12ab34if.profilename

The Profile is still "salted ", but no longer has the .slt extension. Firefox uses your Profile name as the extension.

Before installing Firefox 1.0, you can delete the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox folder, first saving the plugins folder (only if you have added plugins...). If not, disregard. Be certain to reboot your PC before installing 1.0, in order to bring the system files up-to-date.

Ramona

 

Three things show up within my plugins foder right now: GetFlash.exe, npnul32.dll, and NPSWF32.dll, which I guess means I ought to save them all?
Does it matter where I save the plugins folder to?
After installing 1.0, will I simply delete the newly-created plugins folder and replace it with my current one, or will I copy/paste the three items into the new folder?

 

rebecca,

You can create a folder, and name it what you wish, i.e., Backup... Then copy the entire plugins folder and paste it in the newly created Backup folder.

When you install 1.0 then copy the three items into the new plugins folder.

Ramona

 

Maybe I am confused. I thought some of the plugins also get tied into the registry. To keep the registry entries active, wouldn't you have to disable the plugins rather than remove them first. If you disable them, then delete them, then replace them, the registry will be faked out thinking you never removed them in the first place, right?
How does one disable the plugins in Mozilla?

 

I think that there has been a tremendous amount of confusion brought about by the fact that an external program is called Plugin, but then there are some, usually, .dll to link to them. I think that it is confusing to call Flash, Windows Media Player or Real Player "plugins ". These program, if installed after a gecko browser will place one or more files in its Plugins folder, making it possible to use them. So, what are we talking about? You don't need nor want to remove or disable the program,a.k.a plugin to get the .dll file, which represents the program.

 

extensions vs. plugins

Take this with a grain of salt, because I really don't have a clue in what way extensions differ from plugins, but what I ended up doing was disabling my extensions (tools/extensions/ then right-clicked disable on each), and simply copying my old plugins folder to my desktop.
For whatever it's worth, after installing 1.0, the same two extensions show up again when I go to tools/extensions - I suppose they were merely re-enabled by the new installation? But how, given that I uninstalled 1.0PR first and deleted my entire Mozilla Firefox folder? In any case, they don't seem to have created any kind of problem that I'm aware of.
My original plugins folder contained GetFlash.exe and two .dll files - the newly created plugins folder started out with one of the same .dll files, but that was it. I saw the "you need a plugin" message at the top of the windowsbbs page when I first ran the new version of Firefox, so I pasted GetFlash.exe into the new folder, and that did the trick.

 

Ramona ...

Thanks for pointing that out. As I've mentioned elsewhere, I've been using the same profile for nearly a year, but it's always been a matter of some frustration that I couldn't use exactly the same profile on both of my two XP computers because of the two different *.slt folders.

Last night, after moving everything in my desktop computer's Firefox profile folder to a temporary location, I uninstalled Firefox, deleted the old profile folder (E:\Userfiles\Firefox\JSS3rd\kkjjd6sk.slt), deleted every reference to Firefox from the Registry, and reinstalled the program.

Before running it, though, I ran Firefox's Profile Manager and deleted the old profile. Then I created a new profile (using the same name, JSS3rd, and the existing folders at E:\Userfiles\Firefox\JSS3rd) so that Firefox wouldn't create a default profile at <path>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\12ab34if.profilename. After that, it was just a matter of copying the important files (bookmarks.html, localstore.rdf, prefs.js, user.js, etc.) from the old profile.

This morning I repeated the process on my laptop, except that it was only necessary to copy the JSS3rd profile folder from the desktop computer, since the pathnames are now the same on both computers. Worked like a charm!

 

Jim,

Good news! I do think that moving Profile data with Firefox is going to be a snap compared to older versions of Netscape and Mozilla. However, Netscape 7.2, and Mozilla 1.7 are also very user friendly when moving Profile data from one to the other. Only a matter of copying the entire Profiles folder and plugging it in.

Ramona

 

Ramona,
How do you disable the plugins in Mozilla before I delete the folder?
Thanks.

 

Ackerberg ...

Ramona's not online right now, but perhaps I can help. What folder are you referring to?

I haven't found it necessary to disable plugins before doing anything with Firefox (Mozilla should be similar), although sometimes it's necessary to reinstall them after a new installation.

 

ackerberg,

To disable plugins permanently, use Add/Remove to uninstall. Is there a specific plugin you want to disable, and is it to disable it permanently or temporarily?

Ramona

 

OK, Ramona, the soapbox is yours. Your button was blue (gray?), rather than green, which is why I said you were offline. Any idea what Ackerberg's red button means?

 

Ackerberg's red buttton means watch out, he's a fellow Loooong Islander!
I only have 1 plugin besides the default which is ShockwaveFlash. The method for disabling is different for Firefox and Mozilla, because I can not find an option on the dropdown list for plugins in Mozilla.

 

Jim,

The red button means that the member has elected to be invisible when online. Note that my button is now red, because I just now changed to invisible mode to ensure I was correct about that option.

When you saw the gray button for me, I did shut down for a few minutes, but came right back to the Forum.

You go right ahead, if you have something to offer!

BTW, do you use the RSS feature?

Ramona

 

Ramona ...

You must have changed it back, as I'm seeing it as green.

I used to use RSS, but no longer (RSS are my former wife's initials ). Truthfully, I haven't experimented with it, and I'm embarrassed to say that I don't even know what it's for.

BTW, FlashPlayer is the only plugin I have installed, but it doesn't appear in the system Add/Remove list.

Ackerberg ...

Plugins don't appear on the Firefox menus, either.

Where on the Island, if you don't mind my asking?

 

Jim,

My Flash player shows up in Add/Remove as Macromedia Flash player...


ackerberg,

There is the Preferences Toolbar which allows a Flash toggle on/off:
http://texturizer.net/firefox/extensions/#prefbar

Ramona

 

Ramona,
I'm asking about plugins for Mozilla, not Firefox. I do not see Flash Player on Add/Remove programs.
I'm from the home of Joey Buttofucco(sp?)