topic Re: FF129 changed many settings in Discussions

FF129 changed many settings

netscape4eva — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 09:59:16 GMT

Hi,

Since updating to v129 and then 129.0.1, there has been much trouble using the browser.
The upgrade changed many of the security and preferrence settings unlike past updates meaning I'm now not setup as I was or as safe or careful online.
It also broken some plugins and changed how pages load.
It has locked me out of some websites which took quite some recovering as my browser was the trusted browser for a few of them but after the update this function no longer worked.

Adblock+ was signed out and it wouldn't even remember the password like it should. Open link with new tab addon doesn't work as well as it has done (this addon was needed after a past update where FF chose to remove the option for a user to choose to open links in another tab)

I've been logged out of nearly all websites which have been logged with this profile forever making it easy to open and use each site. past updates have not caused this.

the very useful search box is removed, so quickly searching while interacting with the current webpage is taken over by whatever is searched, causing lost work.

The setting for about:config backspace_action was changed from it's previous state to 2. had to be manually changed back again.

All of this was on my personal computer.

At work we also have FF available to staff, many of them have genrated tickets as a result of these changes also. Some are calling for the browser to be removed from our work environment now.
These are the sorts of changes that really get people's backs up and drive them away from software.

our evironment at home is Windows 10, at work it's Server 2022.

I would request that blanket settings changes are not applied when updating the browser. It will force users to not update for fear of breaking functions.
This is a rare case of the browser blasting the users. It's been very unwelcome.
If the aim is to push people to Chrome then it's working well.

Sorry to pitch in like this with many issues but feedback is needed in the hope of less distress for your users in the future.
Kind regards,
Luke. (a FF user since 04)

Re: FF129 changed many settings

netscape4eva — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 10:42:30 GMT

I'd like to detail some more changes.
The bookmarks shortcut was removed from the toolbar
The downloads shortcut was removed from the toolbar

in the settings:
search suggestion options changed
theme option changed
Home page content changed
Privacy changed from custom to standard
web site Privacy pref' both unchecked where they were checked before
firefox data collection and use checked, where unchecked before.

all unwelcome changes from the update.

Re: FF129 changed many settings

cheaprudy — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:51:30 GMT

Same issues here. I just spent 45 minutes thrashing Sprectrum because I could log in. Log in works fine with Bing, which I hate. I wish companies would stop changing things that just work. You don't need to constantly fiddle with software. It causes hate & discontent.

Re: FF129 changed many settings

cheaprudy — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:52:43 GMT

*not log on

Re: FF129 changed many settings

Agentvirtuel — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 17:20:07 GMT

Hello

Firefox
Release notes https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/releases
Calendar https://whattrainisitnow.com/calendar

In the enterprise, applications developed run under a particular version of the browser
Understand that
The final go for mass deployment can only be done with the agreement of the Director of Information Systems (DSI)
That's why esr is better

Info esr
https://www.camp-firefox.de/artikel/891-alles-wissenswerte-zu-firefox-esr-128-inklusive-unterschiede-zu-firefox-128
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/128.0esr/releasenotes

If you'd like to try esr
https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/#product-desktop-esr
Which version would you like? 128 is available

Info
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/using-older-versions/m-p/52750/highlight/true#M18762

Re: FF129 changed many settings

rswrz — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 07:09:30 GMT

I'm unsure which version I was using before today's automatic update to Firefox 129.0.2, but I've experienced a similar issue.

I rely heavily on Firefox Containers, and after this morning's update, all my containers disappeared, along with all container-specific website data such as cookies, etc. Now, I have to reconfigure everything I've set up over the past few years, which is practically impossible—I'm starting from scratch.

I'm extremely disappointed by this situation. This is time and effort I don't want to spend, and I'm left wondering if this might happen again. Is it even worth the effort?

I'm also very frustrated that no profile backup was created, leaving me unable to revert to the previous Firefox version and restore my previous profile.

Re: FF129 changed many settings

netscape4eva — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 08:13:53 GMT

This is not a solution, it's a very off topic disregard of the issues reported.

Going to ESR will just repeat this mess when that upgrades in a few months time. That's quite poor and dismissive of the original issue reported. much like this poorly thought out update.
Might I also add that by suggesting this AFTER an update, means that the user profile can no longer be used with the older version, so they have to start all over again. Which is also terrible design choice.

Why did the update reset user settings?

Why are the default settings set to the least useful or sercure when firefox claims to be about privacy?

Why does a multi-tab browser set all the default settings to open in the current tab so acting like a single tab browser?

please bring back 'open links in new tab' or at least 'open links to other sites in a new tab'. why was that ever removed in the first place?

I've just wasted another morning searching for settings to restore functions, many of which are now hidden (or entirely removed) in the about:config.

even at work we spent many hours this week helping user stumble back from this disaster of an update. many of whom have now chosen not to bother and moved to chrome like most other users. from 70 staff just 5 now use firefox, when a few years back it was around 50 from 70.

we have started to see some websites not develope for ff anymore, just focusing on the chromium and apple browsers. it's not many so far but once that starts to happen it really is the nearing the end.

please help the users of firefox with features rather than blasting them or removing them.

these comments are not an attack of firefox, they are the thoughts and reports of a dedicated user reporting many issues and giving feedback so you can understand more how changes effect us.

Re: FF129 changed many settings

netscape4eva — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 08:15:17 GMT

a short term profile back or even browser rollback would be a great feature in the face of such erroneous changes. good thinking

Re: FF129 changed many settings

netscape4eva — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 08:17:22 GMT

these unwelcome changes to settings that didn't even need to be changed, are indeed causing hate of the software. we had many user give up on ff this week and are now using chrome. just 5 remain in the company. a loss of around 15 users.

Re: FF129 changed many settings

Agentvirtuel — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 10:44:41 GMT

Hello

An illustration settings enabling themselves on update
"Recommend extensions as you browse" and "Recommend features as you browse"
An subject https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1eurlrp/those_two_options_keep_turning_back_for_some
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1903615

This information for those who are interested
Firefox policies https://mozilla.github.io/policy-templates
Preferences https://mozilla.github.io/policy-templates/#preferences

The Enterprise Policy Generator https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/enterprise-policy-generator helps to create the configuration file

Specify user-defined preferences (about:config)

{ "policies": { "Preferences": { "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.asrouter.userprefs.cfr.addons": { "Status": "locked", "Type": "boolean", "Value": false }, "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.asrouter.userprefs.cfr.features": { "Status": "locked", "Type": "boolean", "Value": false } } } }

Your browser is managed by your organization, that's normal

Use the Troubleshooting Information page to help fix Firefox issues
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/use-troubleshooting-information-page-fix-firefox

Enterprise Policies: This shows you if your browser is being managed by Windows Group Policy or a policies.json file. If enterprise policies are managing Firefox, clicking on Active will show you a list of the policies that are currently active on Firefox.

An other illustration

@netscape4eva wrote:
The setting for about:config backspace_action was changed from it's previous state to 2. had to be manually changed back again.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/keyboard-shortcuts-perform-firefox-tasks-quickly#w_navigation

If you'd like to try, and, by way of illustration

{ "policies": { "Preferences": { "browser.backspace_action": { "Status": "locked", "Type": "number", "Value": 0 } } } }

Re: FF129 changed many settings

Agentvirtuel — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 11:40:51 GMT

Hello

@netscape4eva wrote:
Why does a multi-tab browser set all the default settings to open in the current tab so acting like a single tab browser?

Unless i've misunderstood

From Search with the Firefox address bar, is this your question?
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/search-firefox-address-bar

Try, browser.urlbar.openintab value true
https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=3119161

Other info
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/i-want-instructions-for-about-config/idi-p/55295

By way of illustration
https://searchfox.org/mozilla-release/source/browser/app/profile/firefox.js

// Whether addresses and search results typed into the address bar
// should be opened in new tabs by default.
pref("browser.urlbar.openintab", false);

Re: FF129 changed many settings

Agentvirtuel — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 13:48:42 GMT

Preferences https://mozilla.github.io/policy-templates/#windows-gpo-86
In a different way, your system's registry editor : HKEY_CURRENT_USER, or, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox

An illustration

{ "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.asrouter.userprefs.cfr.addons": { "Status": "locked", "Value": false }, "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.asrouter.userprefs.cfr.features": { "Status": "locked", "Value": false } }

An other illustration

{ "browser.backspace_action": { "Status": "locked", "Value": 0 } }

Re: FF129 changed many settings

Agentvirtuel — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 14:48:43 GMT

@netscape4eva wrote:
Going to ESR will just repeat this mess when that upgrades in a few months time. That's quite poor and dismissive of the original issue reported. much like this poorly thought out update.
Might I also add that by suggesting this AFTER an update, means that the user profile can no longer be used with the older version, so they have to start all over again.

Unless i've misunderstood

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/using-older-versions/m-p/52750/highlight/true#M18762
firefox.exe --allow-downgrade, this is specified

In addtiion
For information purposes
Dedicated profiles per Firefox installation
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/dedicated-profiles-firefox-installation
Take a look at Understanding in depth the profile per installation feature https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/understanding-depth-profile-installation

--allow-downgrade, or, delete the file compatibility.ini, it's the same

An illustration similar with Thunderbird
March 24th, 2024, 8:27 pm
Allow me this other illustration
I launched Thunderbird release 115 and Thunderbird bêta 125
I opened the profiles bêta and release
I stopped the two versions of Thunderbird
I deleted the contents of the Thunderbird 115 profile folder
I copied the contents of the Thunderbird bêta profile folder to the contents of the Thunderbird release profile folder
I launched Thunderbird release https://www.youtube.com/embed/lrm-JElL6IQ

Re: FF129 changed many settings

Agentvirtuel — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 14:54:16 GMT

Hello

@rswrz wrote:
update

For information purposes
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/upgrade-notification-spam/m-p/64080

Re: FF129 changed many settings

Los77 — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 10:20:42 GMT

Yeah