How can I recover bookmarks from a SSD with errors?

[tazarbm]

Hey, everyone!

How can I recover the bookmarks and the settings of the Brave browser from a SSD that won't boot anymore (due to errors)?

I am using Linux Mint, by the way, so if those bookmarks / settings are stored somewhere please tell me the folder as I'm still not good with Linux...

Unfortunately, I've not exported the bookmarks before the SSD failing (cause I didn't think it would happen after only 1 year of using the SSD, usually new SSDs don't fail after just 1 year of usage, so I didn't expect this to happen)

So anyway... I need to recover the bookmarks, the settings, but also the names and settings of the browser extensions that I've used (I think there were 10-15 such extensions, but I only remember 4 of them, the rest of them I don't remember, but I still want to recover them so I can import them into the new SSD)

Can anyone help?

PS: the good news is that the faulty SSD is accessible through this new Linux install, so - if there are any files that can be retrieved and imported into this new Linux - I can totally access them, it's just that I don't know where Linux stores these things like Windows does with Program Files for example...

EDIT: yes, I do have 2 SSDs, that's why I'm still able to use my computer...

 

[killuaX]

Op - i have no idea on how to recover those since I don't use linux,
but next time consider using sync chain feature in brave
or sync in chrome whatever browser u use always sync your data with other machines you have!

 

[tazarbm]

consider using sync chain feature in brave

good idea, I'll definitely do this as soon as I recover those things... The problem, however, is that I only have 1 machine, so I can't make use of the sync function yet. But definitely a good idea

 

[tazarbm]

anybody who can help? Pretty please?

 

[Zwielicht]

It should be in a JSON file here:

~/.config/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Bookmarks

 

[fielddigger]

good idea, I'll definitely do this as soon as I recover those things... The problem, however, is that I only have 1 machine, so I can't make use of the sync function yet. But definitely a good idea

Sorry I don't have an answer to your problem

---------------------------------------------------

But I do have a solution so you can be better prepared in the future

export bookmarks to an usb if you have only 1 machine and with it a .txt note list of the extensions and passwords you use.

I got hundreds of thousands of bookmarks going back 25 years

It's a great memory lane thing.

I got a bunch of usb stick I keep around the house at different places and also a few at my parents and siblings place.

I just tossed them in their junk drawers with a note attached to it and told them it's my passwords n shit

So even if my place burns down, I still got my bookmarks and passwords and other notes etc

 

[BlogPro]

Alright, let's try this. (I had to find and uncover my rarely used SSD to find this)

PS: the good news is that the faulty SSD is accessible through this new Linux install, so - if there are any files that can be retrieved and imported into this new Linux - I can totally access them, it's just that I don't know where Linux stores these things like Windows does with Program Files for example...

Since you say this.

Mount your SSD, and then try navigating to

home / {username} / .config / BraveSoftware / Brave-Browser

Inside there, you should find your profiles, you will need the folders called Bookmarks, Extensions, Preferences, Secure Preferences etc.

Just copy them to the same location in your new install and everything should reappear.

100% settings of these extensions may not be recoverable though.

P.S - If you can't see the .config file, it's because it's a dot file and is hidden. Since you're on Linux Mint, open the Nemo File Manager and hit Ctrl + H

 

[tazarbm]

Alright, let's try this. (I had to find and uncover my rarely used SSD to find this)

Since you say this.

Mount your SSD, and then try navigating to

home / {username} / .config / BraveSoftware / Brave-Browser

Inside there, you should find your profiles, you will need the folders called Bookmarks, Extensions, Preferences, Secure Preferences etc.

Just copy them to the same location in your new install and everything should reappear.

100% settings of these extensions may not be recoverable though.

P.S - If you can't see the .config file, it's because it's a dot file and is hidden. Since you're on Linux Mint, open the Nemo File Manager and hit Ctrl + H

Hi,

There's no BraveSoftware / Brave-Browser in my config folder, as you can see here:

Sorry I don't have an answer to your problem

---------------------------------------------------

But I do have a solution so you can be better prepared in the future

export bookmarks to an usb if you have only 1 machine and with it a .txt note list of the extensions and passwords you use.

I got hundreds of thousands of bookmarks going back 25 years

It's a great memory lane thing.

I got a bunch of usb stick I keep around the house at different places and also a few at my parents and siblings place.

I just tossed them in their junk drawers with a note attached to it and told them it's my passwords n shit

So even if my place burns down, I still got my bookmarks and passwords and other notes etc

yeah, I did use to backup to USB sticks a few years ago, but I keep managing the bookmarks almost daily, and at some point it becomes tiresome having to keep backing up again and again, and these failures can happen at any time.

But I appreciate trying to help

It should be in a JSON file here:

~/.config/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Bookmarks

Thanks, but as you can see from the screenshot above there's no Brave-related folder in config

 

[BlogPro]

Hi,

There's no BraveSoftware / Brave-Browser in my config folder, as you can see here:

View attachment 411896


yeah, I did use to backup to USB sticks a few years ago, but I keep managing the bookmarks almost daily, and at some point it becomes tiresome having to keep backing up again and again, and these failures can happen at any time.

But I appreciate trying to help


Thanks, but as you can see from the screenshot above there's no Brave-related folder in config

Can you tell me how you installed the Brave Browser?

 

[tazarbm]

Can you tell me how you installed the Brave Browser?

I don't remember (it's been over an year ago), but most likely using the Software Manager since I'm not very good with Linux to use other sources... But like I said, I genuinely don't remember, sorry

 

[fielddigger]

I do backups once a month, it takes 2 minutes - in one year that's 24 minutes. I sleep really well knowing that at most I'll lost a few weeks of stuff

I'm sure there are some ways to even automate this backup thing so it happens daily. But I'm not tech savvy so IDK

vs

You trying to fix a problem for hours, with the possibility of losing all your data

 

[Zwielicht]

I think that "BraveSoftware" can be under a different name depending on how you installed it or the version of Brave that you were using. You might be able to search for it under a different name using this:

find ~/.config -name "*Brave*"

The only other thing I can say is that it might be deleted. If it is, you can still recover it so long as the data hasn't been written over. I had to do this with an SSD recently, but it's important to stop using the SSD if you suspect that the directory was deleted.

 

[tazarbm]

I do backups once a month, it takes 2 minutes - in one year that's 24 minutes. I sleep really well knowing that at most I'll lost a few weeks of stuff

I'm sure there are some ways to even automate this backup thing so it happens daily. But I'm not tech savvy so IDK

vs

You trying to fix a problem for hours, with the possibility of losing all your data

you do have a point, but the problem is that these failures can happen at any time.

So, for example, let's say I'll make a habit of saving once a week, on Sunday afternoon for example. The SSD could fail on Sunday morning and I'd still lose the bookmarks and settings of the important stuff. And it's not possible for me - as a human - to act like a robot and keep doing this every week (or month) for 30 years straight or however long is necessary. And I did try to do this in 2020 I believe, I wanted to backup my stuff once a week and after 4-5 weeks I gave up because it's too mundane (at some point I even forgot to backup, so I did it next day)

The idea of automation sounds interesting, however, especially since I have 2 SSDs and 1 HDD into this computer, so I could save directly to the HDD, I don't know why I didn't think of this yet.... If only I could recover that SSD, however, I'd start making backups (well, automated ones) right away...

I think that "BraveSoftware" can be under a different name depending on how you installed it or the version of Brave that you were using. You might be able to search for it under a different name using this:

find ~/.config -name "*Brave*"

The only other thing I can say is that it might be deleted. If it is, you can still recover it so long as the data hasn't been written over. I had to do this with an SSD recently, but it's important to stop using the SSD if you suspect that the directory was deleted.

I assume you mean that I should type this into the Terminal (which I did), but as you can see nothing comes up, which is not surprising since I'd probably need to navigate to the faulty SSD first (which I don't know how to do as Linux is so complicated for a poor idiot like me...)

 

[fielddigger]

Found this in my bookmarks I think it mirrors a folder you choose. I never used it so IDK how well it works

It's open source too

https://freefilesync.org/

FreeFileSync is a folder comparison and synchronization software that creates and manages backup copies of all your important files. Instead of copying every file every time, FreeFileSync determines the differences between a source and a target folder and transfers only the minimum amount of data needed. FreeFileSync is Open Source software, available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

 

[BlogPro]

Is 385 GB the faulty SSD?

 

[tazarbm]

Found this in my bookmarks I think it mirrors a folder you choose. I never used it so IDK how well it works

It's open source too

https://freefilesync.org/

FreeFileSync is a folder comparison and synchronization software that creates and manages backup copies of all your important files. Instead of copying every file every time, FreeFileSync determines the differences between a source and a target folder and transfers only the minimum amount of data needed. FreeFileSync is Open Source software, available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

interesting.... I'll check it out in a moment. Thanks!

Is 385 GB the faulty SSD?

yes, both 385 (the HOME folder) and the 99 one (the root partition I think)

 

[BlogPro]

interesting.... I'll check it out in a moment. Thanks!


yes, both 385 (the HOME folder) and the 99 one (the root partition I think)

View attachment 411908

Can you try to see what you have inside the 99 GB home folder

 

[tazarbm]

Can you try to see what you have inside the 99 GB home folder

there's nothing

 

[tazarbm]

Can you try to see what you have inside the 99 GB home folder

Hi,

do you have any updates for me?

 

[theeyeinside]

Remove the SSD from your computer

Put it in an external case

https://www.ebay.com/itm/316134864173

GET ONE WITH A FAN

The orinco ones give me trouble


Plug in to your new Linux install and find your profile


https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data


Finding your profile without opening Firefox

(Ubuntu) Click the Places menu on the top right of the screen and select Home Folder. A File Browser window will appear.
Click the View menu and select Show Hidden Files if it isn't already checked.
Double click the folder marked .mozilla.
Double click the folder marked firefox. Your profile folder is within this folder. If you only have one profile, its folder would have "default" in the name.


NOW get a NEW SSD and put it into your fancy external case and use it to backup your files every few days


Use Samsung PRO

https://www.newegg.com/samsung-2tb-990-pro-nvme-2-0/p/N82E16820147861


Sincerely,

The Eye