Updating Firefox when Bunsenlabs (Debian) refuses

Soooo, Slack announced months ago that, starting from March 1st 2023, it will no longer support Firefox version 91 and below.

I knew this, and planned to update way ahead of time, but.... you know. It is never urgent enough until the day is there (or even passed).

Problem is: apt refuses to upgrade my preferred browser and I have been stuck at 91-esr for months now.

 

I don't know if it is Debian its choice, or if my favourite flavour Bunsenlabs is forcing this (probably because I haven't upgraded to Beryllium yet), result is: I got to find a way around this.

Now here is what I did, it works for me but it might not be the best solution so suggestions are welcome:

 

Download newest Firefox version and I extracted it in a folder called  ~/firefox-esr-110/ .

Now,  I run the freshly downloaded ~/firefox-esr-110/firefox , but it starts up as a "virgin browser". Where are all my nifty settings, addons, themes and bookmarks?

Apparently, Firefox had automagically create a new (l)user profile in ~/.mozilla/firefox/ when I ran the new version.

How can I force this new Firefox version to use the user profile that is used by the standard installed Firefox 91.0 ?

First things first: let's backup that profile directory:

$ cd ~
$ tar -jcvf firefox-browser-profiles.tar.bz2 .mozilla

Now, I start the standard Firefox 91.0 ([WIN]+W in Bunsenlabs) and use its Profile Manager by surfing to about:profiles . Here I can see all the created profiles for Firefox since time memorial (or at least the latest purge) and I remove them all, except for the current profile (in my case conveniently called "6r2d5i0sv.default-esr", the current profile cannot even be erased so no worries)

Just because I am quuiiiite paranoid:

$ cd ~
$ tar -jcvf firefox-browser-profiles-second-time.tar.bz2 .mozilla

Now, oh glorious day, when I start the freshly downloaded Firefox ~/firefox-esr-110/firefox , it does not find it's default profile and a window pop up asks me what profile to use. The only choice is, of course, "6r2d5i0sv.default-esr".

Ok, all goes well and wow: Firefox 110.0 works like a charm: websites load faster than I am used to, Slack no longer nags me about the "end of support" schnizzle.

Seems to work fine.

Ok, all that is left is now to be sure that the keyboard shortcut [WIN]+W no longer loads the standard Firefox version, but this upgraded one.

From previous adventures, I now the shortcut is linked to /usr/bin/x-www-browser in Bunsenlabs, so easy peazy butcrack squeezy:

$ sudo mv x-www-browser x-www-browser-backup-20230304
$ sudo ln -s /home/wim/firefox-esr-110/firefox x-www-browser

Of course I backup the standard x-www-browser and than make a symbolic link to the newest verison.

Sidenote: it is probably not a good idea to use your home directory as a base for systemwide used programs. I am looking forward to the comments on this one 👍

 

 

Now, [WIN]+W runs Firefox 110.0 and cherry on top: it can upgrade itself from now on.

 

Seriously, I should have done this much sooner, 110.0 runs so much smoother than that older verison. Thanks Firefox!

Side question:

• the backup of my Firefox profile is 1.3 GB , what? How can I prune this without distorting my current settings/nicknacks. Suggestions most welcome, kthxbye