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My computer massively crashed (stuck in a boot loop after resetting Windows 10 Network Settings). I'm following every tutorials online to recover it but so far nothing.

I'm starting to think I won't have any other choice but to reinstall windows 10. Every software that were installed in it can be re-installed and reconfigured easily. The issue is with my web browsers. Last time I exported my bookmarks was over 2 months ago (As you would expect a lot has happened since).

I can access my disk (I think) from a Windows 8.1 that I have on another HDD. The crashed Windows 10 is on an nvme stick and I was able to boot to Windows 8.1 but didn't check if I could see the nvme drive yet. But let's say I can.

Is there a way to recover all my chrome, Firefox and Opera crashed sessions (I had to hard shutdown my Windows 10 with chrome opened), bookmarks and history?

Thanks in advance.

1 Answer 1

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Opera

You can simply copy the following two directories from the old HDD to the new HDD (same location, just the username can be different):

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Opera Software\Opera Stable
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Opera Software\Opera Stable

Copying the second directory is optionally, as it mainly contains the cached files.

This will copy all your Opera data except for the saved passwords. The saved passwords are bound to the Windows installation and your user password and thus can not be simply copied.

Firefox

Similar for Firefox. Copy the following directory:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Mozilla

Copying those directories also copies the saved passwords as Firefox does not bind them to the Windows user account.

Chrome

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome

Just like Opera this will not copy the saved passwords.

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  • Are you sure this will recover crashed session? I have my doubt because I remember seeing a similar Q&A the only difference is the other guy could access his old OS and could recover session on his old OS the save all opened tab to history and then use your method. In my case, as I mentioned, I can't access my old Windows 10 (but I can connect the drive and see in it). And with your method, from what I've learn from the other post, I might be only able to recover my history.
    – Paiku Han
    Mar 17, 2021 at 7:16
  • @PaikuHan Those folders I have posted contain all the user specific data of the web browsers. If an web browser allows you to recovery a session on the same computer then by copying the folders you will also be able to do so on a different computer. Therefore it just depends on the web browser is a session recovery is supported.
    – Robert
    Mar 17, 2021 at 8:05
  • I can confirm this works for Chrome. I had to do a Win10 reinstall after M$ latest update completely hosed my laptop. With Chrome closed (I made sure of this using Process Explorer) I copied the 'User Data' folder (next subfolder in path that Robert gives) from Windows.old, then ran Chrome. It worked. @Paiku Han, yes there are other forum threads giving specific files to copy, and then the only thing you can recover is recently closed tabs using repeated Ctrl-Shift-T. Clearly that doesn't solve the problem Mar 25, 2022 at 8:32

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