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To developers: Cannot clean Firefox 3.5 and 3.6 History


Coolhead

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CCleaner cannot clean Internet History in Firefox 3.5 and 3.6.

 

Try this: In Firefox, set History to 'By Site'. Then clean using CCleaner with 'Internet History' checked. Then open FF. You will see that the History folders remain although the items in these folders were deleted.

 

The reason for this is that Firefox 3.5 and 3.6's History is kept in a file called 'places.sqlite'. This file keeps the internet history and the latest bookmarks. Just deleting this file alone will delete both the History AND latest Bookmarks. FF's own Clear Recent History-->Browsing & Download History will delete the history without affecting the Bookmarks.

 

I hope the developers will find a way to do the same with CCleaner i.e. clean History without affecting Bookmarks.

 

BTW, what is "compact database"?

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Hi Coolhead, and welcome to Piriform.

 

Have you tried the latest version of CCleaner?

 

http://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/

 

Although the scan on my PC is not listing Firefox history, it is cleaning it.

 

Yes, I am using the latest version.

 

Please follow the steps EXACTLY as I described and you will find Firefox History is not cleaned. I am referring to Firefox 3.5.x or 3.6.

 

I hope the developers are working on a fix instead of claiming to clean Firefox History.

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I know, this is a very annoying issue that has been around since Firefox 3.5 came out and like you said its because of the places.sqlite. I've mentioned this problem before here and no one seems to acknowledge it. I wonder if the developers of CCleaner are even aware of the problem because with every release of CCleaner there has never been a fix for it, though sometimes I wonder if it's even possible for them to fix without just deleting the places.sqlite file.

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I just checked this out and discovered that the history wasn't being cleaned for me either. BUT I use an older version of CCleaner as I don't like the new results window. I just tried the newest version and this DID clear Firefox's history.

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If you have your location bar to show only history and then run CCleaner to clean the Firefox history, it messes up the places.sqlite file and the Firefox location bar will always display your bookmarks also even if you clear your history using the built in Firefox history cleaner. The only way I know how to fix it is either to delete all the bookmarks and then run Firefox built in history cleaner or delete the places.sqlite file. I'm using the latest CCleaner and it still does this.

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This makes sense now after something jogged my memory.

 

It's been brought up before some time ago, and I'd forgotten about it, and it didn't ring any bells at first as you didn't explain it fully.

 

This does happen as you say, but only if you go to "View/Sidebar/History". I never use that feature, as probably a lot of people don't, so would never see that it isn't cleared, and the History I see is cleared from the "History" in the menu bar.

 

The strange thing is, all the items listed are completely dead, except for any current items not yet cleaned from the main Menu History. In other words, they're nothing more than empty folders.

 

I'll point this out to the devs, although they'll probably pick it up from this topic themselves.

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I see what you mean, DennisD.

 

The problem is that everyone thinks that FF History is cleaned by clicking 'History' in the menu bar. But in "View/Sidebar/History", the folders remain. My point is deleting these empty folders. These folder names show your surfing history, so by leaving them behind it is as if Internet History is not cleaned.

 

Please do point this out to the developers. In the meantime, I'll use Firefox's own Clear Recent History-->Browsing & Download History.

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I reported this earlier here:

 

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=26358

 

I got the same reply from Mr T that he posted here.

 

It appears that the developers are working on it, but are (understandably) being a bit tight-lipped about it.

 

I think it would have helped in your case as well if you'd thought to point out that it was the Sidebar history not being cleaned, but no worries as the devs are, as you say, working on it.

 

CCleaner is actually clearing the history link from inside the folders, but leaving the empty folders behind. An odd one, but no doubt it will be sorted.

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DennisD,

 

I use All-in-one Sidebar extension which always show "View/Sidebar/History". I didn't know that there was 'another' History view until you told me about it. Thanks.

 

I now hope that CCleaner can clean all History views including folders so that I don't have to run Firefox's own History cleaner. Hopefully in the next version.

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I've just discovered that Firefox's own clear history function doesn't remove the sidebar history either, I've got sites showing up in there that I've not visited for weeks and I have FF set to only save last 2 days history. I tried clearing the history in FF, tried setting it to clear on close, tried disabling the saving of history in FF options, and still the history isn't cleared :unsure:

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I think it would have helped in your case as well if you'd thought to point out that it was the Sidebar history not being cleaned, but no worries as the devs are, as you say, working on it.

 

Actually, I haven't experienced just the sidebar history not being cleaned. What I have seen is that ALL history seems to be untouched. In particular, autocompletion in the address bar still shows sites I have been to previously (that aren't in my bookmarks).

 

Also, I just installed an ran the latest version of CCleaner (2.28). In spite of the release notes saying that this problem should be improved, I saw nothing different. Still have the problem.

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In particular, autocompletion in the address bar still shows sites I have been to previously (that aren't in my bookmarks).

 

Would Firefoxes own routine for the "Location Bar" not solve that particular problem for you.

 

wNUL1s.jpg

 

With or without CCleaner, I have always disabled that particular feature, even when it had to be done via "about:config".

 

I recognize your need for CCleaner to completely remove entries which appear there, but it is a solution of sorts for now.

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I've just discovered that Firefox's own clear history function doesn't remove the sidebar history either, I've got sites showing up in there that I've not visited for weeks and I have FF set to only save last 2 days history. I tried clearing the history in FF, tried setting it to clear on close, tried disabling the saving of history in FF options, and still the history isn't cleared :unsure:

 

There's a post earlier from Mad Clown about this problem. I also have this problem and I fix it the same way Mad Clown said, and thats by deleting the places.sqlite file or deleting my bookmarks and then using the built in Firefox history cleaner. This problem only seems to happen when I use CCleaner without using the built in Firefox history cleaner first.

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Ok, I've just been looking into this some more and I think this may actually be a Firefox quirk/bug. The history entries that can't be deleted are all sites that are bookmarked.

 

For example if you have a history entry for piriform.com and have it bookmarked, no amount of running CCleaner will remove the history entry (nor will trying to delete it within FF). However if you delete all your bookmarks relating to piriform.com, close Firefox, then run CCleaner, when you reopen FF the Piriform history entry will now be deleted. And/or the entry CAN now be manually deleted in Firefox (by right click>delete or FF's history cleaner)

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  • 4 months later...

CCleaner does not clean the history! :( If you look History -> Show all History, you can find what you did five days ago. Firefox help is useless. Could someone delete the history once and for all. :) I have the latest version and I have tried to clean the History through Tools -> Clean Resent History.

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