Firefox Fails to Clear History

[BillD]

This is trivial compared to the things that I am usually posting about, but I have noticed that even tho my browsing history is supposedly cleared each time I close Firefox, and that I can look at the history by clicking the "history" tab and see that there is supposedly none there when I open Firefox, if I clear the URL address bar, and start to type an address in the bar, a whole bunch of stuff from the past promptly appears, as possible choices for me to click on, in a drop down menu below the bar.Now where is that being stored and why does it not get cleared when I "clear history"?Anyone else notice this problem?If I check "suggest nothing" under preferences>history>privacy, this "problem" goes away, but I wonder where that stuff described above was/is being stored if history was really cleared?Thanks,Bill

Edited November 13, 2010 by BillD

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Go here --> http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Cleari...ion+bar+history... and scroll down to Clearing all items in the Location bar history.That'll tell you how to clear it ALL. =====I moved this for you, Bill. It's more a Browser & Email topic than a BATL topic. Putting it here might help others with the same issue. ~Eric

[frapper]

Or just use CCleaner and clean it all up. CCleaner slim (without any "toolbars"

Edited November 13, 2010 by frapper

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Bill's running Linux. ;)CCleaner is a great little app, though. I used to use it in my MS Windows installations.

[BillD]

OK, thanks Eric; the problem is, it never does tell you where the stuff is being kept . . . and why clearing history does not actually clear it . . . Bill

[V.T. Eric Layton]

That is strange, Bill. In my FFs, regardless of distribution, that Clear Everything really does clear everything.In your Linux installation, you can navigate to /home//.mozilla/firefox/.default and delete the "places.sqlite" file. That's the database file that holds your history in FF.

[BillD]

In your Linux installation, you can navigate to /home/<your user name>/.mozilla/firefox/<random_characters>.default and delete the "places.sqlite" file. That's the database file that holds your history in FF.

Yes, but it will just get rebuilt, because when you delete it and restart Firefox, it starts a new ".sqlite" file . . .But "clear everything" under Tools>clear recent history>everything does not seem to do anything in my case.Guess it does not really matter since I am the only one using this computer anyway, but it seems to me that when you "clear history" it ought to do that!Bill Edited November 13, 2010 by BillD

[SueD]

I hate that feature too.You can increase or decrease this number by going to a new tab and typing about:config, (if needed click the “I’ll be careful, I promise” button) filter for browser.urlbar.maxRichResults, double-click on the entry and enter the number of results you would like displayed. I usually just change it to 1.

[Neil P]

In Firefox 4 (not quite sure about older versions, I don't have one on hand), you can go to Tools -> Options (which I suppose is Edit -> Preferences on Linux), go to the Privacy tab, at the bottom there's a section that should look something like this:With the options "History and Bookmarks", "History", "Bookmarks", and "Nothing".

[zlim]

Also in browser.urlbar.autocomplete.enabledtoggle this to false and you will not be prompted about any previous urls.

[SueD]

So many options, so little time.

[zlim]

Just as soon as I figure most of them out, version 4 will be out and I get to start over. At least it keeps my brain from turning to mush.

[patio]

SpeedyFox clears out the sql info....i run it once a day.

[BillD]

Speedyfox, when I Google it, looks interesting, but unfortunately, I am running Linux and there is not a Linux version listed . . . Too bad it is not a regular Add-on for Firefox.Bill

Edited November 14, 2010 by BillD

[arthur]

Hey Bill, I'm also running Linux and am getting the same problem.... Have you figured out anything since last posting?

[georgeg4]

Let me be the one to throw a monkey wrench in here I have the opposite problem I would like to be able to retain history and be able to remove the ( private browsing ) optain when I so wish it ( for example when someone else uses my computer I want to know where they have been .