My computer crashed again. Lost all my bookmarks and toolbar

[maveric]

settings. SHIT!
I came home from work last night and powered up my system. Firstly, I couldn't connect to the internet for a hour (I have cable connection), then when I finally did, whatever site I tried to connect to would try to open in Google only, then time out. ALL of my wonderful bookmarks are gone! The sites I had on a toolbar are gone!
I did a system restore and nothing changed.
Are all my bookmarks gone forever? Any way to retrieve them?

[trotsky]

1. What browser are you using? n/t

[maveric]

6. Firefox

[billyskank]

2. Sounds like your browser has been hijacked.

Internet Explorer, natch. :(

[indepat]

3. Good luck: wish I had not been there, done that

[Crazy Guggenheim]

4. Hey mav. First update all your anti-virus aand anti-spyware.

Boot into Safe Mode and run as many as possible from there.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

5. Don't worry you may still have your bookmarks. Check this

folder. Click on you drive icon - Documents and Settings - - Favorites. They could be all in there.

[maveric]

7. I'll try that.

Thanks.

[maveric]

9. Did that and they are all gone.

[trotsky]

8. First, open up a Windows/File Explorer window.

- Press Window-E or go to Start-->Programs-->Accessories-->Windows Explorer.
- Make sure you are set to view hidden files: Click Tools, Folder Options. Click the View tab, scroll down and click the dot for "Show hidden files and folders." Close that window.
- Back in explorer, navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\<your user name>\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\<some combo of letters and numbers>.
- In that folder you should find a BOOKMARKS.HTML file. Double-click it to open it and verify it's your bookmarks.

Report back with what you find.

[maveric]

10. There are several "Bookmarks html" icons there.

All are empty.

[trotsky]

11. Urg, doesn't sound too good.

Unusual to just lose all your bookmarks like that, though.

Some links I found, maybe one will help?

http://home.att.net/~cherokee67/fflostbkmk.html

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13825045

http://forum.ebaumsworld.com/archive/index.php/t-59527.html