More on profiles: run multiple profiles simultaneously, install Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 on one machine

February 3, 2008

I have already described how to create and manage multiple profiles in Firefox. If you haven’t already read it, it may be a useful introduction.
If you have a few Firefox profiles created you will probably find the possibility of running them simultanously really useul. What is more, it enables you installing and using various version of Firefox on one machine - you can easily test and compare Firefox 3 beta to older versions.

Running multiple profiles simultaneously

Obviously, first you need to create at least two profiles. If you don’t know how to do it, I suggest reading profiles guide.
You can normally run Firefox, choosing the profile you need. When you need to run another profile as well, simply run the
/path/to/firefox -P "another profile name" -no-remote
command, where another profile name is the name of the second profile you want to run. Passing the -no-remote switch is what makes it work - normally Firefox insists on running a single copy of program and a single profile at any time.

Windows users can run the command from the command line (Start » Run or Windows + r)
Run line
Typing firefox.exe instead of path to firefox should work:
firefox.exe -P "another profile name" -no-remote

I suppose that if you use Linux, you know how to run a command from the terminal.


Run Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 beta on one machine

Yeah, wouldn’t that be great to see what’s new? You can easily compare the new version with you Firefox by opening them at once.

Download Firefox 3 beta

Install Firefox 3 (carefully!):
you have to install the beta version of Firefox 3 into a new directory (for safety choose Custom during installation and make sure you do not overwrite the old Firefox folder).

WARNING: From now on always run profiles with a command including the full path to Firefox - running
firefox.exe -P "main_profile" would update you main profile to Firefox 3 beta and you probably do not want it!

Run Firefox 2 and create a new profile running the command:
/path/to/firefox2 -profilemanager -no-remote
New profile for Firefox 3
It will be necessary for testing, I called it Firefox 3 beta. Close the Profile Manager window and run the command:
/path/to/firefox3 -P "new profile name" -no-remote
Of course, you need to substitute Firefox 3 beta with the name you gave to your new profile. For me, the path to Firefox 3 under Windows is
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox 3 Beta 2\firefox.exe
and I called the new profile Firefox 3 beta so I run Firefox 3 with Windows + r and
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox 3 Beta 2\firefox.exe" -P "Firefox 3 beta" -no-remote
command.

You’re done - you should have Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 running simultaneously.
Firefox 2 and Firefox 3 running simultaneously

Category: Configuration, Tutorials
Similar posts:
Multiple Firefox profiles
Firefox configuration files
Firefox 3

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3 comments:

  1. Pingback by Improve Firefox » Firefox 3
    7:10 pm, June 7, 2008

    […] using the portable version, which doesn’t mess up the existing installation of Firefox 2, or creating a new profile for testing Firefox 3. And finally, if you haven’t read the last post, you may be interested […]

  2. Comment by b dube
    3:55 pm, August 3, 2008

    You can also create a Firefox shortcut to a profile you DIDN’T create using profile manager (ie: a profile from another computer) The following is a method to open multiple profiles WITHOUT having created a profile using the firefox profile manager.

    As a test I copied my “43bg40jr.default” profile directory and renamed it “Firefox1.work” then created a shortcut to firefox adding a few switches at the end.

    HOW ITS DONE:
    1. Add the firefox application path followed by the switch “-profile” followed by;
    2. The ff Profile Path in quotes (in my case, Firefox1.work).
    3. If you want to run other instances of Firefox simultaneously then add -no-remote
    (4. if desired, plop the shortcut into the “All Programs” folder and add a shortcut key)

    …so the shortcut will look like this:

    “C:\Program Files\Internet\Firefox\firefox.exe” -profile “%userprofile%\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\PROFILENAME.default” -no-remote

    You can cut and paste this into a shortcut but change PROFILENAME.default to your profile directory.

    WHY (this is better than using profile manger):
    - Dont have to use PM at all and can use keyboard shortcuts to open different profiles (ie; Ctrl + H=home, Ctrl + W=work etc)
    - Saves time from selecting from the profile manager at startup
    - Can still run multiple profiles simultaneously using the “-no-remote” command switch
    - If FF is your default browser, some applications no longer open pages in Firefox after clicking “dont ask at startup” so you can still use your default profile as normal

    BUGS:
    -copying profiles sometimes breaks some extensions (just reinstall them or use CLEO/FEBE to backup/reinstall)
    -profile names (preceeding the extension .default or .work or whatever) MUST be 8 characters long or else weird things happen (no icons, broken addons etc). Any 8 characters work, letters or numbers.

    Hope this helps someone,
    b-dube@hotmail.com

  3. Comment by b dube
    3:57 pm, August 3, 2008

    sorry, bad cut-and-pasting job, shouldve started with:

    You can also create a Firefox shortcut to a profile you DIDN’T create using profile manager (ie: a profile from another computer) The following is a method to open multiple profiles WITHOUT having created a profile using the firefox profile manager.

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