Closed Bug 1684067 Opened 4 years ago Closed 2 years ago

reconnect to firefox account

Categories

(Firefox :: Sync, defect)

Firefox 84
defect

Tracking

()

RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

People

(Reporter: plrfl, Unassigned)

Details

Attachments

(6 files)

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:84.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/84.0

Steps to reproduce:

Power up computer next day. Computer - Windows 10 Pro all updates current. Malwarebytes installed all updates current.

Actual results:

About a month ago (sorry can't be more specific) after a Firefox update, I noticed that after booting up my computer, Firefox wanted me to 'reconnect' to my account. Thinking that maybe this was an enhanced security service (must login every so often) I did not think much of it. Then I noticed that I was getting the "Reconnect to Firefox Account" everyday.

If I logged in to my account I stayed logged in for the rest of that day, no matter how many times I closed Firefox and opened Firefox or re-started my computer. Usually I startup my system in the morning and when I am finished I 'shut down'.

Power up the next day (literally the next day - new date mm/dd/yy), start Firefox, see my image, think all is cool, then in about 10 seconds, my image disappears and I get the "reconnect to firefox account".

I have no synced devices (or Firefox running on another device currently). Previously, I had Firefox on my Android Galaxy phone and on my iPad. But I deleted those instances after Firefox performed and update that changed the way Favorites were presented on the phone, and limitations imposed by Apple/Safari that crippled Firefox behavior on the iPad).

Checking my Firefox account 'Sync' on Windows/Firefox, there are no devices listed except my desktop.

Based on other reports concerning "reconnect to firefox account" I tried logging out of my account, logging in my account only - no -sync. I've exported my bookmarks, deleted Firefox off of my Windows computer, downloaded and reinstalled Firefox, all to no avail.

The next day, date change, I am always presented with the "reconnect to firefox account".

Don't know why or don't understand what a day/date change has to do with this, but it is always the next day when "reconnect to firefox account" shows up again.

Expected results:

The way Firefox behaved before is what should have happened. You should stay logged into your account no matter how many times you restart your computer or how many days pass before your power your system back up.

You should stay logged in - until you either: log off, delete re-install Firefox.

Bugbug thinks this bug should belong to this component, but please revert this change in case of error.

Component: Untriaged → Sync

We're sorry to hear you are having this problem, but thanks very much for taking the time to make this report. We aren't sure what is causing this issue, but Sync does keep some logs which may help us find the problem. Instructions for how to locate and attach the logs can be found at https://wiki.mozilla.org/CloudServices/Sync/File_a_desktop_bug - please follow those instructions and attach the sync logs to this bug.

Again, thanks for the report and thanks for your help in finding these kinds of issues.

Flags: needinfo?(plrfl)

Sync log 1 of 6 as requested

Flags: needinfo?(plrfl)

Sync log 2 of 6

Sync log 3 of 6.

Sync log 4 of 6

Sync log 5 of 6

Sync log 6 of 6. This completes the upload of all sync logs obtained when using the "about:sync" in the address bar.

First: Thank you for your reply. I sincerely appreciate the reach back.

Second: From the URL you list above, the:
"Enter about:sync into your address bar.
At the top of the about:sync page, under "General Options", change the Please describe how you intend using about:sync setting to Actively looking for issues and want detailed logging. Reproduce your issue (eg, force a new Sync). Grab the log files - near the top of the about:sync page, under "Log Files and Diagnostics", use either the download a combined summary (preferred) or download them as a zip file links, which will download a file to your Downloads directory.
Attach this file to a bug - but see above - these logs may include personal information. Only upload them to bugs marked as "Mozilla Confidential" if you have concerns about information in these logs."

this does NOT work. There are no "General Options" or any other directory/command/option features mentioned. I only get a list of 6 log files. So, not sure if you know that or not. But from a Firefox user out in the internet that is what I get, just a list of 6 log files. So I copied all log files and attached them in this response.

Third: Why do I need a separate account for Bugzilla if I already have a Firefox account? Seems like I should be able to use my Firefox account to login into Bugzilla. So if I was successfully logged into Firefox I should be able to be automatically logged into Bugzilla? Just food for thought.

Thanks for your time.

(In reply to Pepper from comment #9)

First: Thank you for your reply. I sincerely appreciate the reach back.

You're welcome - sorry for the delay, many of us had a break.

Second: From the URL you list above, the:
this does NOT work. There are no "General Options" or any other directory/command/option features mentioned. I only get a list of 6 log files. So, not sure if you know that or not. But from a Firefox user out in the internet that is what I get, just a list of 6 log files. So I copied all log files and attached them in this response.

Thanks - it sounds like you were actually visiting about:sync-log rather than about:sync - about:sync should show you something similar to the screenshots shown at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/about-sync/

However, I don't think they will actually help in this case (but they might if all-else fails)

For reasons I can't explain, it looks like that Firefox is failing to save logins and passwords (sync stores some credentials in that area, even if you don't save any yourself).

Don't know why or don't understand what a day/date change has to do with this, but it is always the next day when "reconnect to firefox account" shows up again.

I suspect you will find this happens every time you restart Firefox. If you can restart Firefox and have it work, but it always fails to work the next day, I'd suspect some external software is doing this, such as anti-virus or some "cleaner" software - most of which do more harm than good. Do you have any such software installed?

Otherwise: If you visit "Options -> Privacy and Security -> Logins and Passwords -> Saved Logins" do you see any items there, and do you expect any (ie, do you have Firefox setup to save logins and passwords?). It would be very interesting to know whether saving new passwords works.

There may be another place where the error could be seen - could you try selecting "Web Developer -> Browser Console" from the main Firefox menu, then do a login, and see what new messages appear during the login?

Flags: needinfo?(plrfl)

OK, there are several item here. Will address individually.

"For reasons I can't explain, it looks like that Firefox is failing to save logins and passwords . . . I suspect you will find this happens every time you restart Firefox. " . . .
No, this does not happen. I power on the computer, login to Windows, start Firefox, and I am logged in, wait 10 seconds, and login disappears then logged out and the 'Reconnect to Firefox account' message shows. Log into Firefox account, close Firefox, start Firefox, and I stay logged in. Close Firefox, restart Windows, login to Windows, start Firefox, and I am logged in, no issues. Does not matter how many times during the day I do this (close/restart Firefox or close Firefox restart Windows) even if I shut down (power off) the computer for several hours, start back up, login to Windows, start Firefox and I am logged in and stay that way. Go to next day, start computer, login to Windows, start Firefox and in approximately 10 seconds I am logged out and the 'Reconnect to Firefox account' message shows.

"I'd suspect some external software is doing this, such as anti-virus or some "cleaner" software - most of which do more harm than good. Do you have any such software installed?" . . .

Flags: needinfo?(plrfl)

"I'd suspect some external software is doing this, such as anti-virus or some "cleaner" software - most of which do more harm than good. Do you have any such software installed?" . . .
Yes. I have Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, and CCleaner installed. And these plus Firefox have been installed for multiple years and working fine together, no issues. First suspected CCleaner, so went in and disabled all settings for Firefox - made no difference. Uninstalled CCleaner, made no difference. Checked configuration for Defender and Malwarebytes, haven't changed anything, and still have the same configuration. Disable Malwarebytes, no difference. Understandingly, all of these components have undergone multiple updates over time, but the strange Firefox behavior is most synonymous with the Firefox upgraded Sync feature. Firefox update occurs and now you get the Sync window tab showing up to g et you to go through the Sync process.

Another weird Firefox anomaly: I have the Ghost add on (add blocker) installed and have had for quite some time. Now start Firefox, must reconnect, but there is no Ghost icon next to the URL bar, it has disappeared. Check add-ons, Ghost is there and turned on. Turn off, turn on, still no Ghost icon. Turn off, close Firefox, start Firefox, turn on Ghost, still no icon. Nothing I do gets it back.

Another weird Firefox anomaly: When the Ghost icon disappears, so does the 'Trackers blocked' pop up window in the lower righthand corner. That is now gone too. No matter what I do (checking options/settings, restart) gets these back. The Trackers blocked pop up window is a really really neat feature - BUT - it is equally annoying - you can't recall it after it disappears, you can't access it specifically when it does appear - in hopes of modifying the trackers blocked or to allow a tracker ot just read the long list of trackers being shown (CCN shows like 26 - unbelievable).

That's very odd - given the other weirdness you report, it may be that your profile is damaged and should be removed - it's likely a "reset" will not help as that tries to keep some things which may already be damaged. We have had a number of bugs where CCleaner has done unrepairable damage to Firefox profiles, so I suggest you avoid it.

To dig more in to the sync issue, I probably do need the detailed "success" logs from about:sync - the link in comment 2 can help get them (but note that you should reproduce the problem after enabling detailed logs) - however, I'm guessing that a new profile will make all your problems go away, so might be the simplest and easiest way forward - see https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-remove-switch-firefox-profiles for more info on profiles.

Thanks for the reply. I have run Firefox without CCleaner and still have the sync issue. This after a complete wipe of CCleaner and Firefox from my system. Complete wipe means removal of all Mozilla Firefox folders/files and registry keys, same with Piriform.

I have decided that with all the recent but depressing news about Mozilla and layoffs of critical staff to just remove Firefox from my system.

I thank you for your time and and wish Mozilla and Firefox success.

Status: UNCONFIRMED → RESOLVED
Closed: 2 years ago
Resolution: --- → INCOMPLETE
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