From SafeZone to Secure Browser: bookmarks gone!

I actually really liked Avast’s SafeZone Browser. I used it constantly because of it’s (alleged) security and pro’s like the ability to download videos instantly and watch youtube vids without ads (oh the joy!). I know this can be done in other browsers by way of extensions, but Safezone had this as standard.

But what I really, really, really liked was the Safezone homepage and bookmarks sidebar, and how it handled bookmarks. As an artist, I like pictures. Text looks all much the same to me. Good for reading. But images help me visualise and remember stuff.
In Safezone, I had collected around 1000 bookmarks (maybe more) and all were painstakingly organised into groups and categories. I could find my way around them with relative ease. This became my main reason for using Safezone daily.

Then came Avast Secure Browser, installed without my permission - y’know, like malware does, but that’s another story.
Anyhoo, I thought it would be even better than SZ. Boy was I wrong! It is nothing like SZ. It has absolutely no character and no visuals like before. I mean, all SZ needed were a few tweaks (and the security issues fixed ;o) ).

But the worst part was, my bookmarks were gone! Every single link, GONE! I couldn’t even import my bookmarks coz the new browser installed itself ‘over’ SZ, replacing it completely! A warning would have been nice!!

Avast was once good, reliable and had a great reputation. That’s why I used the software. But things have changed. Without going into details, Avast have riled me and upset my pc several times over the years with moves like sneaky higher payments with minimum notification, and half-truth auto installations. Like Av Cleanup - which did exactly that after auto-starting without my input. What a bloody headache that one caused me! There’s more but I don’t have all night.

I am so pissed off right now!!
Losing several years worth of personal bookmarks is unbearable!
So I’m done with Avast. I have decided to end our long-term relationship. My paid-for AV Premium ends soon and will not be renewed, no matter what the deal. Time to move on and try something else.
Will keep Secure Browser installed for now just in case someone knows how to get my bookmarks back coz I live in hope that I may have overlooked something and they are somewhere, waiting to be recovered.
I’m now using Firefox.

Hi,

I am sorry to hear that. We had to update the browser for several reasons. This is long story but I wan to help you with the bookmarks.

Avast Secure Browser back-ups all the bookmarks but obviously they were not imported correctly.

Please can you go to Settings → Import Bookmarks and Settings. Can you see Avast SafeZone in the drop down menu?

If not, please can you go to: c:\ProgramData\AVAST Software\Browser
Can you see some SZProfiles or similar folder in it?

Thanks

Sorry for delay ondrejz. I was on holiday.
Thanks for your reply. I do appreciate that changes had to be made to SZ, but updates or upgrades are usually reasonably smooth and painless, keeping personal settings etc intact. I certainly didn’t expect this!

I had tried ‘import bookmarks’ several times before to no avail. The action was successful but only one bookmark shows up - ironically, a link to a review of Avast Secure Browser, (which I bookmarked AFTER ASB installed!?! But based on your advice, I tried yet again (and again). Same result.

As for suggestion B: c:\ProgramData\AVAST Software\Browser\etc…
I found the SZBrowser folder and it contains only one file - a Windows Batch File named ‘k’ (size 1KB). Please tell me this is the backup file you mentioned…

Hi, are you sure you checked “ProgramData” (All users) and not “Program files” folder? K.bat is in program files.

You are absolutely right - I looked in the wrong place! :-[ My sincere apologies ondrejz.
I have since found the folder you refer to and there are bookmark files.
They are:

Bookmarks - File - 23,817 KB
Bookmarks.bak - BAK File - 23,666 KB
BookmarksExtras - File - 1, 243 KB

Do you think these files contain the missing bookmarks?

  • Carol