Once in a while we all need to reinstall Windows from scratch. We may buy a new laptop, we may be upgrading, or we may just feel like it sometimes. Migrating programs can be a bit tedious though, especially if they store a lot of info like Firefox. You need to organize your bookmarks, make a note of all addons, export or write down passwords. To make life one bit simpler and more productive you can use the nifty Mozbackup application to backup Firefox, and Thunderbird (even Seamonkey) in a few clicks, here’s how.

First of all you need to download Mozbackup (see link at the bottom). Once you’ve download and installed it, run it and click next. Choose the application you want to back up (you will need to close it first) and below, choose the path and file name of the backup file. Click next, and then click the profile you want to back up. When you click next you will be prompted to decide weather to password protect the file or not. On the following page you can select all the features you want to include. If you want our Firefox to be exactly the same as before, I suggest checking all boxes.

When you click next, your Firefox will be backed up and can be restored using the program’s restore feature and it will be exactly the way you left it. Since I use Firefox a lot and I also reinstall Windows at least every three months, this is a great tool for me. I also make periodic backups in case of disaster, and this programs makes it so easy and productive.

Just to say something negative, the program could have a built in scheduler. It could be in the form of a Firefox extension even, backing up the browser every X day(s) or after every X start up(s). It would also be nice if it had flawless extension handling and you could choose which extensions should be enabled and disabled, which theme Firefox should start with when restoring.

Download Mozbackup from their homepage