Score:1

How to recover Chrome bookmarks from old hard drive

cn flag

My computer (Ubuntu 18) is unable to boot so I decided to do a clean install. I have my bookmarks backed up but only from about 3 weeks ago and I'd like to recover some that I saved in the last two weeks.

Accessing my old files using only Ubuntu on the thumb drive, where can I find the Chrome bookmarks file?

mchid avatar
bo flag
Does this answer your question? [How to export Google Chrome bookmarks](https://askubuntu.com/questions/607801/how-to-export-google-chrome-bookmarks)
76767676 avatar
cn flag
No, that shows how to export bookmarks if you have access to your computer. In my case, Ubuntu crashed and I could only access my hard drive using Ubuntu through the USB stick. I had access to my drive this way but was not able to open Chrome to export. Is it possible to export bookmarks using Ubuntu on a thumb drive?
mchid avatar
bo flag
Read the other answers like [this one](https://askubuntu.com/a/607803/167115) and [this one](https://askubuntu.com/a/607804/167115). It shows the path to the file you need to copy manually. The location isn't going to be `~/` of course, so it will be something like `/home/76767676/.config/google-chrome/Default/Bookmarks` on the hard drive which you can access using the USB live session of Ubuntu. The full path will not start with `/home` however, it will be indexed under wherever the drive is mounted.
76767676 avatar
cn flag
I've seen answers like this but I have no idea where to find ~ ~/.config/google-chrome/ Is the ~ some location I'm supposed to know about already because in looking at the drive I don't see anything that starts with ~
mchid avatar
bo flag
The tilde `~` represents `/home/username` where `username` is your actual username. So you can probably locate your `Videos` folder and your `Music` folder. These are located at `~/Videos` which is the same as `/home/username/Videos` where `username` is your actual username. Also, be aware that the `.config` folder is hidden because there is a period at the beginning of the directory name so you have to set your file browser to show hidden files.
mchid avatar
bo flag
So, on that drive, the directory is `/home/username/.config/google-chrome/Default/Bookmarks` where `username` is the actual username you were using on your old Ubuntu system. Be sure you have your file browser set to show hidden files and directories.
mchid avatar
bo flag
Can you find your old `Videos` or `Downloads` directory on the drive you are trying to access? These are in your old user's home directory. The `.config` directory is also in your old user's home directory. Again, be sure you have it set to show hidden files.
Gounou avatar
us flag
In a terminal you can try : `find ~/.config/google-chrome -type f -name Bookmarks` and just in case you use Chromium `find ~/.config/chromium -type f -name Bookmarks`
76767676 avatar
cn flag
Thanks mchid! I could never find the .config and I didn't realize they were hidden. I opened 'view' 'show hidden files' and there they are! :-) By the way, if you make it an answer I'll select it. ;-)
Zanna avatar
kr flag
You can also answer your own question to give details of the steps you took to restore the bookmarks to help someone else in the future
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