Firefox settings not being saved - AppData folder is read only

I have to admit that I am struggling with Windows 10. I prefer Win XP, I'm used to Windows 7 but I'm stuck with Windows 10. At the age of 75 change does not go down too well. For weeks I've been having trouble with Firefox not saving settings, losing it's history, ignoring changes I make with about:config and today I've noticed that the AppData folder is set to readonly. I take ownership of the folder, I remove the readonly setting but then the "apply" button is greyed out when I check I find that the folder is still set to readonly. I've tried restricting what I'm doing to just the Mozilla folder, the result is the same, after taking off the readonly attribute the "apply" button is greyed out. I have very little hair left, what I have is rapidly disappearing. I would very much appreciate any help that some kind soul may be able to provide.

This belongs in the Browsers and Email section.

Do an on-line search for "Firefox does not save settings" (without the quotation marks.) There is plenty of advice available; once you have found that, but are still having problems, then return here with specific questions as to how to proceed, etc.

Not Myself said:

This belongs in the Browsers and Email section.

Do an on-line search for "Firefox does not save settings" (without the quotation marks.) There is plenty of advice available; once you have found that, but are still having problems, then return here with specific questions as to how to proceed, etc.

I have spent days doing that without finding a solution. I see the problem as being more a Windows 10 problem than a Firefox problem, Why is the AppData folder, where the Firefox profile is stored read only? Why can I not remove the read only attribute from it. Am I wrong in thinking that if the Firefox profile is read only settings will not be saved?

@Josey Wales
Thanks. So I understand that the fact that the AppsData folder is read only is not a problem I'm using Firefox ESR 52.4.1 64bit. I've tried using Sync but cannot get it to work. I created an account on the desktop computer, it confirmed that the account was open and said that I had to install Firefox on a 2nd device, so I installed it on an Android mobile phone. It's installed but I cannot get it too work, on one screen that I've seen it says it will not work on an Android phone. I can't go back to that screen because the history has disappeared!
It's becoming more weird. I decided to back up the history before shutting Firefox down with Mozbackup which I've been using ever since it was launched, but not recently. I backed up everything. I then launched Firefox and the history had disappeared, so, I restored the backup I'd just made and there was no history. I connected to a few websites to create some history, deleted the backup and made a new one, this time just of the history. I launched Firefox again, no history, I restored the backup, still no history. I'm at a total loss.

I did a fresh install the day before yesterday!! I think I'm going to have to go along with what you say as it looks as though the add-ons that interest me are going to work.
So far as Sync is concerned it says: "Setting up Sync requires two parts: first you must create an account on your main device, then sign in to your account using your other device." That's exactly what I did, created the account on the desktop computer and then signed in from the phone. The message I'm getting on the phone is: Sync is set up, but not synchronising automatically. Toggle "Auto-sync data" in and at that point the message ends. Obviously there's more but there's no way of getting at it.

Thanks. I'm posting this using Firefox 57.0b13. From my point of view it is a disaster. If I go to addons it actually provides links to addons that are not compatible with this version. It couldn't be worse. I'm currently also using Palemoon which is not perfect but as things are it's better than Firefox. Both the browser and the addons work as they are supposed to. Thanks for your help.