See if you have the Ask toolbar installed in Firefox button > Add-ons > Extensions.

1. Remove Ask Toolbar (if you have it installed):
   • http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Uninstalling+add-ons
   • http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Cannot%20uninstall%20an%20add-on
   • http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_toolbars
2. Reset your home page: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/How+to+set+the+home+page
   • You can reset to the default by clicking "Restore to default" on Options > General > Startup > Home page. Be sure to set "When Firefox starts" to "Show my home page" on that same panel.
3. Reset your Location Bar search engine:
   • type about:config in your Location Bar, like typing a web site address, and press the Enter key
   • ignore warning and choose to continue
   • in Filter, type keyword.URL
   • in lower part of screen, if it is bold and shows "user set", right-click keyword.URL and choose "Reset"
   • in Filter, type Ask
   • any items in lower part of screen in bold and showing "user set", right-click and choose "Reset"
   • close about:config tab
   • See:
     • http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config
     • http://kb.mozillazine.org/Location_Bar_search#Location_Bar_search_.28external_-_search_engine.29
     • http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keyword.url
     • http://www.techrena.net/computers/address-bar-search-provider-firefox/
4. If Ask is shown in your Search Bar and you want to remove it:
   • https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Search%20bar

If this reply solves your problem, please click "Solved It" next to this reply when signed-in to the forum.

Not related to your question, but...

You need to update some plug-ins:

• Plug-in check: https://www-trunk.stage.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/
• Shockwave Flash (Adobe Flash or Flash): Updating Flash in Firefox
• Next Generation Java Plug-in for Mozilla browsers: Installing or Updating Java in Firefox

I found Safebrowser's reply when I was trying to get rid of AOL and so far it looks like it worked for AOL. I was pulling out my hair - I'd removed everything that even smelled like AOL (they bought Winamp so now Winamp is littered with AOL), but I was shocked to see how many intrusive entries were in Firefox settings by AOL! Thanks for the posting - I'm finally rid of them I hope!

Safebrowser's solution option #3 worked very well for me. Quick and easy solution. Reset your Location Bar search engine:

   type about:config in your Location Bar, like typing a web site address, and press the Enter key
   ignore warning and choose to continue
   in Filter, type keyword.URL
   in lower part of screen, if it is bold and shows "user set", right-click keyword.URL and choose "Reset"
   in Filter, type Ask
   any items in lower part of screen in bold and showing "user set", right-click and choose "Reset"
   close about:config tab