Does this help ?

• Navigation buttons like back, home, bookmarks and reload are missing

"file,edit,viewhistory,bookmarks, tools, help": that's the Menu Bar-see below
"back button": that's on the Navigation Bar

Menu Bar (File, Edit, View, History, Bookmarks, Tools, Help)
Firefox 3.6.x versions allow the user to hide the Menu Bar.

• Tap the ALT key or the F10 key, Menu Bar will display, click View, click Toolbars, click Menu Bar to place a check mark next to it, OR
• Press and hold the ALT key while pressing the letters VTM on your keyboard, then release the ALT key
• See: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Menu+bar+is+missing

Other Toolbars, see: https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Back+and+forward+or+other+toolbar+items+are+missing
Status Bar: click View, click Status Bar to place a check mark
Full Screen Mode: If you have no Toolbars or Tab Bar: Press F11 (F11 is an on/off toggle). See: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Netbooks#Full_screen

Also see: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_customization_-_Firefox#Restoring_missing_menu_or_other_toolbars

Other issues that need your attention

The information submitted with your question indicates that you have out of date plugins with known security and stability issues that should be updated. To see the plugins submitted with your question, click "More system details..." to the right of your original question post. You can also see your plugins from the Firefox menu, Tools > Add-ons > Plugins.

• Java Plug-in 1.5.0_05 for Netscape Navigator (DLL Helper)
  • Very old version. Unless you need the old version installed for the operation of some application on your hard drive, you should remove it following the instructions in the link for removing old versions below. After removing the old version you will need to use the "Download site" instructions below.

1. Check your plugin versions: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/
   • Note: plugin check page does not have information on all plugin versions
2. Update the Java plugin to the latest version.
   • Download site: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html (Java Platform: Download JRE)
   • Also see "Manual Update" in this article to update from the Java Control Panel in Windows Control Panel: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Using+the+Java+plugin+with+Firefox#Updates
   • Removing old versions (if needed): http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/remove_olderversions.xml
   • Remove multiple Java Console extensions (if needed): http://kb.mozillazine.org
   • Java Test: http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml

I followed your instructions. It was so simple! Thank you for your valuable information.

I have similar problems, but not the same ones: Every now and then, when Windows Vista (up to date), or Firefox (3.6.14) has to restart (because of updates or upgrades for either of them), I loose my FF windows and tabs. If FF restarts often (not always) starts with only one window with the startup tab, or only starts one of more windows. When I look in History, most of it has vanished, so that I cannot reopen the closed windows and tabs that were open before the update or whatever. Sometimes I take the precaution to abort (Ctrl-Alt-Del) FF before the upgrade starts (FF well then restart as if nothing happened after the update), but I keep forgetting to do so. Nevertheless, it should not be necessary, I should think. Has someone any ideas to prevent loosing my open windows and tabs for future updates? TIA