search bar no longer works, even in safe mode
I'm using Firefox 38.0.5 on a Win7 Pro SP1 and just today I noticed that the search box doesn't work. If I go into options, I can't even select the Search tab. Short of re installing I've tried all the fixes on other discussions about the search bar no longer working.
For now I just bring up Google and then enter my Search, but it was nice having that there ready
Wšě wotmołwy (3)
Do a clean reinstall and delete the Firefox program folder before (re)installing a fresh copy of the current Firefox release.
- Download the Firefox installer and save the file to the desktop
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/
If possible uninstall your current Firefox version to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.
- Do NOT remove "personal data" when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because this will remove all profile folders and you lose personal data like bookmarks and passwords including data in profiles created by other Firefox versions.
Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.
- (32 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
- (64 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"
- It is important to delete the Firefox program folder to remove all the files and make sure that there are no problems with files that were leftover after uninstalling.
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_Firefox
Your bookmarks and other personal data are stored in the Firefox profile folder and won't be affected by an uninstall and (re)install, but make sure NOT to remove personal data when you uninstall Firefox as that will remove all Firefox profile folders and you lose your personal data.
If you keep having problems then also create a new profile.
Copied from another thread:
FF RSC said
Haven't had time to uninstall and reinstall BUT did some more checking. If I log in as my Admin account and go into Firefox the search works! Doesn't that indicate it's a profile problem? The reset didn't work so what should I try?
Do you mean a Refresh of your Firefox profile under your regular user didn't work?
When you log in as administrator, does Firefox use a completely different Firefox profile?
If you compare the extensions in the two profiles, do you notice any differences? You can gather those using the support information page, which you can open using either:
- "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
- (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
- type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter
Scroll down a bit to the Extensions tab, and select/copy that whole list to a document, or grab a screen shot.
Interesting outcome. I kept "playing" around and noticed that I got a HUGH menu when I right clicked on a link after a Google web search. JUst for grins I again checked everything under the Admin Login. Yes it does have it's own profile. I made a copy of the profile to a folder that was common to all logins. When I started looking at the files/folders with the word search in them I noticed that I was missing the folder searchplugins. I copied over to my current, non Admin, profile and the search bar started working. I could go into the Menu, Options, Search tab. As the Admin account only had Bing as a search engine, I added in Google.
I know I used to have other search engines such as Yahoo but can't seem to find.
Oh well, got search bar back and right clicking on a link now works!