ISSUE #1: Downloads are going to the default location (Windows Downloads folder) in spite . . .

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/98.0/releasenotes/ Firefox has a new optimized download flow . . . .

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/manage-downloads-preferences-using-downloads-menu Changes to how file downloads are handled in Firefox version 98

• Firefox no longer asks what to do for each file by default
• Downloads panel automatically opens
• Downloaded files are saved to disk
• Set a default app to open a file type
• "Always Open Similar Files" option from the Downloads panel
• Frequently asked questions

You can set this pref to false on the about:config page to prevent opening the download panel on each download.

• browser.download.alwaysOpenPanel = false

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I accept the risk!" to continue.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/about-config-editor-firefox

ISSUE #2: I NEVER have ANY browser save passwords . . . .

That could be the form filler built into Firefox. Click in the field, enter a character or two and STOP ! Using the arrow keys, highlight an unwanted entry. Then press Shift + Delete

Repeat as needed.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/automatically-fill-address-and-credit-cards

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/control-whether-firefox-automatically-fills-forms

ISSUE #1: Downloads are going to the default location (Windows Downloads folder) in spite of being set to 'Always ask you where to save files'. This setting is retained correctly, but the browser is NOT asking me where to save the downloads - it just puts them in the default Windows "Downloads" folder)

This setting is applied to "Save file" but not to "Open with [relevant application]"/"Use [relevant application]".

If your Settings page shows that you've changed from "Save files to:" to "Always ask you where to save files", and switching those back and forth a couple times doesn't effectively send Firefox the message, you may need to check under the hood:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

More info on about:config: Configuration Editor for Firefox. The moderators would like us to remind you that changes made through this back door aren't fully supported and aren't guaranteed to continue working in the future. Since we have had this setting for a long time and I use it myself, I feel comfortable mentioning it.

(2) In the search box in the page, type or paste browser.download.useDownloadDir and pause while the list is filtered

(3) If the preference has its default value of true, double-click it to toggle the value to false

ISSUE #2: I NEVER have ANY browser save passwords, yet despite repeatedly setting it NOT to ask to save passwords, here I am AGAIN setting it NOT to save passwords. This seems to happen every few months, but I don't yet relate it to FF updates.

This preference would be stored in the prefs.js file in your currently active Firefox profile folder.

If your Firefox switched profiles -- very noticeable because none of your data carries over -- or performed a Refresh -- there would be a new Old Firefox Data folder on your Windows desktop -- then you would have a fresh prefs.js with just the default settings.

Otherwise, some cleaning and security software might modify or remove the prefs.js file from time to time. If you have utility programs that go around cleaning up after other programs, you might want to exempt Firefox's folders if that is an option.