How are you entering your search? If you're using the search box, click the drop-down at the left side to choose another search engine. If you're using the URL area, the change must be made in hidden preferences, so it's more convenient to use the search box.

My guess is that you are using the Location Bar for a search, because you would simply choose another engine from the drop-down otherwise.

If I want to use another search engine, I generally use a keyword bookmark.

But you do not need to create a bookmark, you can add a keyword to the search engines that you want to use from the location bar. I'd start out small and just assign a few at at time.

1. On the search bar drop-down go to the bottom for "Customize"
2. Click on "Manage Search Engines"
3. Select a search engine
4. Click on assign a keyword
5. Assign a keyword for Google you might choose "g" , it looks like Yahoo is second on my list so could chose"yahoo" or anything else without spaces, perhaps letters only this method is very restrictive and you can only see your shortcuts in the "Manage Search Engines".

to search with yahoo from the location bar without changing the search engine up above I could enter the following on the location bar: to test...

yahoo big ben london

Another choice would be to use a keyword shortcut in a bookmark which is what I prefer few restrictions on characters (no spaces), and you can see them in the AwesomeBar. Assigning is built into Firefox, but you can create your own without going to a search form.

On this page is a search. Right click in the form, assign a keyword for this search, and where to place the bookmark. So for that I might choose "supp:" place it into a bookmark folder with a title of "supp: Support Mozilla -- Check Asked Questions" and to test it ...

supp: using different search engines

Actually I am using the same version of Firefox on both machines and both are running Win XP Home. But - the Laptop always uses google and the desktop seems to be using search.incredigames - this one usually gets what I am looking for while google misses things. Yes I usually use the location bar but right after posting my message I started playing around with the search bar at the end. I can get the results I want that way but it is extra work and I rather like the desktop default search engine. I also seem to be unable to eliminate search engines I don't want. I remove them in customize but they always come back. I hate it when software does things I don't want.

Oh well.

Generally this sort of resolves the question though not quite the way I wanted it resolved. Like the song says: you can't always get what you want.

Thanks

unable to eliminate search engines I don't want. I remove them in customize but they always come back.

I expect you mean by always come back to mean the next Firefox session.

Not being able to add or delete search engines may be due to a corrupt search-sqlite file, rename it in your profile with Firefox down (and verified down) and restart Firefox.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_search_or_add_new_engines

The only consequence of deleting search.json and search.sqlite files and letting firefox recreate them for you is that you will have all (including removed) searches restored and you will have to use the sort manager to move or remove them from the alphabetical order as restored.

other items

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Search_Bar
• (https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/838221)