How do I turn off Private Browsing?

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Private%20Browsing#w_how-do-i-turn-off-private-browsing

-> click Firefox button and click Options -> Privacy panel -> History section -> under Firefox will: select "Use Custom Settings for History" -> REMOVE Checkmark from Permanent Private Browsing mode

• place Checkmarks on 1) Remember my Browsing History 2) Remember Download History 3) Remember Search and Form History 4) Accept Cookies from sites -> 5) Accept Third-party Cookies -> under Keep Until : select They Expire

• REMOVE CHECKMARK from CLEAR HISTORY WHEN FIREFOX CLOSES

-> Click OK on Options window -> Restart Firefox

Check and tell if its working.

-> IF you use Clear Recent History feature, DO NOT select Cookies, Forms and Search History, Active Logins, Site Preferences

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Clear%20Recent%20History#w_what-things-are-included-in-my-history

-> IF you use Privacy Cleanup softwares like CCleaner etc., DON'T SELECT FIREFOX IN ITS SETTINGS. These softwares can be responsible for Deleting your Firefox Settings.

Didn't work :(

I did all that, but when firefox restarted, the config was back to "never remember history". I even tried messing with the about:config private options, but that didn't do it either...

Preferences are not saved - User.js file overriding preferences

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Preferences%20are%20not%20saved#w_user-js-file-overriding-preferences
• DELETE ALL LINES in user.js file

Check and tell if its working.

That worked! Thank you SO MUCH!

The file was prefs.js though, not user.js, and it also removed all my add-ons... but that's the least of my problems, I can always reinstall them.

Thank you again, have an awesome day!

The weirdest thing happened. I backed up the file before I deleted the lines, and now I realized I actually saved over the backup, not the actual file. YET it works perfectly.

Can I just assume The Force fixed it?

Nope, messed up again.

I turned my computer off last night, and now the problem is back. I redid all the steps (on the correct file this time), and it still boots up with Permanent Private Mode enabled!

Which security software (firewall, anti-virus) do you have?

I use Avira and the default Windows Vista firewall.

Another thing I forgot to mention, not sure that's the usual case: Firefox starts up with the correct settings if I disable Private Mode before closing it. If I do nothing before closing, it starts up enabled.

Configuring Firewalls

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Firewalls

Configuring Windows Firewall

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Configuring%20Windows%20Firewall

Check and tell if its working.