Ask Toolbar and changes to your your search engines (Ask and other search engines) most often occur when installing software (mostly free software from the internet). When installing, look for an opportunity to un-check a box or boxes relating to "extras" (toolbars) or changes to your default search engine. *I see McAfee in your Plugins and some McAfee products will change your search engine; see --> https://community.mcafee.com/message/172892 *A year old list of some software (there are many more and they are constantly changing) that change search engines and/or installs toolbars as of Feb 2011 --> http://www.instantfundas.com/2011/02/list-of-software-installers-that-bundle.html #Remove Ask Toolbar (if you have it installed): #*http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Uninstalling+add-ons #*http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Cannot%20uninstall%20an%20add-on #*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_toolbars #Reset your home page (if the Ask search page is displayed when starting Firefox): http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/How+to+set+the+home+page #*You can reset to the default by clicking "Restore to default" on Options > General > Startup > Home page. Be sure to set "When Firefox starts" to "Show my home page" on that same panel. #Reset your Location Bar search engine (if typing a few words in the URL/Location Bar takes you to Ask search): #*type '''''about:config''''' in your Location Bar, like typing a web site address, and press the Enter key #*ignore warning and choose to continue #*in Filter, type '''''keyword.URL''''' #*in lower part of screen, if it is '''bold''' and shows "'''user set'''", right-click keyword.URL and choose "Reset" #*in Filter, type '''''Ask''''' #*any items in lower part of screen in '''bold''' and showing "'''user set'''", right-click and choose "Reset" #*close about:config tab #*See: #**http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config #**http://kb.mozillazine.org/Location_Bar_search#Location_Bar_search_.28external_-_search_engine.29 #**http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keyword.url #**http://www.techrena.net/computers/address-bar-search-provider-firefox/ #If Ask is shown in your Search Bar and you want to remove it: #*https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Search%20bar '''If this reply solves your problem, please click "Solved It" next to this reply when <u>signed-in</u> to the forum.''' ------------------------- Not related to your question, but... You may need to update some plug-ins. Check your plug-ins and update as necessary: *Plug-in check --> http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/plugincheck/ *Adobe Shockwave for Director Netscape plug-in: [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Using%20the%20Shockwave%20plugin%20with%20Firefox#w_installing-shockwave Installing ('''''or Updating''''') the Shockwave plugin with Firefox] *Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape: [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Using%20the%20Adobe%20Reader%20plugin%20with%20Firefox#w_installing-and-updating-adobe-reader Installing/Updating Adobe Reader in Firefox] *Shockwave Flash (Adobe Flash or Flash): [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Managing%20the%20Flash%20plugin#w_updating-flash Updating Flash in Firefox] *'''''Next Generation Java Plug-in for Mozilla browsers''''': [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Using%20the%20Java%20plugin%20with%20Firefox#w_installing-or-updating-java Installing or Updating Java in Firefox]

Hi wstenzel, You should take a look at the [[Search bar]] Knowledge Base article. If that doesn't work you should look at the article [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved Preferences not saved]. Finally, your issue may be because you've been hit with some [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Is%20my%20Firefox%20problem%20a%20result%20of%20malware?s=malware&r=0&e=sph&as=s#w_how-do-i-get-rid-of-malware Malware]. Hopefully this helps!