You definitely should not need to reset Firefox more than once or twice in a lifetime.

So the problem is the search box on the built-in Firefox home page? Does the Enter key still work or do both the search button AND the Enter key just do nothing?

When this happens, do you notice any loss of functionality in the other search areas:

• Search bar (the box with the "g" icon at the left you can click to choose other search services)?
• Address bar?

The next time this happens, could you check your extensions list to see whether anything unexpected has crept in? After a reset, this list is generally completely empty.

orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons > Extensions category

The only problem i notice is in the search areas i havent really looked at anythiong else but i can next time. And it is the enter button the search tab nothing works when it happens i enter something in the search field and press enter or hit the search key and it just stays idle. The cursor used to disappear in the search field the first tiem this happened but im not sure if it dissapeazrs this tiem or just blinks. I will look into it a little more and see what i found out on your comment Even if i open a new tab it does this also.

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

Try to boot the computer in Windows Safe mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test to see if that helps.

A possible cause is security software (firewall,anti-virus) that blocks or restricts Firefox or the plugin-container process without informing you, possibly after detecting changes (update) to the Firefox program.

Remove all rules for Firefox and the plugin-container from the permissions list in the firewall and let your firewall ask again for permission to get full unrestricted access to internet for Firefox and the plugin-container process and the updater process.

See:

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Server+not+found
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Firewalls

Even if i open a new tab it does this also.

When you open a new tab in an existing window (e.g., Ctrl+t), you usually get 9 tiles showing frequently visited sites. Are you saying that instead you get a page with a search box and that search box also does not work? I'm curious what page it is that you have in a new tab, since it could be displayed by an add-on that is malfunctioning.

Since you may have different displays, I'm attaching examples of the following:

• Built-in Firefox home page (you can open this using about:home in the address bar)
• Built-in Firefox new tab page (you can open this using about:newtab in the address bar) (some thumbnails blanked for confidentiality)

I have been out of town, but i have checked today and what i get/see is in the add ons/extensions there is java microsoft net framework and real downloader, all disabled nothing else. i also checked when i open a new tab in an exisiting window i do get the nine tiles and if i type in the address search bar it will go to what i am searching for. i have my firewall turned off and no antivirus in the add on manager and the plugins tab there is a lot of plug in but nothing out of the ordinary the java se6 u22 does say know to cause stability issues. everything seems to work in firefox when this happens except searching in the search bar nothing happens sometimes when this happens i use google chrome and no problems and i dont like bing or msn or whateever it is so i wont use it. i would like to figure this out cause i do like firefox. whateer else i can try and do i wil be glad to thanx

Has anyone else had this problem. now i have noticed that the computer at work is doing the samething. two different computers two different operationg systems two diffrent internet connections same problem.

Hi onejocl, you wrote

everything seems to work in firefox when this happens except searching in the search bar nothing happens

I want to understand which bar it is:

• Search box on the right side side of the Navigation Toolbar with the icon to select the search engine. If you switch to a different search engine by clicking the icon and choosing from the drop-down, does that one work? If you switch back to Google is it still broken?

• Awesomebar / Location bar /Address bar (called the omnibox in Chrome). I suspect this is not the one you're having problems with. However, if it doesn't work either, you might need to update the settings described in this article: Search the web from the Address Bar.

• Firefox home page search box in the middle of the page. I suspect this is not the one you're having problems with.

If you are using another box, such as the one with the 4-color pinwheel icon tht says something like "Search here" in the background, that may have been added by an extension. You could try to remove it and use one of the built-in boxes instead. To customize, use either of these:

• right-click a blank area of the tab bar > Customize
• tap the Alt key > View menu > Toolbars > Customize

You can drag any rogue search boxes back to the Customize dialog. If you aren't sure how the bars were set up, you can click the "Restore Default Set" button and start customizing from scratch.

No it is the search bar on the firefox home page the one in the center of the page when you open firefox

When this happens, could you try this add-on to reset your search preferences? If this works, then "something" is changing your search setting in mid-session.

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/searchreset/

When it happens again ill try that and get back thanks

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

Boot the computer in Windows Safe Mode with network support (press F8 on the boot screen) as a test to see if that helps.

I dont have any anti-virus or firewall on or activated

i tried that add on and it didnt seem to do anything what is it supposed to do i tried it when it happened and than reset firefox and tried it agian and now i will wait to see what happens after i use firefox a few times at work the it guy did something when it happend there and it hasnt done it since but i dont know what he did and he doesnt either the problem happens here at home and is frustrating and i want to get it figured out.

I have the same problem where the search box in the centre of the page does not work after a recent update.

Is this a new problem with firefox?

Hi videoman59, apparently it is easy to break this feature. Could you try to reset your search providers using this add-on:

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/searchreset/