Hi, first see: Firefox no longer works with some versions of Windows XP

Assuming you meet the above requirements, this may be an add-on compatibility issue, so try starting Firefox in Safe Mode by holding down Shift when you start it. Also refer to: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode

To reset your home page, click on Restore to Default as shown here: How to set the home page

Edit: Oops sorry, I inadvertently copied the same link twice - now corrected. (Thanks John99 for spotting it)!

If your question is resolved by this or another answer, please take a minute to let us know. Thank you!

Possibly scribe duplicated a link inadvertently. Please see

• How to set the home page_restore-the-default-home-page
  • Startup, home page, tabs, and download settings
  • Home page with pipe character opens extra tabs when Firefox starts

You can choose to start Firefox with the tabs and Windows from a previous session, or with a single or multiple home pages so you should Review how you have Firefox set up at present.

If you set the home page to the default and it keeps changing even when Using Firefox's safe mode the maybe the problem is adware or malware. What is the home page changing to ? A screenshot may give us a clue.

• How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

Also it is possible the shortcut used by the Firefox start icon has been corrupted. If you right click the shortcut & look at its. properties the target should end in firefox.exe if there is a web address after that it is an instruction to open that webpage on startup.

With Firefox closed down Check by trying to start Firefox from a run command. Press Windows Key + R then type in firefox.exe & press enter that should start Firefox with only the Home page or previous tabs as set up, but not with an additional page.

When I try to put the homepage field to default there is no effect. The Homepage check mark box and the homepage label field are greyed out. It's as if there is no homepage info to be read by Firefox as it starts.

Hi doubtful, Sorry that did not seem to help then.

It may help if you send a screenshot of what you see in case it is something odd, however if the Home Page box is greyed out I would expect it to show Mozilla Firefox Start Page unless maybe you are using some unofficial build of Firefox.

• How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

Did you try

• Starting Firefox in its safe mode, for instance by holding the Shift Key as Firefox icon is clicked to start Firefox. ?
  • What happened ?
• To check the properties of the shortcut ?
  • What did you find ? Could you try to copy and paste the value in to your next reply. Or take a screenshot of it please.
• To Run Firefox from the Run option

If you are having problems with me not explaining these instructions well enough please try to say what you did follow and where you got stuck.

I have a Vista machine that has been upgraded to Windows 8.1. I changed the shortcut and created a new one. I opened Firefox from Windows explorer. In all cases the normal Firefox screen comes up but the tab says "new tab" instead of the normal Mozilla start tab. When I start up while depressing the the shift key I get a choice between troubleshooting or refreshing Firefox. I refreshed and, at the end of the process, I get the "this is embarrassing" screen. When I click on the home page button (top right) the Firefox start tab appears and I can work normally. The start tab does not come up in normally accessing the browser. I hope this helps.

You possibly did not need to do the Refresh but it will not have done any harm. Are you now able to provide a screenshot of what you see on the options page for setting the home page,

Here is the screenshot you requested. It all looks normal except for the greyed out field and checked box.

Thanks that looks normal for Firefox showing its default start page.

Your Firefox should be starting with the standard Firefox home page. One possibility is that it was crashing and offering to restore Tabs from previously. If you do not need or want those tabs then note that the embarrassing page has two options Restore or Close take the Close option.

• See also Restore previous session - Configure when Firefox shows your most recent tabs and windows_after-a-crash