The Get Add-ons is part of the Add-ons Manager.

Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link} by holding down the <Shift> (Mac=Options) key, and then starting Firefox.

A small dialog should appear. Click Start In Safe Mode (not Refresh).

Type about:config<enter> in the address bar. If a warning screen comes up, press the I Accept the Risk button. At the top of the screen is a search bar. Type browser.startup.homepage

What is the value? Right-click and select Reset to restore its default value; about:home

Then restart Firefox.

The Get Add-ons field when activated freezes up my browser and once that happens it is stuck on this field every time I open Firefox.

Had that issue myself until I hid the Get Add-ons menu item via userChrome.css . http://kb.mozillazine.org/UserChrome.css

Help > Troubleshooting Information -> Profile Folder - Open Folder

Once your Profile is open in Windows Explorer and you close Firefox, create a folder named chrome. Then create a text file using this code and save that text file as userContent.css - "Hide extensions for known file types" has to be disabled in Windows Folder Options or you are liable to end up with userContent.css.txt and Firefox won't use that file with the .txt added inadvertently.

This is the code you need in the userContent.css file.

@-moz-document url("about:addons") {
#category-discover { display:none!important; }
}

@-moz-document url("about:addons") {
#category-service {display:none!important; }
}

Works for me since the Add-ons Manager had that menu item added many versions ago,

You can set this pref to an empty string value to prevent Firefox from connecting to the add-ons server.

• extensions.getAddons.get.url = ""

You can open the about:config page via the location/address bar. You can accept the warning and click "I accept the risk!" to continue.

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/about:config