Hi golfinggrannie,
Sorry you are having problems.

I am not certain I fully understand the description of the problem but a few ideas that could help.

Possibly you have some adware installed, or some Google related addon.

• A screenshot may help
  • How to make screenshots
  • How do I create a screenshot of my problem?
• If when you say the lefthand side you mean a dropdown list from the location bar (That is to the left of the search bar, by default ) settings enable you to select what is displayed
  • Remove websites from the address bar suggestions
• If the problem is because an extension is in use disable it, or test Firefox in safe mode so that you temporarily disable all extensions
  • Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode
• It is a sidebar displaying, maybe
  • because you are accidentally using a valid shortcut keyboard sequence,
  • or some regression has resulted in some new sequence becoming a keyboard shortcut.

I finally found it - am new to Firefox Help although used it for years.Am attaching screenshot.

Well done.

Whatever it is is outside of the Evening Standard page, and is not the ES search results nor is it any standard Firefox feature.

I am guessing it is some add on that you have installed. I do note a small cross [x] in the top right of that sidebar.

• Have you tried clicking on that cross ?
  It may close down the toolbar.

If you want to get rid of this more permanently did you as a test try Firefox in its safe mode

• Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode

After that it is probably a case of following the instructions in this article

• Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page
  • Note the recommendation afterwards to use the search reset addon.

Thanks very much for that. I have of course tried to x it off. Sometimes it works, but half the time it just opens up one of the links. As for add-ons, I looked at the list and I don't have any!

Anyway I'll have a go at getting rid of it in the morning I think.

Thanks very much for your help

You can check in "Windows Control Panel > Programs" for recently installed programs (sort by "Installed on") to see if anything from Conduit or Webcake or any other suspicious software shows up.

See also http://forum.precisesecurity.com/computer-security/remove-related-searches-sidebar

• AdwCleaner:
  http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
  http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Removal-Tools/AdwCleaner.shtml

Hi golfinggrannie, when checking the Add-ons page, you will notice several categories down the left side. The category that is most relevant for this problem is Extensions. So... Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a
• orange Firefox button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons

In the left column, click Extensions. Then, if in doubt that something is actually valuable, disable it.

Usually a link will appear above at least one disabled extension to restart Firefox. You can complete your work on the tab and click one of the links as the last step.

The only thing I can see in my programs which looks strange is called "RightSurf". Googled it and it looks as though that could be it, but not being very technical I'm always worried about removing something in case it is important.

Sorry - don't have any add-ons and the only Extension is Skype click-to-call, which is disabled anyway.

These replies of mine are coming out in strange order - hope I sent the one about programs to the right person.

Hi golfinggrannie,
Thanks for the information.

I received your Private Message and I will put the core info up here so everyone can see it. You found another article. Some things may have been mentioned upthread already but for completeness & reference

Note article in another (none Mozilla) forum

• http://forum.precisesecurity.com/computer-security/remove-related-searches-sidebar
  • ( Link shortens if enclosed within square brackets before posting http://forum.precisesecurity.com/comp.../remove-related-searches-sidebar )
  • the link above will be usable even if it gets shortened on the forum. Or paste this text
    http://forum.precisesecurity.com/computer-security/remove-related-searches-sidebar
  • Mentions Webcake and Conduit as possible causes
  • Gives steps to attempt removal, as already posted in this thread but also including doing so on other affected browsers.

If you are seeing forum things in an odd order maybe you are following this as an email conversation. Have you tried looking at the forum thread it is

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/985704
• Your own answers may be found by looking in your profile. Use the dropdown menu at the top edge when signed in and your user name shows
  Or use /user/edit -> [my profile]
  Alternatively the forum itself https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions?owner=mine&show=all

As an aside
I must remember to add some notes to the discussion about forum guidelines, including: Image / screenshot attachment, including links, Private Messages and finding own posts on the forum.

Took courage and uninstalled "RightSurf" which appeared to have installed alongside something else I downloaded. Problem solved. Hooray! Thaks to everyone for hints.

Glad you fixed it. Thanks for posting back.

Yes RightSurf does seem to be adware.

If you know where it was downloaded from and can give the website address someone may be able to check.
IF it is installing without any warning there is some possibility Mozilla may block it from Firefox. More likely it bundles with something else and the fine print warnings are there but get missed.

Some mention of RightSurf as adware that I now see are

• http://malwaretips.com/blogs/rightsurf-virus-removal/
• Removed RightSurf malware, but it somehow still advertises "RazerComms"....
  https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=141907

I some how seem to have missed looking at some of your recent answers above. I tend to rely on the forum rather than subscribing to threads. I hope we haven't got any glitch on the forum that may cause views to not update.

(In fact I am aware of some forum fault reports but am not sure if that is the problem here. I may have just not looked carefully enough )

I think it came down with something called Zip Opener. I can't now remember why I needed it, and haven't used it again since whatever-it-was I needed it for.

Hope this is useful.