Look in, or enter, in the location bar.

• see navigation toolbar items <--- clickable link --

Hi John99I am still lost. I enter a url and all I get is a list of possible sites. And if I use a bookmark, I do not get the url displayed. This has bothered me ever since I upgraded to 5.0. I just wish I could go back to the old version. Kay

My guess is that you have an incompatible extension or a conflict between extensions.

Try the Firefox SafeMode to see how it works there.
A troubleshooting mode, which disables most Add-ons.
(If you're not using it, switch to the Default Theme.)

• You can open the Firefox 4/5/6/7 SafeMode by holding the Shft key when you use the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
• Or use the Help menu item, click on Restart with Add-ons Disabled... while Firefox is running.
  

Don't select anything right now, just use "Continue in SafeMode."

To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before using the Firefox shortcut (without the Shft key) to open it again.

If it is good in the Firefox SafeMode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one.
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

Note (assuming you have not modified things) you have two bars on the top; above where web pages display; the location bar is to the left, and the search bar is to the right. Normally URLs are entered and displayed in the location bar NOT the search bar. (You may in some circumstances need to enter a url into the search bar, for instance, to find and confirm information about a URL you are interested in)

Type the UTL ino the location bar ant then hit the enter key. The drop down lists are of suggestions including sites you have previously visited or bookmarked, you may use or ignore those.

For instance t one of the URL s used by Google is

• http://www.google.co.uk/
  

try typing that into the location bar then hitting enter.

• does that work ?

Whilst using this forum your location bar should show something similar to:

• https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/questions/861997
  

try typing that into the location bar, but do it whilst you are not looking at your own question, otherwise you will not see anything change.

• does that work ?
• does it go to the page as expected, and do you see the URL ?

Also have a look at this article

• Get started with Firefox - An overview of the main features <-- clickable link --

It is possibly best to click or double click that link rather than trying to type the information into the location bar.

Are you able to confirm the two clickable links worked and you have managed to see those articles ?

There is a possibility that you have made some drastic change to firefox. Does yours look much like the images and videos in the linked articles ? or are some things missing.

If you think things have changed Try using Firefox's safe mode for example from the option Firefox Button -> Help -> Restart with Add-ons Disabled but do not make changes when you get a list with check boxes just click on the continue button.

Thanks to both of you. I have been frustrated needlessly for months. Should have used this wonderful service sooned!