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How do I get back my second search bar (box) using firefox?

  • 4 replies
  • 5 have this problem
  • 9 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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After updating Java I lost one of my search-bars. I want to be able to search in the address bar (location bar) AND the search bar. I know that they've been combined on some of the updates. However; I want to have both and have tried multiple things to try to recover it as I've been able to keep it through firefox and other updates until my last Java update. I went back to restore before Java update and that did not bring it back. Thanks!

After updating Java I lost one of my search-bars. I want to be able to search in the address bar (location bar) AND the search bar. I know that they've been combined on some of the updates. However; I want to have both and have tried multiple things to try to recover it as I've been able to keep it through firefox and other updates until my last Java update. I went back to restore before Java update and that did not bring it back. Thanks!

All Replies (4)

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Try Firefox Safe Mode to see if the problem goes away. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.

(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)

  • You can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the Shift key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
  • Or open the Help menu and click on the Restart with Add-ons Disabled... menu item while Firefox is running.

Once you get the pop-up, just select "'Start in Safe Mode"

If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode, your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems article for that.

To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.

When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.

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Make sure that toolbars like the "Navigation Toolbar" and the "Bookmarks Toolbar" are visible:

  • Firefox menu button > Options
  • View > Toolbars (press F10 to display a hidden menu bar)

Open the Customize window to set which toolbar items to display:

  • Firefox menu button > Options
  • View > Toolbars (press F10 to display the menu bar)
  • Right-click empty toolbar area
  • check that "Bookmarks Toolbar items" is on the Bookmarks Toolbar
  • If the "Bookmarks Toolbar items" is not on the Bookmarks Toolbar then drag it back from the toolbar palette in the customize window to the Bookmarks Toolbar
  • if missing items are in the toolbar palette then drag them back from the Customize window on the toolbar
  • if you do not see an item on a toolbar and in the toolbar palette then click the "Restore Default Set" button to restore the default toolbar set up

You can check for problems with the localstore.rdf file.

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Safe Mode helped to find the issue. Omni-bar was in extensions. Once I deleted that I had back my second search bar. Thanks! Now my new issue is that my google searches in the address bar are "sometimes" redirected OR hijacked to Charter, which is my internet provider. How do I completely get Charter out of all of my searches? Thank Again!

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You may have an ISP that automatically redirects you to a search page if a DNS look up fails.
That takes the control from Firefox to do the normal keyword search like a Google I'm Lucky search.
In such cases you need to contact your ISP and ask for a DNS server to opt-out of that feature.
You can also check if there is a link on the search results page to go to your ISP and opt-out.