I think on Windows 7 you can discover where the "favorites" folder really is by using Firefox download panel (click the arrow to display it), then click the file folder icon toward the right side of that download to launch the current location in Windows Explorer with the download highlighted. Then if you click in a blank area toward the right end of the address bar, does Windows Explorer show the true path to that "Desktop" folder?

Yes, the path is C:\Users\AppData\Local\Temp

Would like to be able to select (visible) Desktop as the destination when saving a PDF or Word file like I was able to before, instead of having to click the download arrow to see my file.

When I go to attach a file to an email message (Outlook 2013), selecting Desktop does show the saved file there, but again, not on my visible Desktop.

Firefox starts downloading to the Temp folder immediately while waiting to see whether you want to "Open" or "Save" the file. If you choose "Open" the file stays in Temp. But Firefox shouldn't leave downloads there if you choose Save. If Firefox doesn't offer the choice, you can check the handling instructions on the Options page, Applications panel, and make sure the relevant file type is set for "Always ask". This article will get you to the most relevant preference for PDFs: View PDF files using Firefox’s built-in viewer.

Some users have reported a permissions/privileges issue where downloads get stranded in the Temp folder because Firefox is unable to move them to the chosen location. I don't recall whether there is a specific error message you would see in that case, or whether there is a quick fix for that.

Yes, both the Adobe Acrobat Document and the Portable Document Format (PDF) are set to Always Ask.

Seems I have the 'stranded' issue you mentioned. There is no error message.

Are your temp folder and your desktop folder both under the same user account -- same as your Firefox profile folder?

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp C:\Users\username\Desktop C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles *

* To verify the account of your current Firefox profile: Open your profile folder from the Troubleshooting Information page. Either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, click the "Open Folder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in Windows Explorer. The current user account should be listed in the address bar. If necessary, you can click in the blank space to the right of the profile folder name to have Windows Explorer lay out the path in the more conventional format.

Yes, all three are the same user account.

Strange thing just happened - while working in Photo Gallery two documents, one PDF and one Word, both appeared on my visible Desktop as they were originally supposed to.

I am going to restart my system then again try to save a PDF to my visible Desktop - will advise.

Restarted system and during boot-up a duplicate copy of the PDF file I was trying to save to my visible Desktop appeared on my visible Desktop.

Went to My Documents and selected a PDF file > Save As > Desktop and saved to visible Desktop no problem.

Went to a web page with a PDF download link > Save As > (the dialog box opened with My Computer > Desktop C:\Users\me\Desktop). When I selected that option it again saved the PDF to my non-visible Desktop folder.

Same dialog box, but now I selected Choose A Different Folder > Desktop and the document appeared on my visible Desktop.

Just need to remember to select Choose A Different Folder option.

Thank you for your help.