Is the language used in menus and toolbars in English? If you're not sure you have the English version of Firefox, I suggest starting with the following. In the next post, I suggest things to investigate first if the problems are only with the content of web pages.

Clean Reinstall

We use this name, but it's not about removing your settings, it's about making sure the program files are clean (no inconsistent, corrupted, or alien code files). As described below, this process does not disturb your existing settings. Do NOT uninstall Firefox, that's not needed.

(1) Download a fresh installer for Firefox 39.0 from https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/all/ to a convenient location. (Scroll down to your preferred language.)

(2) Exit out of Firefox (if applicable).

(3) Rename the program folder, either:

(64-bit Windows folder names)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox

to

C:\Program Files (x86)\OldFirefox

(32-bit Windows folder names)

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox

to

C:\Program Files\OldFirefox

(4) Run the installer you downloaded in #1. It should automatically connect to your existing settings.

Any improvement after this reinstall?

Note: Some plugins may exist only in that OldFirefox folder. If something essential is missing, look in these folders:

• \OldFirefox\Plugins
• \OldFirefox\browser\plugins

When you say you downloaded "FireFox search" was that an add-on or external program? Or were you referring to the Firefox browser as a whole?

Are you able to control the search site Firefox uses? This article describes the Search bar and its various buttons. Do any of those work the way they should?

Use the Search bar in Firefox and manage search engines

A couple ways you might get unexpected search results:

(1) Search site believes you are in another country:

This commonly happens with Google when you're traveling. To set a cookie for Google to stay on the .com site, you can visit this URL:

https://www.google.com/ncr

The way sites determine your location is based on the IP address listed in your search request, which usually is the one assigned by your ISP. However, if you are using a private VPN or TOR or another system to disguise the IP address of your computer, then it will be someone else's IP address, potentially in another country.

Do you use any services like that?

(2) Bad add-on. More on that below.

(3) Connection hacked. Firefox looks up the addresses of search sites using the DNS system. Usually your DNS lookups go through your ISP, but it's possible to change settings in your network router, at the Windows level or in your browsers to use different DNS servers. Investigating this is a little beyond the scope of this forum, but you can start with Firefox's connection setting here:

"3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced

On the Network mini-tab, click the "Settings" button. The default of "Use system proxy setting" should piggyback on your Windows/IE "LAN" setting, but you also could try "No proxy" here to see whether that makes any difference.

Here's my suggested procedure for tracking down and cleaning up bad add-ons and other hijackers. I know it seems long, but it's really not that bad.

(1) Open the Windows Control Panel, Uninstall a Program. After the list loads, click the "Installed on" column heading to group the infections, I mean, additions, by date. This can help in smoking out undisclosed bundle items that snuck in with some software you agreed to install. Be suspicious of everything you do not recognize/remember, as malware often uses important or innocent sounding names to discourage you from removing it. Take out as much trash as possible here.

(2) Open Firefox's Add-ons page using either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
• in the Windows "Run" dialog, type or paste
  firefox.exe "about:addons"

In the left column, click Plugins. Set nonessential and unrecognized plugins to "Never Activate".

In the left column, click Extensions. Then, if in doubt, disable (or Remove, if possible) unrecognized and unwanted extensions. All extensions are optional; none come with Firefox.

Often 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.

Any improvement?

(3) You can search for remaining issues with the scanning/cleaning tools listed in our support article: Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware. These on-demand scanners are free and take considerable time to run. If they finish quickly and especially if they require payment, you may have a serious infection. I suggest the specialized forums listed in the article in that case.

Success?

You can check the connection settings.

• Tools > Options > Advanced > Network : Connection > Settings
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Options+window+-+Advanced+panel

If you do not need to use a proxy to connect to internet then try to select "No Proxy" if "Use the system proxy settings" or one of the others do not work properly.

See "Firefox connection settings":

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Firefox+cannot+load+websites+but+other+programs+can

I am looking at all the suggestions given... I first took the advice of downloading FireFox...uninstalled the previous one and reinstalled the new download....the results, so far, seem reasonable and helpful. with much appreciation...101ron101