Where do your downloads end up instead?

If they end up in the temp folder (%temp% or %tmp%) then make sure that your security software isn't interfering.

PM: No, they don't go into temp, they just download into library

The Library only shows a list of files that you have downloaded.
You can right-click an entry in the Downloads folder in the Library and click "Open Containing Folder" to go to the actual download folder.

Is that entry enabled (i.e. not grayed, disabled)?

The entry is enabled but when I right-click on the downloaded item and go to 'open containing folder', nothing happens!

Are you using a default download location or let you Firefox ask where to save files?

• Firefox/Tools > Options > General: Downloads

Did you try to use Windows Explorer to look in the folder where the downloads should be to see if you can find the file there?

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

• Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

It is still not working, I specified the folder I wanted the item to be saved in, searched windows explorer and find files/folders but it never appeared

It is possible that anti-virus software is corrupting downloaded files or is interfering otherwise.

Try to disable the real-time (live) scanning of files in your anti-virus software temporarily to see if that makes downloading work.

See:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files
• browser.download.manager.scanWhenDone