This is usually a problem with an extension. You can check for recently installed suspicious or unknown extensions.

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem.

• switch to the DEFAULT theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Themes
• do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Safe Mode start window

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-extensions-themes-to-fix-problems

Interesting. Started in Safe Mode - problem went bye-bye. Went into the Options and turned off "Use Hardware acceleration when available" - Same behavior.

Tried to go into "Add-ons" to check the theme and switch to the default. But when I click on "Add-ons" I only get a blank tab. Restarted FF as the admin. Same behavior. But I guess at least now I can focus on additions (If I can get to 'em)

Thanks!

Do a clean reinstall of the current Firefox release and delete the Firefox program folder before installing a fresh copy of the current Firefox release.

• download the Firefox installer and save the file to the desktop
  *https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/#product-desktop-release

If possible uninstall your current Firefox version to cleanup the Windows Registry and settings in security software.

• do NOT remove "personal data" when you uninstall the current Firefox version, because this will remove all profile folders and you lose personal data like bookmarks and passwords including personal data in profiles created by other Firefox versions

Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.

• (64-bit Firefox) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
• (32-bit Firefox) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"

• it is important to delete the Firefox program folder to remove all the files and make sure there are no problems with files that were leftover after uninstalling

Your personal data like bookmarks is stored in the Firefox profile folder, so you won't lose personal data when you reinstall or update Firefox, but make sure NOT to remove personal data when you uninstall Firefox as that will remove all Firefox profile folders and you lose your personal data.

If you keep having problems then you can create a new profile as a quick test to see if your current profile is causing the problem.

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data
• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/back-and-restore-information-firefox-profiles

Reinstall Firefox

• https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-and-diagnose-firefox-problems

Thanks man. Removed FF - the Mozilla Firefox directory was taken out with it. Reinstalled - same prob. Removed FF again and when I reinstalled - I did the refresh option and now it's back to using Google search. THANK YOU!

So now it's just a trial and error process of adding things back and pay close attention to see if/when the behavior re-appears. Thank again!!!

You're welcome.

Are there extensions installed if you check the extensions folder in the old profile ?

It appears that the "Refresh" wiped 'em out but I'm fine with that. Probably a bunch of crud in there that was ancient and I didn't really want anyhow. Had my bookmarks backed up so I'm good to go thanks to your pointer.