To revert to the previous version, do the following.

Go to Download Firefox v3.6.17 and download it to the desktop.

Then go to Add/Remove Programs, scroll down to Mozilla Firefox and remove it, choosing to keep your bookmarks, customizations etc., (don't checkmark the box).

Then reboot and delete the folder called Mozilla Firefox at this location: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox

Finally run the installation file you downloaded to the desktop earlier.

Your bookmarks, customizations etc., are maintained in a different location and will become available to you again once you complete the installation.

After you complete the installation, go to the Plugins Check page and update those where necessary.

However, before you go that route, here are a few tips to make FF4 look like the previous version.

• Right click a blank part of the tab bar and click "Tabs on top" to remove the checkmark. Tabs will subsequently reappear below the search bar.
• Repeat the same steps, but click the top one called "Menu bar". This will reinstate the text links at the top.
• To rearrange the layout, repeat the same steps again and choose "Customize". A panel will open and while that remains onscreen, you can move elements like toolbars, buttons etc around and place them anywhere you wish. You can also drag anything you don't like into that panel and add anything you want by dragging it out of there.
• To replace the status bar at the foot of the page, install this add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/status-4-evar/

See screenshot. Both upper and lower views are Firefox 4.0. The above steps will make it look like the one in the top half of the picture.

Firefox 3.6.17 will be supported for a while yet, but will eventually fall by the wayside.

Basically I don't have a search engine on my start page. How can I get this? And can I print out the instructions on the comments page. As you may have detected I am not a teckie, and I could not remember all the instructions.

OK, to reset the search engine to Google, do the following.

• In the location bar, type about:config and hit Enter.
• In the filter at the top, type: keyword.URL
• Double click it and remove whatever's in there and replace it with http://www.google.com/search?q=

The URL to add in "keyword.URL" becomes a link in this post, so right click it and choose "Copy Link Location" to copy it to the Windows clipboard. Then hit CTRL+V to paste it. Saves you having to type the whole thing.

To reset your home page, do the following.

• Go to the site you want to set as your homepage.
• Click the orange Firefox button and go to Options | Options | General
• Make sure it says "Show My Homepage" in the first dropdown menu.
• Click the button called "Use Current Pages" to set the homepage to the one you have on the screen.

After you complete the above steps, install this add-on to prevent another search engine from modifying your preferences: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/browserprotect/