Unable to search or add new engines
Unable to search
LinkScanner extension
The "XPL LinkScanner Firefox 2.6" extension can cause searches to fail [1] or Firefox may crash when using various search engines. Disable or uninstall the extension via "Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions". For more information, see the "XPL LinkScanner" entry in the Problematic extensions article.
Spyware and malware
Spyware and other malicious software (malware), including variants of the Vundo/Virtumonde trojan, can cause Google, Yahoo!, and other search engines to fail. For example, after entering search terms in Google, "Waiting for www.google.com..." may remain in the status bar and no results will be returned. Your antivirus program may not detect the malware so you should install and scan your system with an application that specializes in spyware and malware removal, such as Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, SUPERAntiSpyware and Spybot Search & Destroy. [2] [3] [4] [5] A number of online forums can help you with malware removal, including Safer Networking, Spyware Warrior, CastleCops, SpywareInfo, and AumHa Forums.
Search Bar not working and cannot add new search engines
Firefox 1.5: The problem is most likely a corrupt localstore.rdf file. See this article for a solution.
Firefox 2 and above: If the Search Bar no longer works and you can't add new search engines, the problem may be a corrupt "search.sqlite" file. [6]. Try the following solution:
- Exit Firefox and go to your Firefox profile folder.
- Delete (or rename) the file "search.sqlite".
- Re-start Firefox to see if it solves your problem.
