I gave up on the toolbar, it was just too annoying, but I do miss it a lot back in the days when it worked - I hope there is a solution! The strange thing is that, even though I deselected the tick on the toolbar in the menu, it seemed to select itself again, so it keeps coming up as just a blank space (since I transferred my bookmarks to the pop up menu). Weird!

I gave up on the toolbar, it was just too annoying, but I do miss it a lot back in the days when it worked - I hope there is a solution! The strange thing is that, even though I deselected the tick on the toolbar in the menu, it seemed to select itself again, so it keeps coming up as just a blank space (since I transferred my bookmarks to the pop up menu). Weird!

IIRC Avast does not really support Firefox properly, and quite possibly bundles addons that do not work with Firefox maybe that is part of the problem. You did not list your Firefox extensions when posting this question.

Temporarily disable or uninstall Avast. Install the free MSE because you will still need AV protection, and test Firefox using Firefox's safemode. Does it work ok now ?

• Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode
• MSE http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/security-essentials-download

Folks on the Avast forum didn't seem to think that Avast would be the problem, so this goes around in circles! I have tried disabling anything that could be causing the problem already, with no success unfortunately.

Hi again Shetlaenderin ,
Sorry you still have problems.

Maybe it is going in circles but I see no confirmation that you have tried all this at once with Firefox

1. Use Firefox Safe Mode
2. Disable all plugins, including disabling, or better still temporarily uninstalling Avast and Avast related software.
   • State whether disabled or uninstalled please
   • It seems quite plausible such software could retain some activity even if apparently disabled.
3. Additionally if the above fails please try again with that configuration but this time starting in Windows safe mode.
   http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/start-computer-safe-mode#start-computer-safe-mode=windows-7

It is an unusual problem you have. Let's remove as many factors as possible that could be involved in causing this. If the cause of the problem is still present resetting things may not work.

There have been suggestions addons can cause this problem, but we do not even know all the add-ons you are using. IIRC Avast & associated software has also been known to cause Firefox problems.

Just to be clear it may help if you post screenshots of the problem so we are sure we are all talking about the same symptom. It should be possible to post a screenshot showing the absent bookmarks toolbar and the option indicating it is selected.

Of course the bookmarks toolbar behaves normally for me, and presumably nearly all other users of Firefox.

• How to make screenshots
• How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

You may also be interested in looking at this solved and well read thread

• Bookmarks disappeared from bookmarks toolbar /questions/969619

although the problem there seems slightly different from what I initially thought your problem was.

As you have now said

The strange thing is that, even though I deselected the tick on the toolbar in the menu, it seemed to select itself again, so it keeps coming up as just a blank space (since I transferred my bookmarks to the pop up menu). Weird! 

Maybe you have given up on fixing this issue for now, but it may help if you put something in that menu so you can tell if it is working. Just add any bookmark or even an empty bookmarks folder in to the Bookmarks toolbar otherwise you may never know whether or not it is working.

davidabrux

Please

1. Start your own thread by asking a new question.
   • Use /questions/new
2. Follow the prompts to provide full trouble shooting information.
   (There is a green button and an add-on to automate that task.)
3. Post back afterwards in this thread to confirm you have done that.

There have been quite a few similar reports, but unless we can reproduce the problem no one from Mozilla is likely to be able to investigate it. Apparently it is something only affecting a small minority of Firefox users.

Shetlaenderin

Presumably even David's workaround does not work for you.

clicked on 'Customize' and it was there. Just grab it (left click and hold down) (if you haven't got icons and text displayed its the grey square with a star in it) and drag it back to the Customize Toolbar box. Since then, my Bookmarks Toolbar has loaded every time (must have Bookmarks Toolbar ticked - right click in toolbar area to display options). 

If that works at least we can see something about what is happening & even if we do not know why it happens yet we can understand why bookmarks are not seen on the bookmarks toolbar.

P.S.

• Another thread mentioning security related addons causing the toolbar to disappear
  Bookmarks Toolbar disappears with Norton Toolbar /questions/967452

These problems only occur when I have my Norton Toolbar enabled. If I disable the Norton Toolbar, Firefox will remember my preferences each time I shut down. It opens exactly as it should with Norton's Toolbar disabled. 

Already mentioned but to reset the toolbars etc follow instructions in

• Changes to toolbars and window sizes are not saved

John99, your notation about the Norton Toolbar made me think...I am also having this problem and I know Avast also has a security toolbar which is a plugin. So I went to FF plugins and disabled it. Everything got better and so far I haven't had any more toolbar problems. So if you are using Avast and Firefox, try disabling the security toolbar plugin.

PS I am using Windows XP but I'm not so sure it makes any difference.

Toolbars and utilities bundled with AntiVirus etc security programs often cause problems with Firefox.

dwkinsey

Whilst you have confirmed that Avast can cause this problem we have not yet solved the solved the problem for Shetlaenderin, the Question owner.

Shetlaenderin

You said the Avast forum does not think Avast causes problems, but

• Have you tried disabling the Avast related plugins ?
• What did you disable ?
• Do you have an Avast Security toolbar ?
• Does that help ?
  You may need to restart Firefox to see any effect.

I will add a note to the Original post to the effect that Norton & Avast software have been known to cause this issue.

I don't have any Avast toolbar or plugins I'm afraid.

I have so little time at the moment, and I'm no computer whiz, which doesn't help, as this seems a rather complex issue. So I'm just going to have to give up on the toolbar and content myself with the 'old fashioned' bookmarks menu. Sorry folks, and thank you.

Just a thought have you tried the bookmarks sidebar.

That may be a convenient method of seeing bookmarks, including ones in the bookmarks toolbar. Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+B is one method of opening that.

I have this problem, and believe I found the cause on my machine - at least for now. The bookmarks toolbar on my Firefox only disappears after I run PC Tools Performance Toolkit |Privacy | Clear Your Browsing History. Other than that action, nothing else seems to make it disappear - not closing and re-opening Firefox - not restarting my computer. If you have any application that cleans your browsing history, try isolating the problem by running it / diabling it in conjunction with restars of Firefox and operating system. I hope this helps someone.