-> Update ALL your Firefox Plug-ins https://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/

-> go to View Menu -> Toolbars -> unselect All Unwanted toolbars

-> go Tools Menu -> Clear Recent History -> Time range to clear: select EVERYTHING -> click Details (small arrow) button -> place Checkmarks on Cookies & Cache -> click "Clear Now"

-> go to Tools Menu -> Options -> General -> place Checkmark on "Show the Downloads window when downloading a file" -> select Radio Button option2 "Always ask me where to save files"

-> go to Tools Menu -> Options -> Content -> place Checkmarks on:

1) Block Pop-up windows 2) Load images automatically 3) Enable JavaScript

-> go to Tools Menu -> Options -> Privacy -> History section -> Firefox will: select "Use custom settings for history" -> REMOVE Checkmark from "Permanent Private Browsing mode" -> place CHECKMARKS on:

1) Remember my Browsing History 2) Remember Download History 3) Remember Search History 4) Accept Cookies from sites -> select "Exceptions..." button -> Click "Remove All Sites" at the bottom of "Exception - Cookies" window

  4a) Accept Third-party Cookies -> under "Keep Until" select "They Expire"

-> REMOVE CHECKMARK from CLEAR HISTORY WHEN FIREFOX CLOSES

-> go to Tools Menu -> Options -> Security -> place Checkmarks on:

1) Warn me when sites try to install add-ons 2) Block reported attack sites 3) Block reported web forgeries 4) Remember Passwords for sites

-> Click OK on Options window

-> click the Favicon (small drop down menu icon) on Firefox SearchBar (its position is on the Right side of the Address Bar) -> click "Manage Search Engines" -> select all Unwanted Search Engines and click Remove -> click OK

-> go to Tools Menu -> Add-ons -> Extensions section -> REMOVE All Unwanted/Suspicious Extensions (Add-ons) -> Restart Firefox

You can enable your Known & Trustworthy Add-ons later. Check and tell if its working.

Most of that stuff seems unrelated to my problem, which item actually needs to be done?

LoL :D

-> go to Tools Menu -> Options -> General -> place Checkmark on "Show the Downloads window when downloading a file" -> select Radio Button option2 "Always ask me where to save files" -> Click OK on Options window

If you want to Remove an item from the Downloads List, Right-click the particular items and click "Remove from List".

When you click "Clear List" button at the bottom of the Downloads Window, OFCOURSE it will clear all the items from the list :-P

Check and tell if its working.

OK, Those were basically my settings before. But I unchecked and then re-checked and the behavior persists. It asks me where to put the file I confirm the download location, then it shows the download in the downloads list until it is complete and then removes it from the list so that the list is null again after the download. Any help will be appreciated. thanks

-> go to Tools Menu -> Options -> Privacy -> History section -> Firefox will: select "Use custom settings for history" -> REMOVE Checkmark from "Permanent Private Browsing mode" -> place CHECKMARKS on:

1) Remember my Browsing History 2) Remember Download History 3) Remember Search History 4) Accept Cookies from sites -> select "Exceptions..." button -> Click "Remove All Sites" at the bottom of "Exception - Cookies" window

 4a) Accept Third-party Cookies -> under "Keep Until" select "They Expire"

-> REMOVE CHECKMARK from CLEAR HISTORY WHEN FIREFOX CLOSES

-> Click OK on Options window

Check and tell if its working.

I changed to Custom History, but the browser changed it right back after closing and reopening. I wonder if this behavior / problem has anything to do with the fact that I am using a firefox that is customized by my IT department? BTW changing what settings I was able to did not clear the problem.

Preferences are not saved

https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Preferences%20are%20not%20saved?s=preferences+no+saved&as=s

You basically need this setting:

• Tools > Options > Privacy > Firefox will: "Use custom settings for history" > "Remember download history"

Firefox shows the "Remember History" setting if all history settings have the default value.

If that is already selected then try to delete the file downloads.sqlite in the Profile Folder

See:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Unable_to_save_or_download_files#Manually_delete_download_history

Found the problem to be the security settings imposed by my company. Apparently something caused it to pick up the settings all of a sudden. Thanks for the help here.