Try the search reset

• https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/searchreset/

Type about:config and filter > browser.newtab.url and change the value as "google.com"

Start Firefox in Safe Mode to check if one of the extensions (Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Extensions) or if hardware acceleration is causing the problem (switch to the DEFAULT theme: Firefox/Tools > Add-ons > Appearance).

• Do NOT click the Reset button on the Safe Mode start window.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Safe+Mode
• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

It sounds like you have a third party program that has taken over your search engine, home page, and/or the default new tab page. Fortunately, this can be remedied easily:

1. At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP), and then click Add-ons. The Add-ons Manager tab will open.
2. In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Extensions panel.
3. Select the toolbar you wish to remove.
4. Click the remove button.
5. Click "Restart now" if it pops up. Your tabs will be saved and restored after the restart.

After Firefox restarts, install the Search Reset Tool. This will remove the rest of the traces of this program from your Firefox.

For further information, please read Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page.

Did this fix the problem? Let us know!

I am running Firefox 28.0 under Windows 7

What I did to fix this most annoying problem was as follows:

I went into TOOLS and ADD-ONS and turned off all of my add-ons I then restarted Firefox. Oh joy no problem with NEW TAB

I then turned on each add-on, one at a time, and restarted Firefox after each one. No NEW TAB problems

I ended up with three addons that were not turned on because I did not need them and I do not know where they came from or how they got onto my PC. All was well with no NEW TAB problems.

The three addons not turned on were as follows: MySearchDial Snap.do Value Apps

Note that I still have an active Yahoo Toolbar

MySearchDial and Snap.do are considered as malware, so you should uninstall them.

• http://malwaretips.com/blogs/start-mysearchdial-removal/
• http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2013/01/remove-snap-do.html

Many thanks Cor-el.

I have now removed them completely.