See:

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Downloads+window

Are you remembering downloads?

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

Hi Cor-el,

Thanks for the suggestion but all that you have suggested is already there. I have tried downloading to a different folder but the result is the same. IO can see the Download panel with what should have downloaded but I can't find any of the files and when I right click on any files, the 'open' option is greyed out.

Macnoon

If Open and Open Containing Folder in the right-click context menu in the Download Manager window are grayed then that means that the file is no longer in the original download location.
It is possible that your anti-virus software is corrupting the downloaded files or otherwise interfering with downloading files by Firefox.
Try to disable the real-time (live) scanning of files in your anti-virus software temporarily to see if that makes downloading work.

See "Disable virus scanning in Firefox preferences - Windows"

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

Hi cor-el

Thanks for another suggestion. That did not work but I have done another system restore this time going back 6 weeks and it appears that the problem has now gone away. I also had an IE9 problem with downloading and an APPCRASH when trying to load hotmail. This all now works.

I have no clue what happened to cause the problem in the first place but there did not appear to be any resolution other than the sledge hammer to crack a nut by an old system backup.