[TChad]

If you don't see File Edit View History etc at the top of your FF window, enable the Menu toolbar by right clicking in a gray area near the top of the FF window until you see "Menu Bar" displayed. Left click that, to enable the menu toolbar.

In the menu toolbar, click Help > About Firefox

If you are not running FF 22, you should probably update, though that may break some of your add-ons.

Then click Tools > Options

Select "When Firefox Starts Show My Home Page"

In the box after "Home Page," delete the msn.com URL and add the URL of the search engine you want to use. If you want Google, just enter

http://www.google.com

If you want Google searches without Google privacy problems, enter Startpage:

https://www.startpage.com

Or enter whatever home page you want.

[little jeremiah]

Thank you very much. I do have the “File Edit View History Bookmarks Tools Help” at the top, even when the stupid msn thing appears - and the Firefox orange circle is up there in the very L corner too. I have no idea why/how the msn thing appeared in the first place!

I will do all you suggested and see what happens, thanks.