As long as you are going to the official Firefox web site (see below), you're fine. There are so many people downloading Firefox that they've established numerous worldwide "mirror" sites to spread the load around. That's why you see the variety of web addresses, but they're all offering the same file. Go ahead and download it...it's a nice improvement over the version you're using. If you're really nervous about this, you can always scan the file with your antivirus after you save the file and before you install it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Firefox3

what you should do is on your current firefox browser click on Help then click on the check for updates item, that should trigger your firefox to look for updates and pop up telling you if there are updates, if so you can click directly there to allow updates, now if it is also updating add ons or themes you may see other names show up from the location it is updating those items from. if you are getting your update from that update box that came up when you hit updates you should be fine.

Another way to get it to update is to click on what is called the throbber it is that round circle of dotted lines in the very top right corner, it will start to spin and then inform you of updates.

First, congratulations on being observant of what is being installed on your PC and where it is coming from! :-)

In this case, you would be okay to download the Firefox update. The instructions on the Firefox download instructions are incorrect as it does say to click Run. But, there will not be a "Run" option, only "Save" or "Cancel".

As you noted, each time you click to download, the mirror site changes. This is to load balance the servers, to maximize the download speeds and availability.

While you certainly can, and some say should, use the "check updates" under Help, by default Firefox will periodically check for updates. This is what happened to you.

Firefox detected the update availability and prompted you to download. Of course, you can cancel or reject the update. You accepted and received the Firefox download web page (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/products/download.html?product=firefox-3.0.4&os=winâ©=en-US)

Although the instructions say "Start the process by clicking Run", the option to "Save" is correct. In today's world, it is not safe to "run" an install directly. Always select "Save" if given the option.

Hope this helps...
:-)
--majickmann

i get that pop up window also using vista home premium os mozilla 2.0.0.18

i'm afraid to upgrade to version 3. will i lose my favorites? i have A LOT!

i have some add ons or plug ins (not sure if both) and i don't recall what ones, will i lose them?

does version 3 look or act different? i really don't want things to not work or behave differently. this is a new pc, custom built 4/2008 and i had them put version 2 on, any ver 2 updates i do.

i'm just afraid of messing up things and having to struggle to make things work that used to but now don't! when is the cut off for version 2? wasn't it around early december 2008?

tom

you should not lose anything it is just an update version you should be able to just go to the update button on your current firefox and check for updates then select to allow it to update, you will have to shut down and restart firefox once it is done, there are some differences but not that major and there are ways to change the things to look like they did in 2.0 there is a thread on here somewhere that I put a lot of links on to make those changes. (you can search for it)

they are ending support for version 2 in the very near future (weeks) so everyone should begin to read up on it and plan on the update.

there are a few add ons that are not yet compatible with 3 but 3 has been out so long now that many have already become compatible.

I always back up at least my favorites file before doing a version update and sometimes my profile also, to do your favs back up just go to bookmarks, organize bookmarks, click on export, it will open up your storage area on your pc simple save the bookmarks file to some place on your pc or on your desktop where you will remember where it is, that way should anything go wrong you have your bookmarks file right there saved to put into the new version.

That is why I really like the add-on foxmarks, it saves all your bookmarks to online, you have a free account, you can log in to it from any where and have access to all your favs, and if you should ever have something happen to your firefox everything is still right there on your foxmarks account and can be synced right back to your browser, and every time you add a new bookmark foxmarks syncs up with the online one and puts them there also.

Profiles
How to Back up Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird

this is an older article but shows some of the differences
Review of some changes in Firefox 3

one of the big differences is the URL bar on 3 if you don't like it you can change that too
Firefox 3: Make Address Bar Behave Like Firefox 2

Hi Tom...

Any add-ons or plug-ins that are not compatible with FF3 will no longer work. However, newer versions of add-ons/plug-ins are created fairly quick.

So, even if something "breaks", it probably won't be for long.

When I go to Tools, Add-ons, it shows me the RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin is not compatible with FF 3.0.4. So, I know about it. Even if FireFox doesn't tell about a new version, I will check periodically.

There are other add-ons that initially were not compatible, but a new version that is compatible has been installed.

These links have more information on the new features:

http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/features/

I haven't had any issues with FF upgrades on more than 10 pc/laptops. But, there is always a first time. ;-)

If you have access to a second system, perhaps you could load/upgrade FireFox on it. Compare and verify that your favorite add-ons still work. Or, if you have access to a system with Firefox already upgraded, go to the add-ons site. If you attempt to install an add-on that is not compatible, there will be at least a warning. Don't think it will allow you to install the add-on, if that is the case.

Hope this helps...
:-)
--majickmann

thanks a lot guys i appreciate it. every time i'm online i'm getting the firefox ver 3 upgrade window so i assumed they were getting so pushy cuz ver 2 is being dropped soon. sounds like it is no big deal so i guess i'll do it. i'll save my favs 1st that seems prudent. i'd hate to lose them. i'll have to check out the foxmarks!

tom

just did it, exported favorites to a floppy disk (yeah i know but i have a floppy built into this pc as i have a lot backed up on floppys and i never bought any cds, besides a cd is not erasable and a floppy is, my files are small so don't need a cd to hold data). so i have a new copy of bookmarks as they've changed a lot since april, especially in the past month!

the download and update took about 3 minutes on 768 kbs dsl. i hardly see any differences, went smooth. i'll have to learn about tags sounds interesting. thanks.

tom