well those toolbars come with many many programs if you do not read carefully when doing installs or updates including java, flash, and IE, many of them, in fact there is a hall of shame at COU forum listing all of the programs that now include pre selected toolbars in their install, it has nothing to do with the browser you use to do the download or install it has to do with watching what is pre checked when doing your updates or program installs and un checking any for things like toolbars. I have had to clean tons of toolbars off of peoples computers too who had never heard of firefox, only had IE. I tell people to add a second browser because it is a very good idea to always have at least 2 on the pc because as we all know IE can and does fail then leaving them no way to access the internet. Whether they select firefox, chrome or opera, it does not matter but firefox is the best known so when asking for help they will find more people that are familiar with it. All browsers have their pluses and minuses none are perfect and I have never seen anyone here say any one browser is perfect. the point to make to people who have loaded up their pc with toolbars, why this is happening to them, is to watch what they are doing! Pay attention to every single line when doing any type of install. And do not let it add unwanted items, if they are not told how it happened it will happen again. I direct them to this list Installers Hall of Shame (Unwanted add-on)

Start. Control Panel. Mouse. Choose the Buttons tab. For "Scroller", set to the following: Check the box labeled "Use MS Office compatible scroll only." Also, check the box labeled "Scroll in active window only."

Add the new browser. It's just another program and your computer doesn't care whether you have one browser or ten, and they don't interact with one another or interfere with one another. I have three browsers, and, since they have slightly different features, I occasionally have all three open at the same time. In addition, you can import all of your bookmarks into the new browser(s) from IE. There are ways to remove your current version of IE, but not typically from the Control Panel, and it may cause further problems if you do it. Leave IE alone and don't bother with it if it isn't working properly. Maybe the next update of Windows will even take care of whatever problem you have.

With my IE6, if you delete your history etc, that empties the address bar drop down list. If you wish to put some oft used addresses back in the drop down list, you must type those addresses back in the address line. Just visiting the sites wont populate the list