Having the same problems as others with V31.0, Have tried most suggestions with same results: No change. When is Mozilla going to correct this problem?

Question

Starts with blank tab page.
Clicking on homepage icon brings up default homepage.
At start up there is blank bookmarks toolbar. Bookmarks toolbar is checked. Un-checking same & re--checking brings up correct toolbar.
Cannot go to a link from email if FF has not started. Blank tab page comes up.
FF starts on it's own.

Answer 1

Is your Windows 8.1 a home version, Pro version, or Enterprise version? I think the problem might be occurring with all 3, actually.
Based on the "new profile test" it appears to be caused by a setting or other profile-specific data/file/add-on, but I don't think we have tracked down which one it is.
I'm not sure about that last point: "FF starts on its own." What does that mean? Often this can indicate malware on your system that is sending a URL to your default browser, either based on a system event or on a timer.
Do you want to try the new profile test? Since it takes quite a bit of work to move your data and add-ons to the new profile, you might decide it isn't worth pursuing, but here's how you would get started if you want to try it.
To test how Firefox runs "uncustomized" on your system, could you do a two-minute experiment?
'''Create a new Firefox profile'''
A new profile will have your system-installed plugins (e.g., Flash) and extensions (e.g., security suite toolbars), but no themes, other extensions, or other customizations. It also should have completely fresh settings databases and a fresh cache folder.
Exit Firefox and start up in the Profile Manager using Start > Run (home screen with the small icons, or Window key+R):
firefox.exe -P
''Don't delete anything here.'' Any time you want to switch profiles, exit Firefox and return to this dialog.
Click the Create Profile button, choose a name like Aug19, and skip the option to change the folder location. Then start Firefox in the new profile you created.
If you set your preferred home page, exit Firefox and start up again, are all of those problems with your regular profile solved?
When returning to the Profile Manager, you might be tempted to use the Delete Profile button. But... it's a bit too easy to accidentally delete your "real" profile, so I recommend resisting the temptation. If you do want to clean up later, I suggest making a backup of all your profiles first in case something were to go wrong.
If you want to move data to your new profile, this article is a good place to start: [[Recovering important data from an old profile]].