So you now have two separate profiles. Do you get this problem in each of the profiles or only one of them ?

Presumably you have read Downloads window is blank
did you try the troubleshooting step at the end of that article and try in Firefox Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode Does it work in Safe Mode ?
it should work in Safe Mode, I have Firefox 3.6 & 4 installed on a 32 bit XP and have no problem with the downloading.

If Firefox is not downloading in Safe Mode also take a look at What to do if you can't download or save files see if you can get it working again in safe mode. One possibility as mentioned in that article is that security software is interfering with the downloads.

I tried safe mode but problem persists no matter which profile i chose. Browser downloads all files but names of those files appear in Downloads Window only if it's open. After closing it names of downloaded files are lost :(

It is easy for me to explain things badly, and I can not see what you are actually doing, I will therfore try to list as steps to take.

Please confirm that you have used firefox safe mode and still see the problem, by doing the following:

1. open firefox - use any profile
2. use Firefoxbutton -> Help -> Restart with add-ons disabled
3. you should now see an options dialogue with a list of check box options,
   • you may get a confirmation option, if so accept it
   • do you now see the listing of check boxes, with a continue button at the bottom
4. without making any changes, click the continue with safemode
5. firefox should now restart in safe-mode

Now try the downloading, whilst we know you are in safe mode.

1. once a download has completed, use the option to open the containing folder that you see in your download manager
   1. does that option work ok,
   2. does it open a folder with downloads in it, make a note of the folders path/location/name
   3. do you see the downloaded file you just downloaded
   4. if so regardless of what the downloads folder says you have found the downloads
   5. close firefox and the folders with the downloads
   6. are you now able to reopen the 'containing' folder and find the downloads
      ( use Windows Explorer, not clicking on firefox, - firefox is closed)
   7. close the folder again
   8. open firefox, this time no need to be in safe mode
   9. look again for the containing folder whose name you noted down, does it still contain the downloads
2. IF you are getting problems now that you are in safe mode read the article about What to do if you can't download or save files
   1. the article has several steps it suggests you try,
   2. please try all the steps in turn and report what happens with each step

Thanks for trying to help me, I did everything as you wrote here.

1. opened Firefox
2. restarted in safe mode (left the check boxes blank)
3. downloaded my avatar from this site. Downloads Window has opened without showing anything.
4. then I've downloaded your avatar while Downloads Window remained open and this time your avatar's name appeared there.
5. I've right clicked your avatar name in Downloads Window, then I have chosen "open containing folder" and folder with downloaded files has opened (location of my directory for downloaded files is D:\Temp) I have found both of downloaded avatars there. Note that only your avatar's name has appeared in Downloads Window because that window was open when I was downloading your avatar, but it was closed when I started downloading mine.
6. I've closed Firefox
7. opened folder with downloaded avatars (D:\Temp), avatars were still there.
8. I've closed D:\Temp folder
9. opened firefox. Opened Downloads Window from button -> downloads. It was blank.
10. I've opened D:\Temp folder on my computer and it still contained downloaded avatars.

So my problem is that name of downloading file does not appear in Downloads Window if that window is closed before I start downloading a file and Firefox doesn't store names of downloaded files.

Not much progress but at least we have determined that the downloads are downloading and being retained.

What is the (D:\Temp)

• is it some temporary or removable drive, that may well be the problem
• try another location, and another drive

So the problem is apparently with the downloads.sqlite, or how firefox handles that, if it is able to find it.

Other ideas:

You said that you have set Firefox to remember History presumably

• Options -> | Privacy| History - firefox will - Remember history
• TRY Options ->|Privacy|History - Firefox will -
  • "Use custom settings for history" [x] Remember download history
    that should be checked / ticked, and click [ok]

It is also worth checking if any cleanup utilities or anything are clearing folders.

Try another folder, maybe even something is clearing anything in files or paths named Temp.

D: it's a logical drive on my hard disk, Temp folder is created by me. I have tried other locations too, nothing helped. My browser is set to "use custom settings for history" and "remember download history". I've forgot to say that when Downloads Window is open and downloading files are displayed there it shows no information about file size or estimated time before downloading ends. It only shows progress bars during the download, nothing more. Name appears only when file is fully downloaded. So what should that mean?!.

Sorry I will have to leave this to more knowledgeable persons I have run out of ideas.
(presumably you did try reset controls etc whilst entering Safe Mode)

Hope someone finds a solution.

Thanks anyway... maybe you know someone who could help...

See:

• Tools > Options > Privacy > History: "Remember download history"

@Cor-el "Remember download history"

I think that may have been tried, it was mentioned in the Original Post, and again later by myself and itsnousenow