So not sure if its a problem with the windows OS or just that google.com does not like users from canada browsing it. But so after a fresh install of Vista Enterprise 64 bit on my computer and after installing Firefox or IE , the search box just kept redirecting me to Google.com instead of Google.ca. Maybe Firefox has no addon for google.ca ? Either ways, got frustrated so decided to hack my hosts file found at
Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ folder
Editing the hosts file with wordpad I added the following line to it after the line ::1 localhost
74.125.91.104 google.com
Now that ip before google.com is the one i got after pinging google.com to do so and grab the ip you go to for google.ca search go to >start>run(or search now) > type cmd and hit return.
Now in the cmd window (the black window) type ping google.ca and look at the ip you see for google.ca , now this is the IPNUMBER
Now edit the hosts file and insert this line THEIPNUMBER google.com to the last line you see in that file. So it looks something like
74.125.91.104 google.com
This little trick should also help those from different regions and using firefox search option and having timeout or non-working google.com. Simple ping the google domain you go to for your searches and insert its ip before google.com in the hosts file and you shall have search capabilities once again from within Firefox or IE itself.
