Help with forcing IE to use Google for search

[janisian]

On my old laptop, when I put search keywords in the bar at the top of IE, it used Google to search. On my new laptop, it uses AOL. Driving me crazy, but I can't figure out how to change it. John sent me a link
http://www.google.co.uk/options/defaults.html
which led me here
http://www.google.co.uk/options/defaults.html#default
but the regedit links don't seem to make any difference.
Suggestions?

[janisian]

Thanks for the tip, anonymous!
http://websearch.about.com/od/searchtipoftheday/qt/qt429.htm
I tried it, but when I feed stuff into my menu bar in IE, it still uses AOL for the search. Blech...

[DaveM]

Google does have a toolbar if you don't mind that sort of thing.

Failing that....welcome to the sovereign state of AOL, I guess....

[RedjackRyan]

Janis, it almost sounds like you have an AOL toolbar installed somewhere in IE, Check your Trusted Sites lists in IE (tools... Internet Options .. security .. Trusted Sites.. Sites) and see if there is an entry for anything related to AOL.

You might also try running HijackThis http://www.tomcoyote.com/hjt/ and see if it can remove the aol search.

[Amy in Vermont]

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/images/dot_transp.gifhttp://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/images/dot_transp.gifhttp://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/images/dot_transp.gifMaking Google Your Default Internet Explorer Search Engine

by Vic Ferri (http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=AuthorDetail&ID=7)http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/images/dot_transp.gifThe default search engine, when you click the Search button in Internet Explorer, is MSN Search. You can change this default to a different search engine by clicking the Customize tab, but unfortunately, Google is not included as one of your choices. However, with a little registry editing, you can easily make Google the default search engine in Internet Explorer.
Here's how:

Click Start/Run, type REGEDIT and go to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main


In the right hand pane, look for the values Search Page and Search Bar


Double click Search Page and replace the existing url with this one:
http://www.google.com


Double click Search Bar and replace the existing url with this one:
http://www.google.com/ie


Next go to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL


Double click Default in the right hand pane and replace the url with this:
http://www.google.com/keyword/%s


Finally, go to this nearby key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search


In the right hand pane, double click the value SearchAssistant and replace the existing value with this:
http://www.google.com/ie

In Windows XP and IE6, you need to disable the Search Assistant to make the change take effect. At the registray key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
...change the Use Search Asstistant value to No.
Exit the registry, and close and reopen Internet Explorer.


Click the Search button on the IE toolbar. You should now see Google, instead of MSN, pop up as your default Internet Explorer search engine.


As well, this reg edit, will result in Google being the search engine when you do a search from the Internet Explorer address bar. However, if all you want to do is change your addreess bar search engine to Google, you do not need to edit the registry, at all. You can make Google your default address bar search engine by clicking the Search button on your toolbar, then click on Customize, and choose Autosearch Settings at the bottom of the box.
In the event you would like to restore MSN as your default search engine, simply go to your IE Tools menu and click on Internet Options, then the Programs tab, and click on the Reset Web Settings button. Close and reopen Internet Explorer to see your change.

[janisian]

Thanks, everyone - Amy fixed it!!!
I hate going into RegEdit... unnerves me every time...

Redjack, that's a way cool thing. I'll run it tomorrow (on my other computer). I run Adaware pretty much every day, and have Norton (yes, I know, but it works fine for me), and they seem to catch most things between them. But it never hurts to double check.

[RedjackRyan]

Glad you found the tool useful, Janis. :)

[Amy in Vermont]

HiJack This is one of my very favorite tools.

One of our students put together a package of malware tools and other useful utilities that we use here on campu to maintain machines.

It includes, among others, SpyBoy Search & Destroy. Ad-aware, HiJack This, CWShredder and a cookie & history cleaner. It can be run manually or automatically. For us, ir provides one-stop shopping with fixes for 905% of the "user" caused problems we see.

[Bat]

I just dragged the heart from google up into the AOL toolbar at the top of the screen, chose an icon (red book) and named it Google. The Google search page comes up with no AoL references to it. Of course, I'm working out of AOL to begin with, not IE. Works for me.