Remove 'Download Windows Search' line from IE8

How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search to
improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar in Internet
Explorer 8?
I won't install Search 4.0 - my machine will hardly take indexing search -
it's 3-years old and not of the fastest on Earth.

"Kamen" <Kamen@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B8E3A8A2-C673-4E96-8A17-C7C4AF2B2190@microsoft.com...
> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search to
> improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar in
> Internet
> Explorer 8?
> I won't install Search 4.0 - my machine will hardly take indexing search -
> it's 3-years old and not of the fastest on Earth.

It requires a Registry Tweak to remove it:

Copy and paste the following into the Run box and click OK:

REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search" /v CurrentVersion /t REG_SZ
/d 99 /f

As always it's best to back up any Registry Key before making changes.
Before making the above mentioned change, use the Registry Editor to Export
the following Key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search

Save it to your Desktop as "WindowsSearch.reg"

You can use it to restore the Registry should anything go wrong.

Good luck,

Donald Anadell

Kamen wrote:

> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search to
> improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar in
> Internet Explorer 8?
> I won't install Search 4.0 - my machine will hardly take indexing search -
> it's 3-years old and not of the fastest on Earth.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968513
"Internet Explorer 8 may prompt you with the following message when you type
inside the Address bar: "Download Windows Search to improve history and
favorites results".

--
Vincenzo Di Russo
Microsoft® MVP - Most Valuable Professional since 2003
Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Desktop Experience & Security
My MVP Profile: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Vincenzo
My Blog: http://blogs.dotnethell.it/vincent/

Donald Anadell wrote:

> Kamen wrote ...
>>
>> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search
>> to improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar
>> in Internet Explorer 8?
>
> It requires a Registry Tweak to remove it. Copy and paste the
> following [as 1 line but shown below in 2 lines] into the Run box and
> click OK:
>
> REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search" /v CurrentVersion /t
> REG_SZ /d 99 /f
>
> As always it's best to back up any Registry Key before making
> changes. Before making the above mentioned change, use the Registry
> Editor to Export the following Key:
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search
>
> Save it to your Desktop as "WindowsSearch.reg" You can use it to
> restore the Registry should anything go wrong.

So, in the registry, this lies that Windows Search is installed (and at
version 99) when, in fact, it is not installed. Wouldn't lying about
the presence of Windows Search cause problems in applications, including
those in Windows, that would then believe Windows Search was installed?

"VanguardLH" <V@nguard.LH> wrote in message
news:gq51uv$t8i$1@news.motzarella.org...
> Donald Anadell wrote:
>
>> Kamen wrote ...
>>>
>>> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search
>>> to improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar
>>> in Internet Explorer 8?
>>
>> It requires a Registry Tweak to remove it. Copy and paste the
>> following [as 1 line but shown below in 2 lines] into the Run box and
>> click OK:
>>
>> REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search" /v CurrentVersion /t
>> REG_SZ /d 99 /f
>>
>> As always it's best to back up any Registry Key before making
>> changes. Before making the above mentioned change, use the Registry
>> Editor to Export the following Key:
>>
>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search
>>
>> Save it to your Desktop as "WindowsSearch.reg" You can use it to
>> restore the Registry should anything go wrong.
>
> So, in the registry, this lies that Windows Search is installed (and at
> version 99) when, in fact, it is not installed.

> Wouldn't lying about
> the presence of Windows Search cause problems in applications, including
> those in Windows, that would then believe Windows Search was installed?

I wouldn't think so VanguardLH, since "Windows Search" is an add-on
application in Windows XP. I can't think of any XP Operating System
functionality that would be impacted by this Registry Tweak. Of course Vista
and Windows 7 come with Windows Search installed by default, so the nag in
IE8 about installing it is a moot point for those operating systems.

Having said that, I've been known to be wrong before. But for now that's my
story and I'm sticking to it)

Donald Anadell

Did the trick yesterday and no problems so far...
Though I use Search 4 at work and on my laptop and I am with mixed feelings
- unstable but quite fast and convinient. So, I'd advise people to install
it, in case they consider the Indexing service won't slow down their
machines...

"VanguardLH" wrote:

> Donald Anadell wrote:
>
> > Kamen wrote ...
> >>
> >> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search
> >> to improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar
> >> in Internet Explorer 8?
> >
> > It requires a Registry Tweak to remove it. Copy and paste the
> > following [as 1 line but shown below in 2 lines] into the Run box and
> > click OK:
> >
> > REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search" /v CurrentVersion /t
> > REG_SZ /d 99 /f
> >
> > As always it's best to back up any Registry Key before making
> > changes. Before making the above mentioned change, use the Registry
> > Editor to Export the following Key:
> >
> > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search
> >
> > Save it to your Desktop as "WindowsSearch.reg" You can use it to
> > restore the Registry should anything go wrong.
>
> So, in the registry, this lies that Windows Search is installed (and at
> version 99) when, in fact, it is not installed. Wouldn't lying about
> the presence of Windows Search cause problems in applications, including
> those in Windows, that would then believe Windows Search was installed?
>

Really, dude, do you thnink this article is anywhere near useful in case I
want the line removed and Search not installed?

"Vincenzo Di Russo [MVP]" wrote:

> Kamen wrote:
>
> > How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search to
> > improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar in
> > Internet Explorer 8?
> > I won't install Search 4.0 - my machine will hardly take indexing search -
> > it's 3-years old and not of the fastest on Earth.
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968513
> "Internet Explorer 8 may prompt you with the following message when you type
> inside the Address bar: "Download Windows Search to improve history and
> favorites results".
>
> --
> Vincenzo Di Russo
> Microsoft® MVP - Most Valuable Professional since 2003
> Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Desktop Experience & Security
> My MVP Profile: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Vincenzo
> My Blog: http://blogs.dotnethell.it/vincent/
>
>

Kamen wrote:

> Really, dude, do you thnink this article is anywhere near useful in case I
> want the line removed and Search not installed?

Please, feel free to ignore my post.

--
Vincenzo Di Russo
Microsoft® MVP - Most Valuable Professional since 2003
Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Desktop Experience & Security
My MVP Profile: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Vincenzo
My Blog: http://blogs.dotnethell.it/vincent/

> "Vincenzo Di Russo [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Kamen wrote:
>>
>>> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows Search to
>>> improve history and favorites results' line from the address bar in
>>> Internet Explorer 8?
>>> I won't install Search 4.0 - my machine will hardly take indexing
>>> search - it's 3-years old and not of the fastest on Earth.
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968513
>> "Internet Explorer 8 may prompt you with the following message when you
>> type inside the Address bar: "Download Windows Search to improve history
>> and favorites results".
>>
>> --
>> Vincenzo Di Russo
>> Microsoft® MVP - Most Valuable Professional since 2003
>> Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Desktop Experience & Security
>> My MVP Profile: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Vincenzo
>> My Blog: http://blogs.dotnethell.it/vincent/

Donald Anadell wrote:

> VanguardLH wrote ...
>>
>> Donald Anadell wrote:
>>
>>> Kamen wrote ...
>>>>
>>>> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows
>>>> Search to improve history and favorites results' line from the
>>>> address bar in Internet Explorer 8?
>>>
>>> It requires a Registry Tweak to remove it. ...
>>>
>>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search
>>
>> So, in the registry, this lies that Windows Search is installed (and
>> at version 99) when, in fact, it is not installed. Wouldn't lying
>> about the presence of Windows Search cause problems in applications,
>> including those in Windows, that would then believe Windows Search
>> was installed?
>
> I wouldn't think so VanguardLH, since "Windows Search" is an add-on
> application in Windows XP. ...

Isn't that same registry entry used by the Windows Search *program*?
How do you get the add-on without installing the program? As with
Adobe Reader, you install the *program* to also include its add-on.
You can't just get the add-on (because it is just a handler to pass the
document to the server engine which is the program).

Windows Search 4.0 for Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...3-5b98904f7cda

"VanguardLH" <V@nguard.LH> wrote in message
news:gq8v1k$iv8$1@news.motzarella.org...
> Donald Anadell wrote:
>
>> VanguardLH wrote ...
>>>
>>> Donald Anadell wrote:
>>>
>>>> Kamen wrote ...
>>>>>
>>>>> How can I remove the annoyingly irritating 'Download Windows
>>>>> Search to improve history and favorites results' line from the
>>>>> address bar in Internet Explorer 8?
>>>>
>>>> It requires a Registry Tweak to remove it. ...
>>>>
>>>> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search
>>>
>>> So, in the registry, this lies that Windows Search is installed (and
>>> at version 99) when, in fact, it is not installed. Wouldn't lying
>>> about the presence of Windows Search cause problems in applications,
>>> including those in Windows, that would then believe Windows Search
>>> was installed?
>>
>> I wouldn't think so VanguardLH, since "Windows Search" is an add-on
>> application in Windows XP. ...
>

> Isn't that same registry entry used by the Windows Search *program*?

Yes, but that Reg key is put there by the IE8 installation on a Windows XP
machine if you don't have Windows Search installed already. Presumably so
that it can nag you about installing Windows Search in order to utilize the
new Smart Address Bar feature.

If:
1. You don't want to use the new Smart Address Feature in IE8 on your
Windows XP installation.
2. You don't want to install Windows Search on Windows XP in order to
facilitate that new Feature.
3. You don't want to be nagged about about installing Windows Search in the
Address Bar.

Then adding the String Value of "CurrenVersion" with a Data Value of "99"
will remove that nag in the Address Bar about installing Windows Search.

> How do you get the add-on without installing the program?

You don't, but that's precisely what the OP wants. He doesn't want to
install Windows Search and he doesn't want to be nagged about installing it
either.

> As with
> Adobe Reader, you install the *program* to also include its add-on.

That's correct, but in this case the user doesn't want to install the add-on
and doesn't want to be nagged about it either. If he doesn't install
Windows Search then he just doesn't get the indexing of History and
Favorites in the Smart Address bar.

Donald Anadell



> You can't just get the add-on (because it is just a handler to pass the
> document to the server engine which is the program).
>
> Windows Search 4.0 for Windows XP
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...3-5b98904f7cda