Get Rid of “Download Windows Search to improve history and favorites results”
IE 8 is an arguably successful IE upgrade, but there are some annoying issues hanging around.
One of them would be the endless prompt of “Download Windows Search to improve history and favorites results” if you didn’t have Windows Search installed on your computer while using IE 8.
Microsoft had provided a solution over their support page.
Redmond giants decided that you are in need of Windows Search, so that you got two options here to eliminate the prompt by either downloading the latest Windows Search or enabling it if you had it in systems.
What if I don’t need whatsoever Windows Search, and I don’t need any prompt of “Downloading”?
Unfortunately, in that case, you have to wait seven days after the first time you clicked on that prompt, which will transfer you to a page providing extra explanation, claimed by Microsoft on that page. That means, if you never click that prompt, you’d have that as long as you are using IE 8.
So how to get rid of such a ignorant and arrogant prompt which is totally unnecessary?
Two ways to do that.
a. Open command prompt with administrative privilege, key in this as one.
[REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search" /v CurrentVersion /t REG_SZ /d 99 /f ]
This fakes that Windows Search is installed and up running, so that system won’t check it any more.
I have tried this method on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 with Windows Search removed, and this works on all platforms.
b. However, sometimes method a doesn’t work on Windows Search 2008 R2. Now the only way to disable it is by disabling the content auto complete.
It might be difficult for some people to live without the auto complete, [not for me, I’m enjoying the tidiness of the setting].
If you cannot stand having to key in the web address every time, you better click on the prompt quick and early, then count for 7 days, after which time, everything should be fine. Fury over Microsoft if not.
This post has 10 comments
May 20th, 2009
Thanks! Works perfectly. I cannot understand that Microsoft is allowed to do stupid things like this in order to compete with Google. Obviously, the anti-trust laws of US are not working.
May 22nd, 2009
You said what I wanna! Matt.
June 3rd, 2009
Brilliant!
June 10th, 2009
Mattiasw is sooo correct. We lost any anti-trust functionality when the last administration “disabled” anti-trust. Instead of a Public Servant who would look out for the interests of the people, we got corporate servants who look out for the largest (and most contributing) corporations. They quickly un-did the punishment that was planned for Microsoft over their anti-trust case, leaving them the understanding that they could do whatever…
June 10th, 2009
Oh, Bing is not doing as well as they say when MS forces users to their site using their OS to do so. Kinda like the 404 redirects to their search page. They make is difficult for the average user to choose alternatives when IE7 or IE8 are first run, leaving most with MS as the default search for mis-typed urls, etc… I call that CHEATING.
July 28th, 2009
I’m afraid I don’t agree with you so much.
Well,I don’t see it as cheating.
First of all, IE8 is a great browser. It’s the best IE up till today, and one of the best browsers available. All my computers are running IE8, and I’m feeling quite content with it.
Bing is not doing that well as a matter of fact, but it’s been doing better.
For average users using IE8 as defaut browser, I don’t really believe there is much need of a alternative in any way…
I use all kind of Microsoft OSes on my computers and virtual labs, from my experience, I know it’s very easy to set other service provider as the default for address typo search, i.e. I set Google serch as default search engine, so everything in search will be processed by Google. And setting is never that hard, which consumes just seveal clicks. Even a monkey knows how to do that.
It will be stupid to force Microsoft to split. E.U. is crazy. They couldn’t build much great stuff, but they know how to make money out of legistration. Intel and Microsoft are the sacrifices…
THERE EXIST NO SENSE IN PROVIDING BROWSER ALTERNATIVES.
So you don’t spend any to help develop my OS, and when the OS is finished, you come to ask me to load your crap in my OS? WHAT A JOKE IT IS!
I HATE OPERA! and I WILL NOT use it in any way.
To those who support those mad decisions, please just leave this blog alone.
August 21st, 2009
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\WindowsSearch
Add new REG_DWORD:
Name: ShowPrompt
Value: 0
September 1st, 2009
To Silver:
Try http://www.acidtests.org/ with different browsers and you will see why browser alternatives are important and why IE should not qualify as browser at all.
September 1st, 2009
Well, at least to me, IE 8 is running great on all my family desktops and notebooks.
I didn’t find anything wrong with it.
FYI, I tried every other browser in virtual machines quite often, and still couldn’t find any real substitute for IE 8 for me.
Not any browser, firefox, Chrome, Safari etc. provides enough manual configurations as I found in IE.
I’m afaid IE 8 is the best customizable browser in market right now, and that’s why I like it.
Variation in browsers is welcome and maybe important, but for me it’s not necessary.
April 15th, 2010
To improve what to search with Explorer 8
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