how to specify custom autosearch url

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

IE6 SP2, XP Pro SP2.

Changing the default value of HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\SearchUrl doesn't work, it still goes to msn and then redirects to
whatever Provider is set. I would like to bypass msn and redirection and be
able to customize the url

thanks, alex
 
IE6 SP2, XP Pro SP2.

Changing the default value of HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\SearchUrl doesn't work, it still goes to msn and then redirects to
whatever Provider is set. I would like to bypass msn and redirection and be
able to customize the url
Click to expand...

Assuming you don't have any third-party processes interfering
this should be simply a matter of overriding the Default value.
Google has a sample override on its site.

< http://www.google.com/options/defaults.html >


Otherwise there is a myriad of other values and switches
which can come into play as various obsolete implementations
for customizing AutoSearch are tested to try to provide upward
compatibility. Unfortunately spyware implementors are generally
much more aware of how all those obsolete customization options
work together than any one else who wants to use them normally.
You could use RegMon (freeware from SysInternals) to try to figure
out why just setting a Default value for SearchURL is not enough
in your case.

BTW I think the redirect technique is an anachronism which reflects
the old AutoSearch service that used RealNames service to implement
the Just go... option. That might have been useful once for users
to work around marginal DNS service. But now that support is being
exploited by spyware to provide similar but less useful "services".
The main difference is that the spyware sites are generally less
accessible than the MSN sites; so instead of improving the average
performance of lookups they exacerbate it.

thanks, alex
Click to expand...


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---
 
Alex said:
Google reg file sets the default value to http://www.google.com/keyword/%s
but that url is not valid and according to regmon IE doesn't even read it,
it only reads the provider. I don't think it's just my case I tried it on
fresh xp install.
Click to expand...

Is Provider defined? It would be an example of what I was referring
to about implementation changes. I think that it was added with IE5.
I'm not sure when the AutoSearch switch was created. I know that
it was given some changed values also with IE5. I'd try deleting it too
if you can't get your URL working directly any more easily.

Also try using NOTFOUND as RegMon's highlight criterion.
When I do that I notice that there are a lot of mysterious missing
keys and values associated with msn.com. Perhaps you will
have to define something in them as well to bypass its auto.search
site.


Note: please make sure that you have backed up your registry and
know how to use the backup for recovery before experimenting with
these ideas.


Good luck

Robert
---

 
Back
Top