Restore "classic" search for all users

[JClark]

Hello,
Windows XP Pro, SP3
I have a new install and want to change the unpleasant standard
Windows XP search assistant to the classic one. I have done this in
the past by creating an entry "Use Search Asst" REG_SZ (String Value)
in the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState

and setting the value to "no"

But my new system has 5 user profiles. Will I have to change this
setting for each user profile?

Is there a way to change to classic search assistant for all users?

Many thanks.

Jack

 

[John John - MVP]

Hello,
Windows XP Pro, SP3
I have a new install and want to change the unpleasant standard
Windows XP search assistant to the classic one. I have done this in
the past by creating an entry "Use Search Asst" REG_SZ (String Value)
in the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState

and setting the value to "no"

But my new system has 5 user profiles. Will I have to change this
setting for each user profile?

Is there a way to change to classic search assistant for all users?

Many thanks.

Anything in the HKU or HKCU key is per user so you need to change the
setting for all the users. I don't know of a setting that disables the
Search Assistant system wide, unless someone else knows such a setting
you will have to change the registry setting for all the users.

You can easily change this for the other users by having them merge a
..reg file to the registry or you can have it done automatically for them
by placing a small batch file in their startup folder or in the All
Users startup folder.

If you want to use a batch file then just create a .reg file to change
the setting:

======================================================
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState]
"Use Search Asst"="no"

======================================================

and save it as SearchOff.reg location of your choice, here I selected C:\.

Then this simple batch file or a shortcut to it in the All Users Startup
folder will do the job:


======================================================
if exist "%userprofile%"\searchoff goto :eof
regedit /s c:\searchoff.reg
cd.>"%userprofile%"\SearchOff

======================================================

The routine will create a zero byte marker file (SearchOff) in the
user's profile folder, if you see the file it means that the fix was
applied for the user. You could also send a marker file to a folder
where with one look you could easily see who has logged on and had the
fix applied by adding this line to the batch file:

cd.>c:\FolderName\"%username% SearchOff"


John

 

[John John - MVP]

John,
Love that batch file idea. I've copied your post to refer to as I
create it.

Many thanks.

And apologies again for the double post mistake.

You're welcome and don't worry about the multipost... no one died over
it ;-)

John

 

[VanguardLH]

Love that batch file idea. I've copied your post to refer to as I
create it.

If you don't want it obvious in the normal startup locations (Startup folder
and HKCU/HKLM Run keys) then make it a login script. For example, run
"control.exe userpasswords2", Advanced tab, Advanced button, double-click a
username to see the advanced properties, Profile tab, and enter the name of
the .bat or .cmd file as the login script. This is how you do it for local
security policies. In a domain, you get to push policies which include
login scripts. Presumably you wouldn't bother saving the login script on
the user's own host but use an UNC to point at a network resource to find
the script file.

Also, rather than use a .bat file that then loads load a .reg file (via
"regedit.exe /s <regfile>"), you could eliminate the need for the .reg file
altogether and just have the batch file do the registry changes. Have the
batch file use reg.exe to make direct changes to registry (run "reg.exe /?"
for help).