Help with Search Companion in XP Home Edition

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frank
  • Start date Start date
F

Frank

I need a little help with my seach companion ...... It's turned off
under my log on name and I can't seem to get it turned back on. Under
'Guest' log on it works fine. It seems to be in 'Classic' mode when I
log on, but I don't know how to change it. I'm including links to 2
pictures of it on the desktop. 'Guest.jpg' which is the way it looks
under 'Guest' log on, and the way I'd like to have it, and 'Me.jpg'
which is the way it looks when I log on ....... Thanks for any help
.......

http://home.att.net/~fm-home/Guest.jpg

http://home.att.net/~fm-home/Me.jpg
 
If you have Tweakui installed then run it and navigate to
Explorer.
In the Settings box on the right, scroll down and uncheck "Use
Classic Search".
Now go to Start -> Search.
Look for "Change Preferences" in the left hand column.
Select "With an animated character".

If you don't have Tweakui installed on your computer, then
download it from here (half-way down the right hand side):

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Install it on your computer and follow the above procedure.

Nepatsfan
 
If you have Tweakui installed then run it and navigate to
Explorer.
In the Settings box on the right, scroll down and uncheck "Use
Classic Search".
Now go to Start -> Search.
Look for "Change Preferences" in the left hand column.
Select "With an animated character".

If you don't have Tweakui installed on your computer, then
download it from here (half-way down the right hand side):

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Install it on your computer and follow the above procedure.

Nepatsfan
Click to expand...

A word about search tool in XP. The tool, by default, will
not let you search in the protected system folders. There
are 2 0r 3 others whioch will do an exhaustive scan and list
all files you ask for. I used to have record of these but no
longer carry them.
 
I did what you said, only both 'Use Classic Search' were already
unchecked. So I checked them, restarted my PC, still had classic
search, opened Tweak again, unchecked both boxes, restarted may PC and
still have classic search ..... In other words, didn't work .... but
thanks for the try .....
 
Tried your 'Undo' link first .... came up with a window that said
'Search Assistant is now turned off'.....?..... Then restarted my PC,
still classic search when I log on .... Then I tried the ' Disable
Search Assistant' link, got the same 'Search Assistant is now turned
off' window, logged off and back on, still the same. Tried the 'Undo'
link again, logged off and back on and still only classic search ....
Thanks for the suggestion anyway ............
 
Frank,

If you're comfortable editing the registry then you might want to
take a look at this article:

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/1067/

Here's the procedure.

Go to Start -> Run. Enter regedit in the "Open" box. Click OK.
Navigate to the following key in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch by
clicking on the appropriate + signs.

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState

In an open area of the right hand pane, right click and select
New -> String value.
Name it "Use Search Asst" (leave out the quotes) and hit enter.
Right click this new value and select Modify.
In the Value Data box enter yes.
Click OK and exit the registry editor.
You may have to logoff and logon to have this take effect. When I
tried this it took effect immediately but you never know.

If you'd rather not mess around with the registry, let me know
and we'll try another approach.

Nepatsfan
 
No, It's a PC I built myself ...... Running WindowsXP Home Edition,,
The unit has 2 120gig Western Digital HDs, Gigabyte P4 Titan 875P
motherboard, Pentium4 2.7gig CPU, 1gig RAM, ATI All-in-Wonder 9800
video card, 21in monitor, DVD RW, CD/CDRW, SCSI card for adding more
(Zip Drive attached to it already), USB card for extra USB ports,
Networked to 6 other PCs throughout my home, and on, and on
.............
 
I'm comfortable editing the registry, I do it quite a bit, due to
programs adding things into the 'Run' section that I don't want
running ...... Anyway, followed your instructions, The string's
already there ..(pic) http://home.att.net/~fm-home/reg.jpg ...
Again, thanks for the response ..... Anything else you think it might
be?
 
I'll admit that this one has me stumped. Here are the only other
things I can think of to try:

Search the entire registry (Edit -> Find) for "Use Search Asst"
(leave out the quotes).
If you find any that have the value data set to no then change it
to yes.

In the location you found earlier, delete the Use Search Asst
value.
By default, it's only created when a change is made to the Search
interface.

Good luck
 
There is no listing
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant
Should there be?
 
Well I modified it because my root directory is WINDOWS ..... Then I
'Merged' it with my registry ..... Restarted my PC and still classic
....... I guess I'll just have to learn to live with it the way it is
...... Thanks for all your help ......
 
Frank,
You are not alone, I have 2 users are having same problem, I can't figure it
out. I did research it for 2 days still no luck.
Please let me know if you have a fix for it.
Thanks,

Jon
 
Hi Frank,

To enable XP Search companion for files, try this:

1. Open Regedit and navigate to:

[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState]

2. In the right-pane, double-click "Use Search Asst" and set it's value to
"yes"

3. Close Registry Editor

FYI, Tweak UI for Windows XP can automate the above steps.

TweakUI v2.00 for Windows XP/XP MCE
http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe

TweakUI v2.10 for Windows XP SP1/XP MCE/2003
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...a6-b352-839afb2a2679/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


"search companion help needed" <search companion help
(e-mail address removed)> wrote in message
 
I have just started having this problem with my search window also, i dont
know a whole lot but I know I got a virus that was called backdoor something
not exactly sure but around that time it stopped working....any one know if
that could be the cause of it?
 
I just started having problems with my search window also...I found a virus
 
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