Restoring Address-Bar search functionality...

[¿WhyMe?]

Greetings to all.

So, over the winter break, I was forced to use dial-up to access the internet
from my parents' house. I used NetZero to do so, and it installed its little
dialer program, as usual. However, since then, (and even *after* un-installing
NetZero now that I'm back to my ethernet connection), Internet Explorer (v.6)
was defaulting to a NetZero proprietary search page (via Overture) when I
conducted a search from the address bar.

In the past, I had used TweakUI to set a prefix ('g') to allow me to search
Google directly from the address bar. For example, typing "g SearchString"
would use Google to search for the parameter "SearchString." I very much liked
this functionality.

After trying to reset the 'g' prefix using TweakUI without success, I tried to
reset the default IE settings -- also without success. The NetZero parameters
were persisting.

I edited the Registry settings to delete all occurrences of NetZero.... But now,
address-bar searching doesn't work at all. If I type anything in the address
bar, IE simply goes through its algorithm of checking to see if the parameter is
a web site: For example, if I type "SearchString" or "g SearchString" in the
address bar, IE will try to find the site http://? SearchString and
http://? g SearchString, respectively. This problem persists no matter what
the Tools->InternetOptions->Advanced->SearchFromAddressBar settings are set to.
Also, I have already removed spyware/scumware using AdAware, and my system is
clean of viruses per AVG. I tried a tweak/restoration script from Kelly's
Corner to restore the 'g' prefix, but it didn't work either.

Any insight? Any suggestions?

THANKS!!
~WhyMe.

 

[Mike Burgess]

WhyMe,
Some program (usually spyware\parasite) may have overridden the URL prefix
setting?
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Includes: Repair the corrupted or altered (spyware) HTTP prefixes
See section: Various Registry Fixes = "RepairDefaultPrefix.reg"
[or - manually]
Open Regedit to the following locations and verify the below default
entries:
Start | Run (type) "regedit" (no quotes)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\URL\DefaultPre
fix]
@="http://"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\URL\Prefixes]
"ftp"="ftp://"
"gopher"="gopher://"
"home"="http://"
"mosaic"="http://"
"www"="http://"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\URLSearchHooks]
"{CFBFAE00-17A6-11D0-99CB-00C04FD64497}"=""

Note: edit as needed, *always* Export before editing.
____________________________________________________________
Mike Burgess [MVP Windows Shell\User] http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Blocking Spyware, Adware, Parasites, Hijackers, Trojans, with a HOSTS file
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm [updated 01-08-04]
Please post replies to this Newsgroup, email address is invalid
--