IE7 and Google 1

[MarcLodge]

I've just bought a new machine and am using Vista and IE7 for the first time. In the top right hand corner of IE7 is a search box that I can configure and I have added Google UK to this, as this is my preference. I've deleted all other search providers, leaving Google UK as the one and only.

On return to IE7 after closing down the machine, Google UK remains, but all the other providers have returned and Google.com is the default. This is really very very irritating!

Questions......
Can I stop this from happening and leave my Google UK as the default
or alternatively....
Can I remove this search box and revert to the Google toolbar that I used to use in IE6 (I know I can install the google toolbar, but if I do that I'd like to get rid of the search box)

Marc

 

[smah]

They shouldn't be coming back after you remove the search providers. However, they won't actually be removed or changed until after you click the OK in the 'change search defaults' dialog.

 

[MarcLodge]

I have set Google UK as my default, removed Google and clicked OK in the 'change search defaults'. This leaves my IE7 search box with Google UK as the only search provider which is correct. I can close IE7 and open it again, and all is fine.

But.....

When I shut down and reboot, Google is back there and as default.

How can I remove the search box completely from IE7?

 

[smah]

Do you have some anti-spyware utility that is preventing or restoring changes to your search settings?

 

[MarcLodge]

Not as far as I am aware. It's a machine that is only a couple of months old and I have an up to date virus checker running, plus ad-aware, spybot etc. I did install the Google toolbar on the machine before I realised that IE7 has this function built in, so I uninstalled it. It may be that something that google installed with the toolbar is doing this. I'll run a hijackthis and have a look.

Is there no way that I can turn this function off or remove it from IE7?

 

[smah]

I think you misunderstood. I didn't ask if you might be infected, I asked if you had something that might prevent these changes.

up to date virus checker running, plus ad-aware, spybot etc.

I'd bet that one of these is preventing changes to your search providers. They're supposed to prevent malicious software from doing that, but sometimes they'll also prevent you from doing it ;-)


To hide the IE search field, you can use this tweak, but you don't really gain any space.

http://www.enhanceie.com/ie/tweaks.asp

 

[MarcLodge]

smah,

The tweak was exactly what I was looking for. Many thanks

Marc