Can't search from Address Bar

My problem: I can't search at all from the address bar.

I am using Windows XP and IE6. I don't have IE in the Add or Remove
Programs so I can't repair it that way.

I want to use Google as the default search engine in the IE Address Bar.

Whenever I enter anything (bicycle i.e.) into the bar to search, all I get
is something like this: "http:///?%20%20bicycle". It doesn't seem to be
directed to the search engine, even though, when I type it in the drop down box says -
Search for "bicycle".

CoolWebSearch took over my Address bar search and Home page.
I removed it with CWShredder. Then ran Spybot Search & Destroy
and Ad-Aware.

This is my settings:
In IE/Options/Advanced/Search from the address bar -
I have it set to search & to just display in the main window.

In the Search on the IE Toolbar that opens the search window on the side,
I have it set to use one search service which is Google. Under Customize,
in the AutoSearch settings I have Google Sites selected as the search
provider and for the address bar to display results in the main window.

In the registry, this is what it shows:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Main/
AutoSearch is set to 4
Use Search Asst. No
Search Page is "http://www.google.com"
Search Bar is "http://www.google.com/ie_rsearch.html"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Search/
SearchAssistant is "http://www.google.com/ie_rsearch.html"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/SearchURL/
Default is "http://www.google.com/keyword/%s"
Provider is gogl

I would appreciate any help with the problem.
Carol

 

http://www.google.com/keyword/%s

This is an invalid URL.

Edit: But it works in my system to search via google.

Try renaming Hosts files.

Also run updated Ad Aware on your system again.

 

Carol,
I think this key (the one Adrynalyne found a problem with) is the problem, indeed:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/SearchURL/
Default is "http://www.google.com/keyword/%s"
Provider is gogl

Close the browser. Completely. All windows and taskbar buttons.
Go to that key (SearchURL) and back it up. Then change it as follows:
Click ON SearchURL once to display its values in the right panel.
Right click Default, choose Modify, and DELETE what you see in the blank. Click OK.
Right click provider, Modify, and make sure that it says gogl, not google. Click OK.
Close the registry editor.

Reboot. (We need to have the registry READ again.)

Open IE and try again.

I'm also concerned about that SearchPage and the 4 for AutoSearch (I think it shd be 5), but I'm guessing that you installed the Google bar at some point and the reg got rewritten by that.

 

I thought it was that entry too, but when I plugged it in to my registry, it worked just fine to query with google via address bar.

 

Whoops. I saw that above, but it didn't register that you had put it into the reg key to test.

Well, Carol, it STILL might be worth a try taking that value OUT and leaving just the provider=gogl thing in and trying, per my instructions above. I THINK that's the only part of the reg IE is really reading when you try an add-bar search. Your call. We haven't anything better just now.

 

Thanks for trying.
I tried everything suggested but still did not work.
Carol

 

I appreciate your effort. Nothing worked, though.
I'll keep searching.
Thanks,
Carol

 

hi carol to make google search in side window and leave main window free it should look like this in your registry

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Use Search Asst"="no"
"Search Page"="http://www.google.com"
"Search Bar"="http://www.google.com/ie"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL]
""="http://www.google.com/keyword/%s"
"provider"="gogl"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search]
"SearchAssistant"="http://www.google.com/ie"

dont forget to check the key in HKLM

 

Hi -
Thanks for your time & effort.

I don't have any problem searching from the side window. What I want is to be able to search from the Address bar again.
Whenever I enter anything (bicycle i.e.) into the bar to search, all I get is
something like this: "http:///?%20%20bicycle". It doesn't seem to be directed to the
search engine, even though, when I type it in the drop down box says - Search for "bicycle".
I do have it set to search in the Address bar in IE Options.

I have tried every suggestion & so far none works.

 

ok ive just tried this and it works perfect
download this and open it with winzip double click it then when asked press yes then try it

 

Thank You, Thank You! You are a lifesaver. I missed that soooo much...

Gratefully, Carol

 

no problem

thats what were here for

 

I am having the same problem on my PC. What file were you talking about, to download? There doesn't seem to be an attachment in your post, or at least I can't find it.

Thanks for your help,

Rick

 

Hi Rick
Sorry this was quite old so ive removed the attachment ill have a look a minute....

Ok got it open the Zip file double click google reg and when asked if you want to add these entrys click yes

BTW if you want to check out exactly what they are just right click google reg and open it with notepad

 

Thanks. I didn't look at the date. I was searching the net today when I found your post. I will try this at work tomorrow.

Rick

 

Please help me I am having the same problem as carol. whenever i type anything into my address bar it comes up with %20 and then what i was searching for. i want to you use the default microsoft browser but nothing works. i dont know what is supposed to be in the regedit. please help.

 

a simple way to fix it is by reinstalling internet explorer. if running the ie6sp1 install doesn't work (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/ie6sp1/default.mspx), then go to add/remove programs (in control panel) and to windows components. uninstall ie6, then run that setup file. That should put search back into the searchbar.

 

Carol, I am having exactly the same problem. I cannot search from my IE address bar. I have to open Google outside my address bar from my homepage in order to search anything. Otherwise I get http///?%20 followed by whatever word I entered to search... very frustrating! I was wondering if you got yours fixed.

 

This worked for me the first time it happened. Go up to
the reply from General Lee Stoned 3-17-04. You'll find the attached file of
google.zip. Unzip & double click it to let it edit the registry. Good luck.
This doesn't work on my problem now.
Now, I have DRSN Search that I can't get rid of. I've tried several spy programs
to remove it but nothing did. Anyone have any suggestons?

 

@ General_Lee_Stoned: ISSUE RESOLVED!!! Superb fix!!. After several hours of research, changing values in the registry, I thought I'll never find a fix for my issue and that I started looking for registry fixers (I couldn't even create a restore point). However, the fix you mentioned worked like magic. That was awesome. Thank you very much. Cheers!