I recently got my computer re-imaged because of a virus, and I'm still trying to get it to look and behave the way it did before the virus hit.

The latest annoyance: I'm using Internet Explorer 8, and up next to the address bar is a little Google-themed textbox. If I want to use Google, I'll go to the website.

Then, I actually went to the Google site and searched for something. My search terms ended up being displayed in that little textbox, long after I'd left the Google website behind. Now, I'm able to manually delete my search from the textbox so people in my office aren't able to see that I don't know how much a fez costs in Israel, but should I really have to do this manually? Why is my text being echoed in the textbox?

Can I turn this "feature" off? Can I (even better) remove the Google textbox entirely?

Dennis

Dennis,

Take a look in your Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. I might be mistaken but I'm pretty sure it's an item that can be uninstalled. I think it's called the Google Toolbar. If not, try right clicking on the tool bar and deselecting it from the list to at least make it not shown.

Edit: These pesky things have a habit of being installed with new software/updates. There's a good chance that's where you got it.

This post has been edited by Squire4Hire: Apr 10 2012, 02:54 PM

Riley,

Seemed like a really good idea - however, there are no "Google" anythings in the Add/Remove Programs list. Kind of shocked it wasn't there.

Couldn't find any "Google" items in the IE Addons (under Tools->Manage AddOns) either. Weird.

Microsoft doesn't OWN Google, do they?

Dennis

Hmmm... Try this...

Go to your internet options and click on the Settings Button in the Search section of the General tab. You should be able to make some decisions in there about Search Providers and Toolbars/Extensions.

Dennis,

Greetings. Have you right-clicked in a blank area of the browser's menu bar to see what options are checked/unchecked?

Additionally, you may be able to install this at work (unless you don't want to run afoul of your IT group) and I would strongly recommend installing this on all of your windows-based home workstations and laptops - the Quero Toolbar from www [dot) quero (dot] at.

IMHO, the Quero toolbar is great - it will block ads, pop-ups, flash animations. I do alot of on-line research, and with all of the "noise" flashing around on the screen, it was a real pain until I discovered Quero.


AvgJoe (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hat_tip.gif)

Joe,

I will look up Quero when I get home - I can see if there's a Firefox plugin there.

Meanwhile, here at work, there doesn't seem to BE any free space. Wherever I right-click on the grey edges of the address bar, I get the Restore/Move/Size/Minimize/Maximize/Close pop up menu that applies to the whole application.

If I right-click the Google textbox itself, I get "Undo/Cut/Copy/Paste/Delete/Select All/Open IME/Reconversion", of which "Open IME" is clickable. I click on it and... Nothing happens. When I right-click again, this time it's "Close IME" instead. Wow, how utterly unhelpful.

When I click on the down arrow next to the magnifying glass button next to the Google textbox, I get "Google (Default)/Find on this page.../Find more providers.../Manage Search Providers. If I click on Manage Search Providers, I can see only one listed: "Google (Default)", and it's described as "Disabled". If I click on that provider, to select it, two buttons appear: "Set as Default" and "Remove". They are both Greyed out.

Thinkin' this is something I'm not supposed to be playing with. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Right now, my biggest success has been unlocking the toolbars, and then stretching the address bar portion as far as I can, making the Google textbox about 1.5" wide. Better, but it's still there, blabbing like Gladys Kravitz (the next door lady on "Bewitched").

Dennis

Dennis,

Well, I may not have described it correctly or your IT Dept. has locked down the browser and has "imposed" Google as the "default" search engine.

Well, you still have a ray of hope with Quero.


AvgJoe (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hat_tip.gif)