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The Start menu in Windows Vista includes the Search the Internet link, which opens your web browser and searches the Internet for your term. This uses the default Search provider that you’ve configured in Internet Explorer. Besides this, there is a new Group Policy setting in Windows Vista which allows you add a custom instant search internet search provider to the Start menu.
Note: If you’re using Windows Vista Home Basic or Premium Editions (where the Group Policy Editor is not included), you may use the Registry Fix at the bottom of this page to add a custom search provider to the Start menu.
Adding a Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
1. Click Start, type GPEDIT.MSC and press {ENTER}
2. Navigate to the following branch:
3. Double-click Custom Instant Search Internet search provider
4. Set it to Enabled
5. Set up the menu name and URL for the custom Internet search provider. In the URL field, type the custom search URL, with the search phrase indicated by "%w".
Examples
To add Windows Live search as a custom instant search provider, use this URL:
To add Google:
To add Yahoo!
To add Cuil:
Note that Windows Vista allows you add only one custom instant search provider.
Registry Fix
Download srch_providers.zip and save to Desktop. Unzip the archive and extract the files to a folder. The zip file includes google.reg, yahoo.reg, live.reg and cuil.reg. Run the appropriate REG file by double-clicking. Logoff and login back.
Editor’s note: Google is the default search provider (Internet Explorer) in my system, and I’ve added Live Search as the custom instant search internet search provider.
More Information
The custom search provider settings are stored in the following key…
…in the two values namely InternetExtensionName & InternetExtensionAction.
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[...] do the same with Vista? have not tried it but I’m sure it’ll work, follow the tut given here: Add a Custom Instant Search Internet search provider to the Vista Start menu – The Winhelponline Blo… and replace live with bing Should work. __________________ It’s a Microsoft world kid, I am [...]