When you search the web from Internet Explorer Address Bar, if there is a file or folder in your Desktop with the same name as the Address Bar search keyword, Internet Explorer opens the Desktop file rather than searching the web.
Example: You have a file or folder named Bruce Lee in your Desktop and you search for the same phrase (Bruce Lee) using the Internet Explorer Address bar, the Bruce Lee folder opens rather than searching the web for the phrase Bruce Lee.
To disable this behavior (prevent Internet Explorer from opening the files in Desktop), try this:
Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Band\Address
Backup the key by exporting it to a REG file.
In the right-pane, create a new REG_DWORD value named UseShellParsing
Double-click UseShellParsing and set it's value to 0
Close Registry Editor and open a new instance of Internet Explorer.
Ref: My posting at Experts-Exchange: ADDRESS BAR SEARCH OPENS DESKTOP FILES |