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Article ID: 191580 - Last Review: January 23, 2007 - Revision: 3.1

Web Sites Open in the Search Bar

This article was previously published under Q191580
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ ) Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

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SYMPTOMS

When you click an item (a search result) in the Search bar in Internet Explorer, the Web site may open in the Search bar instead of the main browser area.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the search provider being used in the Search bar did not design their page to work in the Search bar. To work with the Search bar, search providers need to modify their search and results pages to use "_main" as the target for any links that should be opened in the main browser area, and "_self" for any links that should be opened in the Search bar.

The Internet Explorer Adminsitration Kit (IEAK) allows Internet content providers (ICPs), Internet service providers (ISPs), or corporate administrators to customize the default search provider used in the Search bar.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, contact your ICP, ISP, corporate administrator (if you are using a customized version of Internet Explorer) or the search provider being used in the Search bar to resolve this issue. To return to the default Internet Explorer Search Bar settings, use the steps below:

Internet Explorer 4



Edit the Search Bar string value in the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Change the value data to:
http://home.microsoft.com/search/lobby/search.asp


Internet Explorer 5

Click Customize on the Search bar in Internet Explorer, and pick another search provider.

The default Search Bar value for Internet Explorer 5 is located in the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
The default value date is:
http://ie.search.msn.com/en-us/srchasst/srchasst.htm
NOTE: Customized Search bar values are ignored in Internet Explorer 5 if the Use Custom Search URL value is set to 0 (DWORD) in the above registry key.

APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 128-Bit Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.2
Keywords: 
kbenv kbprb KB191580
Retired KB ArticleRetired KB Content Disclaimer
This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

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