Internet Explorer 8 restores the search provider settings when the "Prevent Internet Explorer Search box from displaying" Group Policy setting is enabled

Consider the following scenario:

• You enable the Prevent Internet Explorer Search box from displaying Group Policy setting on a computer that has Windows Internet Explorer 8 installed.
• You log on to the computer the first time.
• You start Internet Explorer 8.

In this scenario, you receive the following message in an Internet Explorer - Search Provider Default dialog box: Note You can also prevent the Internet Explorer search box from being displayed by enabling the NoSearchBox registry key. To do this, set the value of the following registry key to 1:

When the Prevent Internet Explorer Search box from displaying Group Policy setting is enabled, the search provider is not configured in Internet Explorer. When you start Internet Explorer 8, the program checks the consistency of the search providers. Because no search provider is configured, Internet Explorer 8 concludes that the corresponding registry keys were deleted. Therefore, Internet Explorer 8 restores the default settings and then informs users that it has restored the settings.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, submit a request to Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must have Internet Explorer 8 installed on a computer that is running one of the following operating systems:

• Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3)
• Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2

For more information about how to obtain a Windows XP service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2003 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows Vista service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Registry information

To use the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You may have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The English (United States) version or the global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 file information notes

• In addition to the files that are listed in these tables, this hotfix also installs an associated security catalog file (KBnumber.cat) that is signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP SP3

For all supported x86-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Server 2003 SP2

For all supported x64-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Server 2003 SP2

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows Vista" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. MANIFEST files and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are very important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista

For all supported x64-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

Important Windows 7 hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, hotfixes on the Hotfix Request page are listed under both operating systems. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2 and for Windows 7" section. MANIFEST files and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are very important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows 7

For all supported x64-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Server 2008 R2

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about Group Policy settings that manage Internet Explorer 8, visit the following Microsoft website: For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional file information for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows 7

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Server 2008 R2