[Learnatic]

Hi All,
I have the same prob as I had last year.
I now have a 'new' (2 y.o.) computer my Brother-in-Law gave me. It's a beauty.

But, I have the Windows Search and Desktop Search getting in the way of my searches.
I cannot uninstall them.

They do not show up in either of my uninstallers. I have 'Show Updates' clicked in the Windows uninstaller.
I did a fresh install of Windows Search 4.0 today.

I cannot "Scroll down to the updates. locate KB940157 and click on it...click on "Remove" - It's not there.
Doing this didn't work either : "Click Start > Run > type in the Run dialogue box type

C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB940157$\spuninst\spunist.exe"

This is just one of those annoyances that is using up an hour or so a day as I muddle through Google but get no answers.

I have 5 Microsoft NET.Frameworks ranging from 1.1 to 4.0

O'course any illuminations would be very greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Max.

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Windows Desktop Search
http://social.msdn.m...73-0a830e6f97ff

Please clarify what you mean by Windows Search is getting in the way.
If you mean what I think you do.
Go start, run and type "services.msc"
then disable the services Indexing and Windows Search.

CAUTION - do not disable other services, or try to alter registry keys you will end up with more problems.

[Macboatmaster]

Windows Desktop Search
http://social.msdn.m...73-0a830e6f97ff

Please clarify what you mean by Windows Search is getting in the way.
If you mean what I think you do.
Go start, run and type "services.msc"
then disable the services Indexing and Windows Search.

CAUTION - do not disable other services, or try to alter registry keys you will end up with more problems.

[Learnatic]

Thanks MBM,
By 'getting in the way' ..
When I right click on a folder, say My Documents, and click 'Search', I get a large, bulky, feature packed screen.
I then scroll down to 'Click here to use Companion'. Another box opens and can do my simple search.
A most tedious 'advantage' when I do many searches a day.

I have permanently affixed to my tool bar a 3cm box 'Search Desktop' that I don't want.
I cannot remove it.

I have followed the above instructions and disabled the "Indexing Service" and "Windows Search" and rebooted ... all to no avail.
The Bulky Search Panel now says 'Windows Search isn't running. To start it, click the Start Menu and Programmes, click Windows Search'. But the simple panel does the search with full functionality.
I have read the attached article (http://social.msdn.m...73-0a830e6f97ff) many times over the weeks but became more confused.

Thanks for your time.

[Learnatic]

A bit of good news ..
I removed the "Search Desktop" box from my Toolbar ... by R. click on task bar and finding "Toolbar" and unclicking the aforementioned option.

Re: the http social msdn link above ..
In the reams of hints/suggestions and methods ranging over a five year period I am getting scared at some of the drastic measures to remove this nuisance.
I have in time learnt how to remove mild trojans and virii but this Microsoft one is the one that seems stuck with no easy and safe instructions to remove.

[Macboatmaster]

I was before unsure of what you wanted to do.
I apologise if I have misled you.
To use Search Companion directly do this.
Run then type 'regedit'. Go to the following node:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Desktop Search\DS

Then double-click on 'ShowStartSearchBand' and set the value to '0'. Close that and you're done, the next time you click 'Search' in explorer, the old, reliable search companion will appear.

See my screenshot.
BE CAREFUL re regedit, if you edit the wrong key you will end up with all sorts of problems. - IS IT REALLY too much trouble to simply click Use Search Companion.

Having realised from your post that you were also referring to the - Toolbar - Windows Search Deskbar on the Taskbar I was about to send this but see you had sorted that aspect.. - second screenshot.

Searches will still work, but will be very slightly slower with Indexing turned off. However Indexing uses quite a few resources and depending on your ram and speed of the machine you may wish to leave it turned off or return to services.msc and recommission it, together with Windows Search. A dependency is Terrminal Servcies, so you will need to start that as well.

I MUST AGAIN caution you regarding attempting to tweak or alter anything you are unsure of, you stand the risk of creating problems.

A restore point is a must before regedit.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 23 May 2011 - 09:40 AM.

[Learnatic]

MBM,

Thanks ever so much. The regedit did the trick.
So blasted simple and so many people I've read over the last few weeks are stuck with the extra 'helper'.

You can be assured I do not try and tweak or alter anything I do not know about.
Whenever in regedit, I make sure I'm wearing my best glasses.

Thread can be closed now but I only wish so many of the other people who've struggled with this can see this simple solution.

Cheers,

Max.

[Macboatmaster]

Pleased and thank you for posting the result and the appreciation.