GOOGLE "REMEMBERS" SEARCHES. HOW TO KILL??? 1

[3008n1]

Google, only on one machine out of five, remembers about the last 30 searches. I have tried to delete what cookies I could find, and even have Ghost Serf, and told it to kill it, Google, still remembers the previous searches? I'm not sure what is different.

How to disable this? A left click brings up a drop down menu.

Thanks,


Tom

 

[bcastner]

If you have the Google Search bar, a left-click on the word "Google" at the left of the searchbar allows you to remove any and all entries.

 

[linney]

Do you have the Google toolbar installed?
Have you tried the "down arrow" next to the word "Google" and looked at the options in the drop down menu? There is one menu item to clear the search history.

 

[bcastner]

G'Day, linney.

Bill

 

[linney]

G'day back Bill, you are sounding like a fair dinkum Aussie.

 

[3008n1]

Thanks for the fast reply. I did have a "hidden" toolbar. The options did have "remember" checked. I cleared that. Also, the next tab, more, also had a "remember" to keep the history. I cleared that too.

Still have the problem. Hmmm. Just my life. I re-booted the machine. I must have something, somewhere to save this? Not sure if this is how it works....


Tom

 

[bcastner]

Look for the discussion of CCleaner here:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/clearxptif.htm

Look to make sure that you clean typed URLS.

(Make sure you checkmark only what you want to clean. In particular, I would not check index.dat files).

At some point a toolbar has to be storing these values in the registry. Check again "hidden" toolbar entries with this tool, ToolbarCop:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/toolbarcop.htm

Please come back and tell us, after a reboot, if this helps, as I do begin to suspect malware as the source of this problem if it survives the above steps.

 

[linney]

You may have stopped it from remembering but you might have to clear what it has already remembered by using the - "Have you tried the "down arrow" next to the word "Google" and looked at the options in the drop down menu? There is one menu item to clear the search history."

 

[3008n1]

I downloaded and ran toolbar cop. It found many cases using Google. I deleted them all. Still have the same problem. I finally deleted the Google toolbar--still same problem. I did not use CCleaner I could not find that file. Could only find CLEANMGR--was that it?

I am going to use a spy ware (PCCILLIN and Microsoft) to see if they find anything.

Is there a known Mail ware that would cause this


Thanks
Tom

 

[bcastner]

See the end of the discussion here:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm

I may have used a bad link above that has been changed.

 

[3008n1]

Sorry to say that was the first thing I did. i do that on a regular basis. It Takes up too much backup space if you let these files grow. I will see if new google searches are being added, or if it has at least stopped.

 

[bcastner]

Sorry to say that was the first thing I did. i do that on a regular basis. It Takes up too much backup space if you let these files grow. I will see if new google searches are being added, or if it has at least stopped."

Last choice are the possible Google entries here:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System
Provider\S-1-5-21-839522115-1708537768-1343024091-1003\Data\e161255a-37c3-11
d2-bcaa-00c04fd929db\e161255a-37c3-11d2-bcaa-00c04fd929db\q:StringData]
"Behavior"=-
"Item Data"=-

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System
Provider\S-1-5-21-839522115-1708537768-1343024091-1003\Data\e161255a-37c3-11
d2-bcaa-00c04fd929db\e161255a-37c3-11d2-bcaa-00c04fd929db\q:StringIndex]
"Behavior"=-
"Item Data"=-

Note: The S-1-5 ... portion of this string may be different on your machine.

Clear these entries.

Otherwise, there is no legitmate Google entry being made. You have rebooted after these registry changes?

I am more and more and more curioius as to your issue, and intend to follow this up.

 

[linney]

When you say you deleted the Google Toolbar was that via Toolbar Cop or did you use the entry in the Add or Remove Programs?

 

[3008n1]

I used to toolbar Cop, but much to my surprise, I checked after seeing your mail, and Google was still in the add remove--control panel. So I removed it.

IT IS STILL THERE.... The history....

This will be my nemesis. Such a simple thing…. To my defense, Xp gives you 5 ways to do the same thing. This gives others to exploit that.


I am going to try to ask Google what they know about this.

Thanks for your time, and I will certainly let you know when if or and it gets resolved.

Keep sending me ideas. Maybe this should be a contest???


Tom

 

[bcastner]

Try a more aggressive Add/Remove utility. This is freeware:

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/myuninst.html

A fifth approach (by now) would be an enumeration and control of all BHO objects: Autoruns, if you choose the options correctly, can do this:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

 

[linney]

Speaking personally I don't find Google a problem, in fact I think it is a Godsend.

I have however noticed over the years that I have been using the Google Toolbar that Google is becoming more intrusive on the system. It seems to embed itself into Internet Explorer and wants to become the default search engine if you let it. When I sometimes remove bits and pieces of Google from IE (Backward links, Translate this page, etc.) I notice they return pretty quickly. I think Google reaffirms its position every time you launch the browser or every time you connect to the Internet.

As far as your particular problem I have never had trouble removing the search history, it has always been a one-click job from the location I described.

Another thing I have come across is that from time to time is sites that will appear closely resembling Google's URL but with a one letter misspelling in the name (i.e. gookle) and if they trick you into visiting they will reward you with a ton of malware.

I am watching Google carefully, but at the moment feel the good exceeds the bad.

 

[3008n1]

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/myuninst.html

I will be more busy today, but I need to contact Google. I will try the BHO, but can you give me a link that explains what they do, and what I would look for.


Thanks,


Tom

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/myuninst.html

 

[linney]

BHO's.

Make sure your options in IE/ Tools/ Internet Options/ Advanced are correct.

Uncheck the boxes for "Install on Demand" for IE and Other programs (two boxes).

Try running temporarily with the third box "Enable Third Party Browser Extensions" unchecked and see how this goes.

"This specifies that you want to disable features you installed for use with Internet Explorer that may have been created by companies other than Microsoft.
If you encounter problems with Internet Explorer that you cannot resolve, you can use this option to help determine if third-party features are causing the problems without uninstalling the feature. You must restart Internet Explorer after turning this option on or off."



This article might be useful to you.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,8168,00.asp

 

[bcastner]

linney,

"Uncheck the boxes for "Install on Demand" for IE and Other programs (two boxes)."

My understanding is that under XP SP2, IE SP2, these option choices not longer effect anything.

I would appreciate knowing if you learn something different.

I know the options are there, but any selection, (my understanding), is ignored under XP/IE SP2.

 

[linney]

You may be right, I have no knowledge on those two boxes in relation to your SP2 comments.

Other than this, would you trust a program (or programmer) that amends the use of the named boxes, supposedly nullifying them, but leaves them present within a major configuration area of IE, and with still functioning Help links which state "Specifies to automatically download and install Internet Explorer components if a Web page needs them in order to display the page properly or perform a particular task."

Mind you my installed version of Windows is probably full of choices that no longer effect anything.

Bottom line, where did you hear this information from?