Web Sites Open in the Search Bar

ID: Q191580

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01,5 for Windows 95
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01,5 for Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5 for Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

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 defaut search provider used in the Search bar.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

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.

Additional query words:


Keywords          : kbenv msiew95 win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: March 31, 1999