Re: Remove or Disable Search Bar In Internet Explorer

[Rob Parsons]

Hi again Brent. Still at it. Did you view my last message on this topic
suggesting to delete the Explorer Bar CLSID from the HKLM key for explorer
bars.

I must admit that I have a win2k machine and an XP removable disk that I
occasionally replace for testing so I have not tried this method myself.

I followed this link

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/reskit/en-us/gp/701.asp

on msdn which advises that there is a Group Policy -

Search: Disable Find Files via F3 within the browser

that will achieve your required restriction. However when I view my GP
management console on my win2k machine there is no such entry! Agh! But I am
logged on a secondary administrative account, so maybe you have to log on as
administrator to view and manage these restrictions.

This link

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;823057

lists the following registry keys where you will find explorer restrictions

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Restrictions
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Restrictions

This suggests the registry value to flip is

NoFindFiles: Turns the F3 command and the Search bar.

I just tried this and it works, though it does not hide the menu option or
toolbar button

So open regedit and find the key

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions

and create a value named NoFindFiles

give it a value of 1.

"Brent" <hu...@news.postalias> wrote in message
news:4FFECB34-6DDD-4501...@microsoft.com...
> Win2k3 SP1 Terminal Server running IE 6 SP1 being used for public kiosk so
I
> am trying to lock it down as much as possible. I can't figure out how to
> disable the user from open the Search Bar by clicking on VIEW, EXPLORER
BAR
> and then SEARCH (or CTRL E).
> I have applied all the GPO settings and registry hacks that disable the
> search from Windows Explorer and also remove the Search BUTTON from IE,
but
> you can still get to it from the method described above. The main reason
> from removing it is that the user can search my Active Directory for
> computers or printers and I don't want them to see this. I have also
already
> removed Network Neighborhood, Network Favorites, etc but it is still
> searchable from IE. Any ideas?
>
> Brent

[Brent]

Yes, I saw your last message and it managed to get rid of the FOLDERS option
under the Explorer bar so that solved one problem. Now I need to get rid of
the SEARCH option under the Explorer Bar. I have already set the group
policy item that disables the F3 search and I even added NoFindFiles=1 to the
registry like suggested. This disables F3 for searching, but CTRL-E still
works and you can also click on VIEW-EXPLORER BAR-SEARCH. So the suggestions
below did not work.
-Brent

[Wilf Grainger]

I also have the same problem as you describe below!

I need to remove the control E and view>explorer bar>search option...

I pretty much think its impossible..... from what i have read etc....

but i still find it hard to beleive there is no reg hack for this...