auto search doesn't work and Url not found comes up.

[alandorsay_2000]

I recently have found that my Internet Explorer auto search isn't accepting single word entries and when I enter them I now get a new page that others? have placed there that states "URL not found" this page displays other titles to search from and want to get back to the original auto search that I originally had. I can still do auto search via other sources such as Google however.

[Anonymous User]

What URL does it go to when this happens?

[alandorsay_2000]

What URL does it go to when this happens?

The address below is what is in the address bar when the URL not found notice page comes up.
http://auto.search.msn.com/response.asp?MT=tool&srch=6&prov=&utf8

I have tried many approaches to locating whose it is but haven't had any sucess. I also had an IT guy who is pretty sharp play with it last night at his company and he was unable to locate it or correct it then. I can copy the page and send it if I knew an e-mnail address and if it would be useful to see. Would this be of value?

Alan

[alandorsay_2000]

What URL does it go to when this happens?

I did some further checking via using properties in various locations on the page and these are the results:

USING PROPERTIES ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE I GET: http://216.93.168.167/tag.html

USING PROPERTIES FROM THE SEARCH PORTION OF THE PAGE I GET: http://images2.domainsponsor.com/v1/b1.gif

HIS IS FROM THE COUPON AREA: Type: SEARCH?X=522|1||DEFCAT|||FREE+COUPONS File
ADDRESS: http://search.domainsponsor.com/d.search?x=522|1||defcat|||free+coupons

THIS IS FROM THE SEARCH WINDOW:
http://search.information.com/dsearch3.phtml?srch=1071785762190064537&edn=&a_id=522&position=defcat&creative_type=1&query=free+coupons

ALAN

[saoirse]

Reinstalling Internet Explorer should fix the problem.  IE keeps information about the search feature in the registry - where one or more of these values may have changed.  

You can also try Tools>Internet Options>'Programs' tab.  Click 'Reset Web Settings'.

Spyware is known to hijack IE settings, so perform a scan.        

good luck,
saoirse.

[alandorsay_2000]

Reinstalling Internet Explorer should fix the problem.  IE keeps information about the search feature in the registry - where one or more of these values may have changed.  

You can also try Tools>Internet Options>'Programs' tab.  Click 'Reset Web Settings'.

Spyware is known to hijack IE settings, so perform a scan.        

good luck,
saoirse.

Thanks for your quick and clear response. I will try it and see if it works. you have my appreciation for your efforts. Seasons greetings.

Alan

[alandorsay_2000]

I re-installed Internet explorer and this didn't solve the problem tbut at least i know I have the latest Internet Explorer. I also reset
the web settings and that didn't solve it either.

I do not know what you meant by perform a scan? I do not have the scan disk program I used to have in this computer using win 2000 as the operating program but am now doing the disk cleanup program. Maybe this will suffice? I have performed a virus scan however and it is clean. I suspect that someone has installed some script or something that is affecting IE. Any other possibles thatI can try would be appreciated.

Thanks again, Alan

[saoirse]

Sorry to hear it didn't work.

At the top of this page, you will find a 'downloads' button.  Click this and you will see two programs: Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware 6.0.  

Download one or both, and use the utilities to scan for, and remove common malware.  Do check for program updates.

Failing this, there are two registry entries you should look at.  Open the registry editor : Start>run>regedit

Navigate to HKEY CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl.  
Double click the Default entry in the right pane of the Registry editor.
In the Edit String dialog box, type "http://home.microsoft.com/access/autosearch.asp?p=%s" (without the quotes) in the Value data field. Click OK.
Close the Registry Editor and restart the computer.

The second can be found at HKEY CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.  In the right pane, check the SearchPage entry.  It might read "http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch".  If it doesn't, modify the data to this.  Click OK and restart the machine.

Best of luck,
saoirse.