Can't change default search in IE11 on new pre-built PC

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This has got me scratching my head and I can't find any solution or reason for it.

We've received a load of new PCs at work from Dell, all with Windows 7 Pro 64bit pre-installed on them. Everything works fine except that I cannot change the default search provider in IE11. I can happily change the homepage (to Google) but cannot change the search provider.

I click on the address bar's drop down on the right, which shows Bing as the sole Search Provider. I click the Add button, which takes me to:
http://www.iegallery.com/en-gb/addons?callback=true&featuretype=2
And I can then click to Google (or Yahoo or whatever) and that gives me:
http://www.iegallery.com/en-gb/Addons/Details/813
However when I click the "Add to Internet Explorer" button, nothing happens - the website doesn't seem to recognise I've even clicked it.

I've removed Mcafee and tried it without any AV installed - still no response - and tried it with the website in my Trusted Sites catgeory, with pop-up blocker turned off, and everything else I can think of, still to no avail.

I can add Accelerators quite happily from the list, but any Search Providers just do nothing when clicked.

I've now checked 3 different PCs, some with all Windows updates installed, one with none, and it's the same situation - I'm still with Bing.

I can install Chrome and am happily using that, but it bugs me that I cannot get IE11 set up the way I want to set it up. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas what can be wrong, or what I can do to actually get this working? Any suggestions gratefully received.
 
Did you try to click on Manage add-ons/Search Providers/Find more search providers..
Then you need to click on Google Search and it will redirect to http://www.iegallery.com/en-us/Addons/Details/813

Click on add to IE button and check "use only this search provider", confirm with ok.
Just checked, It works for me. IE ver 11.0.9600.17690 update ver: 11.0.17
 
Last edited:
Did you try to click on Manage add-ons/Search Providers/Find more search providers..
Then you need to click on Google Search and it will redirect to http://www.iegallery.com/en-us/Addons/Details/813

Click on add to IE button and check "use only this search provider", confirm with ok.
Just checked, It works for me. IE ver 11.0.9600.17690

Cheers mate - that's the exact button I'm clicking on and nothing happens, no error, no message - simply like the button isn't clickable at all. Currently running version 11.0.9600.17728 here, and tried both 32 bit and 64 bit iexplore.exe - same (lack of) result. :confused:
 
It seems like I found working solution

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{A0E9193A-7353-44D7-9A48-9FE7C4729A7D}]
"DisplayName"="Google"
"URL"="https://www.google.com/search?q={searchTerms}"
"OSDFileURL"="https://www.google.com/homepage/search/js/google-secure.xml"
"FaviconURL"="http://www.google.com/favicon.ico"
"FaviconPath"="C:\\Users\\Default\\AppData\\LocalLow\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Services\\search_{A0E9193A-7353-44D7-9A48-9FE7C4729A7D}.ico"
"Codepage"=dword:0000fde9
"SortIndex"=dword:00000001

******************************************************
So there is short guideline for other people:
1. Create reg file with the content above in computer on which you have problem
2. You can change domain for google provider to national domain if exist, for example my original path was:
"OSDFileURL"="https://www.google.sk/homepage/search/js/google-secure.xml"
3. Save and close file with this content.
4. Dobble click on reg to add content to Registry.
5. Open Internet explorer > Manage Add-ons > Under Search providers you can see now "Google" provider (first time without favicon picture)
6. Click on row with Google and set as prefered search provider.
7. Restart IE and voila... Google search provider is prepared to serve you.

source: link
 
Danny - you hero!

That worked perfectly. Still cannot add new providers using the button, but I don't care as my search bar now defaults to Google, which is exactly what I was after.

Thanks again, your Google skills are obviously better than mine as I spent a couple of hours looking without finding that solution. :)
 
Why aren't you deploying clean system images? :p

Because (for once) it's not a deployment that's owned by me - another department has the budget/personnel for this one and we're under instructions to keep the provided OS install. I have a feeling mine may experience an "issue" and need to be reinstalled from scratch fairly soon if this kind of shenanigans are going to happen! :D
 
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