How to Search Wikipedia, Google or Yahoo from Instant Search Box in Windows Vista
If you spend a lot of time in searching useful information in Wikipedia, Google or Yahoo, instead of going to Wikipedia or Google or Yahoo homepage itself to type the keyword and perform the searching, you actually can add search Wikipedia, Google, Yahoo option to Windows Vista Start Menu Instant Search Box so that you can type the keyword from the search box and choose to search in either Wikipedia, Google or Yahoo websites.
To add Search Wikipedia or Google or Yahoo at Start Menu Instant Search Box, follow below steps:
1. Click on Start button, then type gpedit.msc in the search bar, then hit enter key.
2. User Account Control is displayed and click Continue button to proceed launching Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Instant Search > Custom Instant Search Internet search provider, click on Properties to open the properties window.
4. Under Setting tab, select Enable to enable the policy setting.
5. At “the string or DLL resource” text box, type either Search Wikipedia, Search Google or Search Yahoo.
6. At “the URL to use when invoking the custom internet search” text box, key in either one of the URL.
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%w
Google: http://www.google.com/search?q=%w
Yahoo: http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=%w
7. Click OK button to save the setting.
In order to take the effect of the group policy changes, you must either reboot your computer or type gpupdate/force at command prompt then hit enter to execute the GPO update immediately. If you choose to enable Search Wikipedia, you will see Search Wikipedia appears at Start Menu Instant Search Box once you have started to type at the search box.
Related Articles
- Hack to Modify Firefox 3 Address Bar to Return Search Results When Query or Invalid URL Is Entered
- Display Search Results From Multiple Search Engines Via Google Unified Search Firefox Add-On
- Which Search Engine is the Best and Most Relevant?
- Export, Save, Migrate or Transfer IE7 Search Providers List
- Download Googlepedia Firefox and Google Chrome Browsers Add-on To Search Google and Wikipedia Simultaneously
- Top and Most Popular Search Keywords and Terms in 2006
- New Search Engine Wikia Search Launched
- Free Download Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) Optimized for Google
- Free $100 Yahoo! Search Marketing (Overture) Clicks Credit
- GoogHelper for Windows Mobile Smartphone Reviews
Entries (RSS)
March 22nd, 2009 10:58
[...] Mydigitallife Tags: methods, Microsoft, os, tools, Tutorial, Vista, [...]
March 20th, 2009 14:27
Why trying in Vista search itself.
Install IE8 and you’ll be able to search on best search-provider as you wish, including wikipedia, MSDN, Google, Yahoo, etc. Also, the new ‘Accelraters’ in IE8 is killer feature of IE. You’ll be able to search the net with leastusing of your keyboard.
March 19th, 2009 13:03
Hello,
This is possible in Firefox itself. Install Google Gears and Google toolbar.
Just right click on textbox of wiki (or any search site) . It shows “Generate Custom search” option. It gets added in Google toolbar. I tried it for rediff, wiki, yahoo…
Cheers Google!!
March 19th, 2009 02:56
Unsuccessful on my Vista Premium. I google it and I found another blog that says that accessing gpedit.msc is only works on window vista ultimate..too bad..but thanks anyway for this great post..Kudos!!!
March 19th, 2009 01:21
Windows can’t find ‘gpedit.msc’. Make sure you typed the name correct, and then try agian.
Not working…
//Unhappy Windows Vista Basic 64bit User
March 19th, 2009 01:12
Thanks for the tip, did not know about that option.