How to change default search engine

[Bernie]

Can someone give me a simple way to change my default search engine on IE6 (Win XP/SP2 on home pc)?  I've been using Google but would like to change to something else. 

Sandy:  would appreciate your input on this.  I know you use Google but I've read some adverse posts about it and would like to switch to a different one.

Thanks to all who can provide some help for me without making any registry changes.

Bernie 

[purcy]

Hi Bernie, do you mean the home page that comes up when you open IE? Just click TOOLS at the top and then click Internet Options. On the top of the screen is a address bar where you can enter any webpage you like as your IE homepage, you can enter any search engine you like, ie. Google, Dogpile, Answers.com, Yahoo. That's why I love the Firefox browser over Internet Explorer, FF has a neat little search box in the upper right corner of the page with a pull down screen that includes a bunch of different search engines. You just type in your search term and pull down the box and click on the search engine you desire and away you go. Good luck.

[Bernie]

Thanks.  I do understand how to change the home page, but I'm looking to change the search engine, which I do not see anywhere. If it is on Tools/Options where the home page can be changed, I am not seeing it.  Can you steer me a little further please.  Your suggestion to use FF will be my next option.  I have used it in the past and liked it, except for some pages that require IE to open.

[purcy]

I think I am stumped by what you mean by Search Engine, since you mentioned Google in your question, I assumed you meant a search engine website that you used on IE6.  Since I haven't used IE for several years, what do you click to get to your search engine now (I'm assuming Google) on IE?

[Bernie]

Purcy, I had the Google Toolbar for searching (images, page rank, popup stopper, etc.) which I have removed and would like to use another search engine instead of Google. Is there a way to add a search engine to IE like FF does?  Or is FF my best option to add one?

[purcy]

I got you now, sorry to be so dense. I highly recommend using Firefox version 2, I have had nothing but ease and delight for the past 2 years. Yes, there is the occasional thing that must open in IE, but I would never go back to using IE. Also, if you read the posting below this titled "Center Mouse Wheel" Bigtoe details how to fully personalize FF by changing default settings to your specs. Very easy to do.

Aside from that, if you just go onto any of the search engines, for instance Ask.com, if you click on "Settings" in the upper right corner, one of the options is to add Ask.com to your tool bar as your default browser. Perhaps most of them give you that option.

[bigtoe]

Hi Bernie .... I would support Purcy's idea of using FF2, but if you want to change the default search engine of IE6 (usually it is MSN if you no longer have a search engine toolbar) then try this: Click the Search button on the toolbar, and then click the Customize button in the Search bar, or over on the left side of your screen in the search area that opens up. Then you just basically choose your options using the up and down arrows, setting whichever one of the choices you want to be your default search engine. I still have IE6 on this laptop, along with FF2, and I am finding myself using FF2 more and more...

If you wanted to use Yahoo.com or Ask.com, or most of the others, they all seem to have a toolbar feature now so you could download their toolbar to be up at the top of the page like the Google Toolbar was... But if you would rather not use a specific toolbar but would just rather change your default search engine, then the earlier directions should be what you would want.... BT

[Bernie]

I've really become wary of search toolbars so now I'm not even sure I will use another one.  Friend of mine who had the Google toolbar tells me their AdAware was finding 'backdoor.agobot' every time it ran, and it would shut down their IE every time.  Since removing the Google toolbar, no more 'backdoor.agobot' has been found.  I know that Google has become one of the most popular toolbars, but it leaves me wondering what else is going on behind the scenes that we don't know about.  Good thing for AdAware and other programs that pluck out the bad guys!