Disabling search-word prompts... help!

[~*~ k a t e ~*~]

Hi all,

Can anyone here tell me how to stop my computer remembering what I've typed in searches in the past and prompting me with a list of words?

eg. if I go to Google and type "p", it will give me a drop-down list saying stuff like...

"pants wet"
"peeing"
"pee yourself"
"piss"

...and it's gonna be really embarrassing if anyone else uses my computer!!!

Thanks for your help everyone :D

Katy
xxx

[paco]

Katy, how odd that we both get the same drop-down list! :)

Clearing your cache and cookies periodically should solve the problem, thinks this non-expert. There's probably a more automatic and efficient way, though.

[Anonymous Coward]

Speaking from experience here :lol:

I'm assuming you're using Internet Explorer... These are based on Internet Explorer 6 and might not be exactly the same for previous versions (especially the blocking cookies bit) but it will be quote similar.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To stop your previous searches appearing at Yahoo, Google, etc:
In IE, go to the Tools menu > Internet Options... > Content tab.
Click the AutoComplete... button.
Click the Clear Forms button.
If you want to stop it saving your searches in the future, un-tick the Forms option.
Click OK in both the AutoComplete and Internet Options boxes.


To stop things appearing in the "Address" box in Internet Explorer:
In IE, go to the Tools menu > Internet Options... > Advanced tab.
Scroll down the list until you find Use inline AutoComplete for web addresses and make sure it's not ticked.
Click OK.
You might have to restart IE for it to take effect, I'm not sure.

To stop things appearing in the "Run" box (on the Start Menu):
Do the same as the previous one, except un-tick the Use inline AutoComplete in Windows Explorer option instead.

To clear your browser history (list of sites you've visited):
Go to Internet Options as previously.
Click the Clear History button on the General tab.
To stop it keeping a history in the future, set the number in the Days to keep pages in history: box to 0. Be-warned though, it does still keep a temporary history, but by setting it to zero, it will be cleared whenever you log-off or restart your computer.
Click OK

To clear your Temporary Internet Files (aka browser cache):
(This is only really necessary if somebody else who uses your computer is particularly snoopy) Go to Internet Options again.
Click the Delete Files... button on the General tab.
Click the OK button (it'll probably take quite a while).

To delete your cookies:
(Again, this is only really necessary if somebody else who uses your computer is particularly snoopy. Also be aware that it will mess up things like automatic login for this board) Go to Internet Options again.
Click the Delete Cookies... button on the General tab.
Click the OK button.

To stop cookies being stored in the first place:
(Only do this if you're really paranoid. It will likely mess up all sorts of things) Open Internet Options and go to the Privacy tab.
Click the Advanced... button.
Tick the Overide automatic cookie handling box and set the options for First-party Cookies and Third-party Cookies to either "Block" or "Prompt" (block will stop cookies, prompt will ask you if it's ok to store them).
I strongly advise you tick the Always allow session cookies box as these are deleted when you close your browser and without them you will not be able to log into any websites!

Phew... Did I miss anything?

[~*~ k a t e ~*~]

Yay!! Thank you so much Anonymous Coward :)

That is exactly the info I wanted *kiss*

Katy
xxx

[WT]

Wow! That was a very impressive job, Anonymouse Coward! I can only add a couple of things:
When dealing with the Internet Explorer Autocomplete(as you describe above), I also uncheck the box Usernames and passwords on forms and, to clear the ones already stored before you do that, click the clear Passwords button. This means that you have to re-type your username and password to log in, but prevents other users of the computer getting a login box already completed with "Wet Trousers" (not my actual username) or whatever. Also, if you store passwords, the other user will just be logged in automatically as you if they browse to a site you use. Not good if it's Amazon with your credit card details stored ready for one-click ordering...
In Internet Explorer Advanced (also as described above), I also check Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed which does what it suggests and saves you from having to do it manually. It deletes cached copies of downloaded pages, images, other media content etc but does not delete cookies (which are stored in the same place). These are dealt with by setting the security profile as you describe above.
Finally, that allows you to delete pretty much everything that Microsoft wants to let you delete. To delete the squirrelled away data that Microsoft keeps secretly, including details of every media clip that you play with Windows Media Player and possibly every web address that you visit, you will need to buy one of these 'cover your tracks' packages. I would strongly advise doing this from a reputable software manufacturer at a PC store, not over the Internet. Some Internet-sold 'cover your tracks' packages have included trojans to send all the data back to who knows where on the Internet before deleting it (or not). I personally have written my own, but that requires programming knowledge, a suitable programming language package and the right operating system interface to update the Windows registry and delete locked files on restart. One mistake and you can stop your PC booting until you reinstall Windows.
For anyone brave enough and with the skills to do this, files to delete include %userprofile%\Cookies\index.dat (lists all cookies, including the ones you have deleted, is re-created by Windows), C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Index\wmplibrary_v_0_12.db (details all media played by MS Media Player 8 - I think 7 and 9 have similar files, is re-created by Windows or WMP), %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\UserData\index.dat (stores all URLs visited, was there in Win 2000, I can't find it in Win XP, re-created by Windows or IE). I delete them on my Windows XP system without harm but, naturally, I cannot guarantee that you will suffer no harm by deleting them on yours. This is probably not a comprehensive list: I update it whenever I come across new information on hidden data in a user group, article or whatever.
Finally, most applications store recently used file lists in the Windows Registry. This will apply if, for axample, you play downloaded media with a player such as Windows Media Player, or if you open downloaded images with any application other than Internet Explorer. The locations of these registry entries vary, but are generally under HKCU\Software\<Company name>\<Package name>\... As an example, for Windows Media Player 8 (and probably 7 & 9) you need to empty registry keys HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentF ileList and HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Player\RecentU RLList. For good measure, Windows stores recent files (unless you have opted out) as a list in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\RecentDocs and by file type in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\ComDlg32. This is also how it stores the Run list, in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\RunMRU.


Hope that helps too.