Removing the Iwon "search assistant"

Factual Questions
1

I downloaded the iwon “prize machine” to enjoy odds of four billion to one that I might win ten grand.

It installed FOUR useless apps on my machine, which I promptly uninstalled, but this damn “search assitant” won’t leave.

MSIE has a panel on the left, which when i click ‘search’ normally gives a menu offering such useful options as dictionary, encyclopedia, maps, yellow pages, and a variety of search engines which I can search in the order of my choice.

Now I’m left with a Yahoo! style menu and the only search it will do of course is Iwon. The functionaly of my browser has been drastically reduced.

I remember vaguely a registry entry denoting a MS page that is used for the normal search panel.

I sent an email to iwon but I probably too liberaly used the phrase, “Fuck You” to get any response.

How can I get my browser back to normal?

2

I had something similar to this install itself on my computer, too. It was called “Quick! Search” or something like that.

Anyway, do a search with this parasitic search engine, then at or near the bottom of the results page there should be something like a “Disable” button. If not, go to the control panel on your start menu (assuming you have a PC), and go to Add/Remove Programs and see if its on there.

Happy

3

Try running Adaware, it might be able to remove it.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

4

Thanks, no dice on all accounts.

I searched my registry and found this entry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
http://searchassistant.iwon.com/srchlft.html

Can somebody tell me what their registry has for this entry?

5

Oops more specifically, the registry key is
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar

6

I once had the same problem with Chinese Language Support. Every time my mouse went into my URL bar a little window popped up and offered my “Chinese Language Support.”

I either got rid of it through “Add/Remove Programs” or though “Internet Options” under the tools bar in IE. I went to advanced options and read through it.

Whatever I did I don’t have it anymore. Maybe you can try those two avenues.

7

I had to change three registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search\SearchAssistant

back to the default of http://ie.search.msn.com/{SUB_RFC1766}/srchasst/srchasst.htm

Thanks for the replies.