Delete Windows 7 Search History (And customise!)

A question just came up on SuperUser.com where a user asked the following:

Windows 7 - Make Windows Explorer Never Remember Search Terms

You know the handy search bar on the top right of Explorer. I find it irritating that it always remembers search terms. I feel like, people can easily intrude into my computer since they know what documents I'm searching for.

Is there any way to disable it?

So... I remember the search being the third tab within the re-done folder options dialog, however I could not see the ability to disable search or delete the history. I looked a bit further at some other options, but could not find it anywhere (Including a quick look in group policy).

I ran Microsoft/Sysinternals Process Monitor and found that the following location is where the search results are stored :

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WordWheelQuery

So, to cut it short, you can delete any entry within this key without breaking anything - The entire key simply does not exist on a fresh Windows install. But, to disable search history entirely simply right click the key (In the left folder view) and click Permissions, Click add then type everyone and click ok. Click on the Deny box next to "Full Control", and you should see something like the following:

Simply Click ok and done! If you go to any Windows Explorer folder and click on search, there will not be ANY results from previous searches and more importantly, it won't remember anything you type in the future.

Whilst this is job done, I wanted to take this a step further and see if it is possible to add predefined search terms whilst preventing Windows from writing new entries - Long story short, I failed!

I understand how the entire registry key works, You simply add a new Binary value with a sequential number, write your search term and add a 00 in-between each letter followed by three 00's at the end. For example:


Lastly, I think for the last item - MRUListEx, you simply need to add followed by three 00's. For example, With three entries, MRUListEx looks like:

And with four, it looks like:

Anyway, I tried simply disabling the ability for everyone to write, however it seems to disable all history despite effective permissions confirming that there is still permission to read. I spent a good few minutes on this but I just have a lot of work to do today - This is something I want to revisit when I have more time to spare!

Visual Studio Sound Effects

I wanted to change the sound effects for something and I was checking through the sound settings and I found this:

So, does Visual Studio corrupt the sound control panel item? Do other people have these duplicates?

Speed up ASP.Net Development Server on Firefox

I have been doing a lot of work on ASP.Net development recently and one thing that annoyed me was how slow the ASP.Net Development Server was. I use Visual Studio 2008 and Firefox.

I always thought that the delay was due to the server itself, as I had no problems when the site is deployed to IIS, however I needed to test a CSS style in Internet Explorer and I noticed that it was just as fast as when deployed.

So, it was time to try and figure out what caused the delay! Long story short (and after a few hours of looking), I found the following.

In Firefox, type about:config into the title bar and then ipv6 in the filter. I was then left with just one option - network.dns.disableIPv6

By changing network.dns.disableIPv6 to true, it suddenly makes a world of difference - instead of a 3-5 second delay after any request, it (usually, script dependently) appears instantly!

I still don't think anyone is reading my Blog - don't blame you, one post every 15days-2 months at random, but hopefully this comes up on Google just in case anyone else has the same problem!

Visual Studio 2008 Install Order

Well, after many problems, I reinstalled Windows 7 from scratch and got everything working.

(My problems mainly are because of a bug with x64 Windows + x64 SQL with x86 Visual Studio)

It is really hard to find a good guide so if anyone is interested the following is what I did and got it all working without any problems.

1. Install Windows 7 RTM
2. Perform all Windows 7 updates.
3. Install Visual Studio 2008 (Team Suite)
4. Install Visual Studio 2008 SP1 Update
5. Install SQL Server Express Edition 2008 SP1*
6. Install SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Express
7. Install SQL Server 2008 SP1 Update**
8. Install Visual Studio Hotfix 957944

And all done! Everything working without any problems!

* As much as I wanted to use the Advanced edition with Text Search, BI tools and reporting services, I just need to use SQL, I don't need anything advanced. I always seem to mess around with things I do not need! This time I just wanted to keep it simply and this works.

** Management Studio Express 2008 is not available to download with SP1 already applied, I tried running it and it seems to be fine - I cannot see anything that running the SP1 update actually improves, however when looking at the version numbers, it does get upgraded whilst the SQL 2008 instance previously installed remains untouched.

I was searching for ages for a guide like this but could not find anything up to date. I have done a lot of testing inside VMs, but this is what I came up with. I hope it helps someone out there!

Jury Service day 10

Well, I arrived at court in the morning and we listened for a few hours to more evidence and were told that we have to reach a decision.

Anyway, it was complicated and not everyone agreed but in the end we did.

Don't know what I am allowed and what I am not allowed to say, so I won't put it here!

I have to say, if I am called for Jury service again, I will defiantly do it. It is a very good experience and if you are called, it is hard but very good work.

Just a little tip - Bring a laptop or something interesting to do... It is so boring if you don't!

Jury Service day 9

Another half day! The case is going on for quite a while and is very complicated and interesting.

Anyway, we have been told that it will end tomorrow and to bring lunch as we will not be allowed out until we reach a decision.

Jury Service day 8

WOOT!

I have finally been picked! I have been so bored that I decided to bring my laptop in and of course, it has to be no more than 5 minutes after I set it up, I am called!

I went in to the waiting area then in to the court room and out of the 15, I was called!

Not allowed to discuss the case, but we had about a hour in court then were told to go home as the Judge had other things booked for the court room that afternoon.

Jury Service day 6

Jury service is so boring!

I am not going to write about every day because quite frankly - NOTHING HAPPENED!

I can not explain how boring it all is. I brought a few books and my Nintendo to play, however it was so boring there, I just could not concentrate! I kept looking at my watch every few mins and just wished it could end.

I am starting to talk to a few people and make friends... Feels sort of like you are being thrown in to Big Brother! All people who you barely have anything in common with.

Anyway... I hope I get selected for something soon, some people have been called for 3 or 4 trials whilst I haven't been on one!

Jury Service day 3

The snow is still everywhere but as the trains are running (just about) I made my way in for Jury Service.

and... It's my birthday! I must be getting older now as I just feel like I couldn't care less!

Anyway, it was so boring, words really can not describe it. I was not picked at all!

Jury Service day 2

Well, I got out of bed and the snow was still very bad.

I heard that there were no trains again so I rang the telephone number and was told again that they are not expecting anyone to come in.

First day of Jury Service

Well, I woke up early as I had to go to Croydon Crown court for my first day of Jury Service.

The TV News and the radio was surprisingly unhelpful as they said some train services are working and all the websites and phone lines were completely overloaded!

The snow was so deep but when I got to Petts Wood station, there was very thick snow everywhere and there was just a sign up in the station office :

I thought I better take a picture just in case I needed proof for not attending Jury service.

When I got home, I rang the Jury service telephone number but could not get through! I kept retrying and when I finally did the Woman just said everyone is ringing and Jury Service is off for the day!

Here are more shots of Petts Wood

Chinese New Year

I went to London for the Chinese new year with my brother and dad.

When we got there, I took a look around all the stalls but found nothing really worth buying (apart from a 50p small dragon expanding paper toy!).

We managed to find a place in Leicester Square to stand for the fireworks and it was amazing! There was not really any traditional rockets, just many firecrackers / bangers. My ears were ringing as there had to be many thousand bangs! I really cannot describe it other than brilliant!

When it was over, we went through all the crowds to try and find a restaurant to eat at. There was a usual argument between me and Edward on where to eat, but there was one place that looked really good, from the front door there was quite a long walk and a bridge to walk over a pond.

Anyway, they were fully booked and we were turned away. It must of taken about 30 minutes of walking around to find another restaurant that had space. It started snowing as we were going in. We found one place called Lido.

The food was quite quick, it wasn't that bad but the staff were so unfriendly and rude.

When we had finished the meal, we started to go home and none of us could believe how much the snow had settled! It was snowing so heavy that even when moving around, it was settling on my coat within seconds!

We got to the underground station and started the LONG journey home.

When we got to Charring Cross, we were told that there were no direct trains due to Signal problems but if we take a train to Lewisham, we should be able to get a connection there.

When we got to Lewisham, well, It was the new end of the line! Notihng was going out of there and it looks like we were on the last train.

We were at Lewisham station for at least 2 hours and it freezing! The snow was not really that noticeable at the station and we thought the worst of it was when we came out the restaurant earlier in the night (how wrong we were!). It was a bit slippery and in the corners of buildings you could see ice, but that was about it.


The bus was going ok, and then when we went past the Quasar building in Bromley road, suddently everything changed!

This is a picture just after someone got off the bus!


The snow was so thick that it compressed under your feet well before touching the pavement!

Going just past Bromley south station, the bus could barely get up the hill! but we are really lucky it did as apparently the service was suspended not that long after as other drivers were refusing to go up the slippery hill!

It was an amazing site when we finally got to Petts Wood...

When I got in, I took my dogs on a walk around the block which probably was not a good idea! They both loved the snow but whilst one was completely fine and just shock the snow off, the snow just stuck like glue to the other dog! I have never seen anything like that :S I had to use a hairdryer to melt it as it would just not come off.

Anyway, we were all glad to be home as if we had not caught the last train or bus, I am not sure what we would of done!

I went to sleep shortly after as I had Jury service in the morning!

Colbert Report.... Wag of my finger to the FX channel!

no update in a while...

I did not want to have a blog that just had things that annoy me, which is why I tried to post the good story below, however there are just far to many things that do annoy me... so guess this this blog will just turn in to my outlet!

Anyway, I love watching the Colbert Report on FX as well as looking at some good clips on www.colbertnation.com however recently, it is blocked to everyone in the UK :(



However, for some reason, www.dailyshow.com still works for John Stewart's show. I can only guess that this is FX's fault.

What is even more annoying is that they already edit the show (cuts, skips e.t.c.) and yet they leave in the advert at the end where they advertise the website and the fact you can watch it online!

Come on, allow it in the UK again!?