What's Up With Google?

[Palf70Step]

I agree with you K, and my life up till now has been a tech for this nerd-crap. I think your thoughts might be on, that something got tagged with an install like Flash, and it is messing with it. In Firefox, if you haven't, check your add-ons under the tools menu to see if something got tagged that way. MY sinuses/allergies are making it hard to think this morning, but trying to figure where you can check for this mess. I am like you, my search is VERY important to me and main reason I use this funky tool.

[kazoocruiser]

Originally Posted by special-K

I've done/tried all of this. I am given no choice to delete and search engine listed in my options. I have Google set as my default as well as an alternative. Under "find more search engines" I get "Firefox add-ons" and selected "Google (default)".

This will end your woes.

1. Right click anywhere on a blank area of your desktop.
2. Left click "New", then left click "shortcut."
3. Put in this text in the location box: http://www.google.com/ then hit next.
4. The next pane will allow you to name your new DIRECT HYPERLINK to Google.
5. Save your work.
6. You can right click on the new desktop icon, hit properties and change the icon picture.

[weq92f]

.
That is called bloatware and it come standard.

Go to Start=>Control Panel=>Programs and Features

...This should bring up another window listing all the things that are installed on your computer. Along the headings for the list, click on the heading to sort by "Installed On" ( the install date of the "thing" that is installed ).

Now the list should indicate the last few things that were installed which should show any bloat ware that was installed on your behalf by other things that you may have clicked. You can now remove whatever you believe was installed without your consent or that you don't recognize or know that you don't need.

For instance you might see a piece of bloat ware named "Bing assistant" listed there.

Post the listing if you want...

Hth,

-klb

[franken]

As mentioned, it's browser specific settings.
Google is in the business of hoovering and selling our data (and has infinite cash to prove it), so you might try duckduckgo.com. That said I still use google a lot.
I had a Vega Kammback once. $100 and the aluminum 4 didn't survive the drive home...

[El Dorado Jim]

Originally Posted by kazoocruiser

If Windows just did a steamroller update, it may have broken Google. You could reinstall Google, or install a different browser which still uses Google search, like Opera or Firefox. I think you can add other search engines like http://www.dogpile.com

If you are going to re-install Google, you might want to back up your bookmarks to avoid losing them during a meyhem update.

If you have a Google icon on your desktop, you can edit the properties to add a default open tab, by adding a space after the entire target "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" and typing Google, or Gmail, or whatever works for you. Add a space and a new address for extra new tabs when Google opens.

That might save you some time cruising the Web.

I will try that , thanks, I may have to have my son do it for me

[Coley]

...interesting.
When I was in China....obviously there is no google...or youtube or any of their companies or affiliates... or most news websites that we would be familiar with.
It would only on occasion load up the truck forum.....but each page would take probably 5 minutes....guess why? lol.

Regardless, instead...the search engine there is.....Bing.

(oh yeah...and the other thing that is humorous there is that your cell phone only last about 1/4 to 1/2 day max and its always warm.....guess why?)

...hmmm

All good
Coley

[special-K]

Part of my problem is I am not very good with computers. I know enough to be here and when things don't go right I am lost. When people explain things like this I get lost real quick. They are a separate reality from the real world where I am confident in my ability to deal with anything that comes my way. Now that Windows 10 has been forced on me, I am worse off than before. I had figured out a good bit, was quite comfortable with Windows 8, and probably could have worked this out on my own. Now I don't even know how to find where I need to go to do things such as remedy this issue. I don't understand half the terminology people use when explaining things. I have never had a conversation on any technical level about computers. They are not a hobby, don't use them for my work. They are just like a lawnmower to me, I just want to start it cut the grass, and put it away.

Originally Posted by kazoocruiser

This will end your woes.

1. Right click anywhere on a blank area of your desktop.
2. Left click "New", then left click "shortcut."
3. Put in this text in the location box: http://www.google.com/ then hit next.
4. The next pane will allow you to name your new DIRECT HYPERLINK to Google.
5. Save your work.
6. You can right click on the new desktop icon, hit properties and change the icon picture.

I have right clicked in the side margin, next to the address bar, and in the blank tab area. Each gives me a different menu, but when I left click it goes away. Did you leave a step out?

Originally Posted by weq92f

.
That is called bloatware and it come standard.

Go to Start=>Control Panel=>Programs and Features

...This should bring up another window listing all the things that are installed on your computer. Along the headings for the list, click on the heading to sort by "Installed On" ( the install date of the "thing" that is installed ).

Now the list should indicate the last few things that were installed which should show any bloat ware that was installed on your behalf by other things that you may have clicked. You can now remove whatever you believe was installed without your consent or that you don't recognize or know that you don't need.

For instance you might see a piece of bloat ware named "Bing assistant" listed there.

Post the listing if you want...

Hth,

-klb

Do you mean in "File Explorer", click "downloads"? That is the only place I can find all this stuff, and when I hover it tells me install date. On my start window I don't see any of what you list. With Window 8 I could go to my control panel, find programs, etc. I have yet to figure that out with this less than user friendly new crap. I think we need to take a step back with this info and teach me how to get where I need to go.

Originally Posted by franken

As mentioned, it's browser specific settings.
Google is in the business of hoovering and selling our data (and has infinite cash to prove it), so you might try duckduckgo.com. That said I still use google a lot.

I'm happy with using Google, aside from whatever business practices they use. It's what I am familiar with, satisfied with results, and trying anything else never crossed my mind. I just want to get back to where I was.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by special-K

Part of my problem is I am not very good with computers. I know enough to be here and when things don't go right I am lost. When people explain things like this I get lost real quick. They are a separate reality from the real world where I am confident in my ability to deal with anything that comes my way.

Right there with you Tim, I just found out they no longer support my Windows 3.1

[kazoocruiser]

1. Right click anywhere on a blank area of your desktop.

2. Left click "New", then left click "shortcut."
3. Put in this text in the location box: http://www.google.com/ then hit next.
4. The next pane will allow you to name your new DIRECT HYPERLINK to Google.
5. Save your work.
6. You can right click on the new desktop icon, hit properties and change the icon picture.

I have right clicked in the side margin, next to the address bar, and in the blank tab area. Each gives me a different menu, but when I left click it goes away. Did you leave a step out?

No, you didn't understand what I said to do in step 1.

A blank area on your desktop is not the side margin, next to the address bar, or in the blank tab area.

I have included a picture of my desktop, with the green indicating "blank desktop area." Maybe that will help.

The second picture shows the open menus.

[weq92f]

.
Sorry 'bout that...I rarely do Windows support and I certainly didn't expect to do it here either

So for windows 8 to get the Programs and Features window up do this:

To begin, access the Start Context Menu: Windows 8: Hover the cursor in the bottom-left corner of the screen until a small image of the Start Screen appears, then right-click on the icon to open the Start Context Menu. Select Programs and Features. .

For windows 8.1 ( which is apparently different ): do this:
Right-click on the Start icon in the lower left-hand corner to open the Start Context Menu. Select Programs and Features.

This is the Programs and Features screen you're trying to find in order to sort by Installed On so you can see what has been installed recently. This may or may not ultimately help, but it will allow you to Uninstall stuff that may have been installed without your consent.

[kazoocruiser]

Here is another way to put a Google shortcut directly on your desktop.

1. Open your browser.

2. Half-size the browser window, so you can see your desktop behind it.

3. In the address bar, next to the arrow keys, type in Google.

4. The next window that opens should present the fully qualified web address in the address bar, where, if you highlight it, you can drag the address directly to the desktop, by clicking and holding down the left mouse key and dragging the entire address to the desktop.

[kazoocruiser]

Originally Posted by WorkinLonghorn

Seriously though, read this;

https://productforums.google.com/for...me/HgXgUhcsrwM

Quoted from the weblink.

Hanna J. said:
Hi Trending3434,

Thanks for posting! It sounds like Bing might have made some changes to your Chrome settings. Check the following:
If unfamiliar pages are opening up each time you start up Chrome, check in Chrome Menu > Settings > On Startup > next to the radio button for Open a specific page or set of pages, click on Set pages > remove any unwanted URLs by hovering over the URL until you see an "X" appear to the right side of the URL.
If all searches that you perform in the omnibox are returning with results from a different search engine instead of your preferred search engine, check in Chrome Menu > Settings > Search > Manage search engines > check the list of Default search engines, Other search engines, and Search engines added by extensions, and remove suspicious entries that you are not familiar with. Depending on your extensions, you may not see the last section for Search engines added by extensions.
To remove an unfamiliar search engine, make sure you select your preferred search engine first, and then remove the unfamiliar option.
If an unfamiliar page opens up when you click on the Home button, check in Chrome Menu > Settings > Appearance > select the Show Home button checkbox > check the URL below it.
Also check that there are no extensions installed that may be causing these changes. Go to Chrome Menu > Settings > Extensions > if you see any unfamiliar extension that you do not remember installing, try disabling/removing the extension to see it was causing these changes. To disable, uncheck the "Enabled" checkbox next to the extension. To remove, hover over the extension until you see a trash can icon appear, and click on the icon.
If you do not remember installing any specific software around the time that this change took place, try running the Chrome Cleanup Tool to make sure that there are no other suspicious programs remaining that could make changes to your settings.

Best,
Hanna

[special-K]

Originally Posted by kazoocruiser

1. Right click anywhere on a blank area of your desktop.

2. Left click "New", then left click "shortcut."
3. Put in this text in the location box: http://www.google.com/ then hit next.
4. The next pane will allow you to name your new DIRECT HYPERLINK to Google.
5. Save your work.
6. You can right click on the new desktop icon, hit properties and change the icon picture.

I have right clicked in the side margin, next to the address bar, and in the blank tab area. Each gives me a different menu, but when I left click it goes away. Did you leave a step out?

No, you didn't understand what I said to do in step 1.

A blank area on your desktop is not the side margin, next to the address bar, or in the blank tab area.

I have included a picture of my desktop, with the green indicating "blank desktop area." Maybe that will help.

The second picture shows the open menus.

But my computer doesn't have that cat picture.

Sorry, just acting blonde (how I feel). I didn't realize you meant "blank area on my start page" before going online. There is no blank area on that. It is filled up with all these silly little icons. Sorry, just kidding again. I'll try that and get back on that. Thanks! If you ever need advise on raising ducks I am here to help, anytime. (I survive on humor in my darkest moments)

Originally Posted by weq92f

.
Sorry 'bout that...I rarely do Windows support and I certainly didn't expect to do it here either

So for windows 8 to get the Programs and Features window up do this...

Thanks for trying, but I was good with Windows 8. I now have Windows 10 and that's why I have a problem moving forward.

[Red71gmc]

I feel your pain K. I too would rather put an ice pick through my brain then diagnose computer issues.
I was all on board with the tech 25 years ago and probably one of the first to adapt it in the ag world. I seen its purpose as a useful tool in both record keeping and as an enhancement of production.
The problem is, I feel it has outgrown its original purpose and now the basics of why it was a good thing has been lost. It is now a monster that is forced upon us only now we are expected to be computer techs where as then, a computer tech was on every corner for hire at a reasonable charge (probably because back then they had margin in their sales).
I have a very complicated POS system at my store. It will probably wipe your rear for you if you know how to go through the 40 step process to do it. I told the vendor of the POS that if I sell a power drill it comes with an operators manual so why don't I get one with my POS. they just scoffed that the manual would be thousands of pages. Exactly, was my response, so how do you expect a user to have a clue just diving in.

[kazoocruiser]

Originally Posted by special-K

But my computer doesn't have that cat picture.

Sorry, just acting blonde (how I feel). I didn't realize you meant "blank area on my start page" before going online. There is no blank area on that. It is filled up with all these silly little icons. Sorry, just kidding again. I'll try that and get back on that. Thanks! If you ever need advise on raising ducks I am here to help, anytime. (I survive on humor in my darkest moments)

I get it, just ducking around. For a bit , while reading your response, I had the idea of a blind chicken pecking around for a seed, but not getting a target. Nice to see you are making progress. Here's a picture of Desktop green-space, and you can see there is a lot of real-estate to poke at and get a menu.

I'm glad to see you are working towards a solution of a broken Google search function inside of Chrome. From re-reading through the thread, and some research, it looks like Microsoft hi-jacked the Chrome browser settings.

I saw from an earlier post in this thread that you had indicated you didn't like doing things when it was forced upon you.

"Did you chose it or was it forced on you. I knew kids who wouldn't eat carrots and I would. Their parents forced them on them and mine didn't. If I chose to change I would get used to the changes. Because I didn't chose, I will likely never consider it... if I can get rid of it."

If you want to take the firefight back to Microsoft, you can hi-jack their browser like I will try to give the steps to here.

By default Windows 10 comes preloaded with Edge. Microsoft does not control the Internet, but it wants to control your access to it. If you look carefully at the picture I've included, you will see there is a way to force Edge to open whatever you want it to by default.

Open Edge. Then locate the three dots at the upper right-hand coner. Click that and it will open to reveal a selction near the bottom called "settings." Click that and it wil give you options to install your own pages that Edge will then open by default the next time it is summoned from the inky-black-darkness to do your bidding. I suggest Dogpile as a choice. It finds a lot of things that Google misses while it is trying to keep you "safe."

My computer. My choices.

[kazoocruiser]

So did you ever get your computer sorted out?