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I would like to hide/remove the Search Box in the Start Menu in Windows 7. I find it extremely annoying that it steals keyboard focus by default. I like to hit the Windows-key and then a letter to start programs (e.g. Windows-key then 'p' to start Picasa). Currently, I have force a defocus of the Search Box (usually using the down-arrow) before typing.

Here's a bit more information.

  1. I simply want to not have the Search Box in the Start Menu.
  2. I do not wish to disable search on the system.
  3. I do not want to use another Start Menu program (e.g. Classic Shell).
  4. I do not wish to use "Everything" as my search engine (see #2).
  5. I do not want to change/disable my indexing options.
  6. I have tried to use CCleaner but didn't see the option.

I'm highly computer literate. So if I have to do something crazy technical, then that's fine.

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Stop editing my question. This now looks nothing like my original question. – Al. Feb 6 '11 at 2:51
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In fact, undo all the edits as none of the response are now the answer to the original query. – Al. Feb 6 '11 at 2:52
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@AI: Your original question was only a sub task of your actual goal, however, rolling back per request... – Tom Wijsman Feb 6 '11 at 3:19
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closed as too localized by Tom Wijsman, Nifle, Diago Feb 7 '11 at 19:12

This question is unlikely to ever help any future visitors; it is only relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote

Two options:

  • Use Process Monitor while removing Search from Windows Features to figure out the setting.

  • Use Show Desktop instead and type a key to select a desktop pictogram.

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@AI.: Uhm, no? The second option allows you to find the setting that hides the seach box, given that you are computer literate that shouldn't be hard. I'm not showing you WinDBG in-depth, that would be something for the faint-hearted... The third option allows you to do the thing you want to do in the place you need to do it, not in a place that's not designed for it. If you really want it, why not press the Windows key, go down till the entry and hit enter? Or use a direct Windows key + Task Bar Number hotkey? Not hard given that you have two hands on your keyboard... – Tom Wijsman Feb 6 '11 at 2:22
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I do not wish to disable search. Disabling the "WSearch" process would disable search on the system. – Al. Feb 6 '11 at 2:57
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Showing the desktop is also bad because it would be annoying to have to manually "pin" programs to the desktop. Additionally, my desktop is full of other things like shortcuts to important documents and folders. – Al. Feb 6 '11 at 2:59
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@AI: By disabling search only temporary, you can figure out the changed registry key with Process Monitor. – Tom Wijsman Feb 6 '11 at 3:21
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@AI.: Sorry, I can't help you, you are making your problem too localized : "it would only be relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet"; furthermore your problem is also not real: "It's difficult to tell what is being asked here. This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and can't be reasonably answered in its current form."; it's way too specific and you are constantly adding details which limits any option. – Tom Wijsman Feb 6 '11 at 13:04
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up vote 2 down vote

You could use Autohotkey and create a script like this one:

LWin UP::
    Send {LWin}
    sleep, 50
    Send {Down}
return

This will, when you press the left Windows key, send the Windows key with a down key press added, to the search box will not be focused. To use the right Windows key, use RWin instead of LWin.

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This worked. Thanks-- especially for the script paste above. – Al. Feb 6 '11 at 2:24
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@AI.: I don't see how this hides your search box, it breaks your Windows key instead. – Tom Wijsman Feb 6 '11 at 2:27
@Tom. You are correct.This broke the functionality of the Windows key as seen by "Actual Window Manager". Back to square one. – Al. Feb 6 '11 at 2:51
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