How to remove Windows Search 4.0

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I installed this piece of **** as part of the update routine a while ago and just couldn’t get rid of it for the life of me. I could disable it, but every time I did a right-clicked “search”, I ended up having to wait an age for it to load so I could redirect to the old built-in system.

Well, thankfully I discovered an article which helped. All the claims of “look at the Add/Remove Programs” list were useless as it doesn’t put itself on there, despite what Microsoft claim. Also, I’ve not seen an Update spuninst folder/file in the system root when I’ve put it on either – which means there’s no uninstall program.

The page is this one, courtesy of ARNO#. It does involve downloading a ZIP file, but I can verify that it works. I would recommend running a registry cleaning package once you’ve gone through his instructions, though. No harm in doing so just to ensure you get rid of any loose ends that might get left behind.

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Could you use this GMail add-on?

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Google have proved they have a sense of humour by releasing a funky add-on to the Labs in Gmail. All it does is confirm that you really, really want to send that email you just typed. Which sounds silly, but how often have you bunged off a random SMS while drunk that you kind of wish the girl in accounts hadn’t received? Or gotten horny (while drunk) and emailed an ex to suggest that perhaps one more try together might actually be a good idea?

Mail Goggles aims to stop that. Whenever you send a message (based on a schedule, defaulting to late night at weekends) it asks you to solve a couple of maths problems before it’ll actually release the mail.

Completely silly. But I like it. I really wish I’d had something like that on my mobile way back in the past.

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Bittersweet

Sat delayed at Kuala Lumpur airport. I was told the flight would be at 13:40. It’s 13:20 and no sign of a boarding call.

However, there’s a guy sat next to me who’s just found out he has a 4-hour delay. And he wants a cigarette. And he can’t.

His response? “They need a smoking room!”

Mine: “Quit, you idiot.”

Not to his face. He’s big and American and he’d probably try to sue me.

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Immobilise

I can’t remember if I’ve posted about this site before, but it’s been updated and revamped so it deserves a mention regardless.

Immobilise (Immobilize.net in the U.S.) is an initiative to help track down all your stuff if it gets nicked. You enter the make, model, serial number and upload photos. If you get robbed, you can use it to block your phone and also inform the police and second hand trade of the items stolen.

It is free, and it’s recommended by everyone from the Home Office to the BBC. Yeah, it’ll take you a while to whack everything in, but think how much easier it’ll make things than having to dig out all the information if your stuff gets pinched. They even tell you how to find serial numbers on many common models of electronic goods.

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