Classic Shell: Forum

Is there any reason I shouldn't want to get rid of the Win 8.1 Search, under Programs / Search? How do I do it?

I have the Search box. It has a tab for settings.

Basically theres no reason you would need it, other than custom, or ease of use (I find it easier for example to open the calculator by typing [Win];c;a;[Enter] as opposed to finding it in the subfolders.
The same steps on the charms bar:[Win+S];c;a;[Enter]. In other-words the 'new' method actually requires slightly more work; It does support web searches natively though; which is something that takes a bit of work to get on the start menu's search.

I see . . . any idea how I hide it? I don't see how in Customize Start Menu. What I've done:

right-click, delete these

Current menu items / Search menu . . . it doesn't do anything when you click on it, don't need it either

Current menu items / Search box . . . keep

Current menu items / Apps

Current menu items / Shutdown dialog / Hibernate

right click start button
choose settings
click the text input at the top left
type 'show se'
all the options that apply should be listed below
select the 'no search box' radio button

If you are talking about the Search shortcut in the Programs folder, you can try deleting it. I suspect it might break something, like the search charm or the search functionality in the start screen.
Somebody was complaining here that he deleted the IE shortcut and the Metro IE broke.

Instead of deleting it move it somewhere else, like to the desktop. See what breaks. If you don't see any problems for a few days then delete it.

Yes . . the Search shortcut in the Programs folder. Here's why I'm asking - from my notes:

Main Menu / [check] Hide app shortcuts

Within Programs at the bottom (items not in a folder), this hides:
. . . Camera, OneDrive, PC Settings, Photos, Store
But why doesn't it hide "Search"? Search is not an app, but it is in the same area.
I have deleted it before, but forget why I determined that I shouldn't do that.
Something didn't work, but I forget what.
From memory, if I run DISM from an elevated command prompt:
. . . C:\>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
it will put Search back, and things are restored to working order.
I'm just asking about this now, because I was going through all of the CS settings.
It looks like if I hide things through the CS settings, I'm safe,
. . . but I don't see how to hide "Programs / Search"
Could there be an option under Main Menu that moves it for you, to something like:
. . . Administrative Tools, Windows Accessories, or Windows System?
. . . Some place that has been determined to leave everything working.
. . . I wonder if you later ran DISM, though, would it re-create Search in Programs. Probably, yes.
. . . So, you would just have to re-check that setting in CS
. . . . . . Would it create a duplicate of it? Should the previous one then be deleted?
. . . . . . Could the CS setting handle all of this? IDK.

It doesn't hide Search because it is not an app. It runs some DLL to show the search sidebar.

Try moving it and see what happens. I can't tell you what will break or where can you move it without breaking anything.

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Summary of what I found, details below:

1.) I put a copy of "Programs / Search" in the "Windows System" folder
2.) I then deleted "Programs / Search"
3.) DISM found no corruption
4.) SFC saw this as a corruption, and put "Programs / Search" back
5.) There is no issue, if you then delete the copy of "Windows System / Search"
6.) Unless SFC is changed, it will always put "Programs / Search" back

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If I click Programs / Search . . . it opens up the Win 8.1 Search, on the right side
. . . it says: Search - Everywhere

Right-click Start / Open All Users . . . I "Copy and Paste" "Search" into "Windows System"
. . . Would there be a difference if I had "Cut and Pasted" it? I have seen there can be, in Excel.
. . . I click on "Search" in "Windows System," and it does the same thing

Right-click Start / Open All Users . . . I delete Programs / "Search"
. . . There would probably have been no difference if I had deleted it directly from the Start Menu
. . . I click on it in "Windows System," and it's still working - so far, so good

I do a Restart . . . upon returning to Desktop, everything is the same
. . . I click on it in "Windows System," and it's still working

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This is what I do, when I do updates - I just have the OS running:
Start / Run / msconfig / System Configuration / Services tab / [check] Hide all Microsoft services / Disable all / Apply / Ok / Exit without Restart
CCleaner / Tools / Startup / highight all / Disable
Restart

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Run as Administrator, from an elevated command prompt
C:\>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Image Version: 6.2.9200.16384 . . . Win 8
Image version: 6.3.9600.17031 . . . 05/24/14 Win 8.1 ... 01/21/15

What I usually see:
The restore operation completed successfully.
The component store corruption was repaired. The operation completed successfully.

03/24/14 ... 13-14 minutes
04/10/14 ... 15-16 minutes
05/24/14 ... 09-10 minutes in Win 8.1
10/30/14 ... 11-12 minutes
11/27/14 ... 17-18 minutes
12/10/14 ... 22-23 minutes
01/21/15 ... 18-20 minutes ... I got the "operation completed successfully" message above
. . . Why doesn't it tell you what it fixed?
. . . It did not put "Search" back in the root of Programs
. . . I click on "Search" in "Windows System," and it still pops out on the right side
. . . I tested it by searching for "msconfig," and that came up normally
. . . I do a Restart to re-establish my basline, and next . . .

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Run as Administrator, from an elevated command prompt
C:\>sfc /scannow

What I usually see:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

02/18/14 ... 16-17 minutes - XP took 24 mins
05/24/14 ... 15-16 minutes in Win 8.1
10/30/14 ... 17-18 minutes
11/27/14 ... 19-20 minutes
12/10/14 ... 21-22 minutes
01/21/15 ... 23-24 minutes ... It found corruption, and fixed it:
. . .
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired
them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For
example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Note that logging is currently not
supported in offline servicing scenarios.

. . . It has put Search back in the root of Programs!
. . . Both Shortcuts do the same thing
. . . I might as well delete the Shortcut in Windows System
. . . Restart

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. . . If I re-run DISM, what does it say? The same, standard message:
The restore operation completed successfully.
The component store corruption was repaired. The operation completed successfully.

Restart

. . . If I re-run sfc, what does it say?
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
. . . This seems to indicate that there are no issues if I delete the copy of Search that I created

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Start / Run / msconfig / System Configuration / Services tab / Enable all / Apply / Ok / Exit without Restart
CCleaner / Tools / Startup / highight all / Enable
Restart

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Ok, fine, it's not a big deal, seeing "Programs / Search"

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Where did this post go?

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Hello mb1280,

You are receiving this notification because you are watching the topic, "Search box and Programs / Search" at "Classic Shell.". There is a new reply by GauravK:

You can just set the "Hidden" attribute on the Search shortcut to hide it from the Start Menu without deleting it.

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Hey, that works! Thank you!

I see that to get it back:

Right-click Start / All Users / go to Start Menu - Programs
. . . in File Explorer, click on View / [check] Hidden items (to see them)
. . . right-click on "Search" / Properties / General tab - and [un-check] Hidden (to show it)
. . . Observation: I see that another hidden item appears: Tablet PC

It seems like this could be an option in the CS settings - to set the "Hidden" Attribute for "Programs / Search"

I just ran:

C:\>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

and

C:\>sfc /scannow

I did a Restart . . . and Search remains Hidden . . . so, I see that they do not restore the "Hidden" Attribute . . . Yay!