How to change the default search engine in internet explorer

As most of you may have noticed by now that the default search engine in internet explorer is MSN Live Search. I am sure there will be some users ( in fact most users) who would want to use some other search engine like say google, yahoo, ask,etc. Here is how you can change that default search engine.

The example I am using changes the default search engine to google, but you can do the same for other search engines too. The method I am going to explain makes some changes in your registry. So, if you are not very comfortable or can live with MSN Live search then don't bother. A minor mistake in your system's registry might render your system unusable or will cause it to stop working or crash. Don't tell me I didn't warn you.

Step 1: Go to Start > Run and type regedit

Step 2: Navigate your way to following three keys seperately and change them as below

Step 3: Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.

In the right frame of the window, right click on Search Page and modify the value to " http://www.google.com "(without the "")
Again in the same area right click on the Search Bar and modify the value to "http://www.google.com/ie"

Step 4: Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL (just click on the "-" sign and you will be in the Internet Explorer directory)

Here you have to right click on the only data on the right frame of the window and modify value to "http://www.google.com/keyword/%s"

Step 5: Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search

In the area to the right, right click on the SearchAssistant and modify value to "http://www.google.com/ie"

You can check out http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;q198279 for details on how to set up the same for other search engines