Windows Advisor
Quickly Searching KB Articles
Here's a registry mod that will have you looking up Microsoft Knowledge Base articles instantly in your browser.
Question: How can I quickly search for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles?
You can modify the registry to add the capability to quickly search the KB articles (formerly referred to as Q articles) in Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. Here's the procedure:
- Run regedit.exe.
- Go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl.
- From the Edit menu, select New, Key and name it KB.
- Select the new KB folder that you just created under the
SearchUrl folder, and in the right-hand pane double-click Default.
- For Value data, enter http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=%s.
- Click OK and close the registry editor.
To test this procedure, open Internet Explorer and type KB followed
by the name of the KB article number (for example, to search for
article number 832980, type "kb 823980"). It should take you directly
to the article in your browser.
Make sure that you don't add KB as a key in the SearchUrl folder. KB
should be a subfolder of SearchUrl folder and it should contain the
above entry in the right-hand pane.
I've tested this procedure successfully on Windows XP and Windows
Server 2003 operating systems, and on Internet Explorer and Mozilla
Firefox browsers.
About the Author
Zubair Alexander, MCSE, MCT, MCSA and Microsoft MVP is the founder of SeattlePro Enterprises, an IT training and consulting business. His experience covers a wide range of spectrum: trainer, consultant, systems administrator, security architect, network engineer, author, technical editor, college instructor and public speaker. Zubair holds more than 25 technical certifications and Bachelor of Science degrees in Aeronautics & Astronautics Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Information Systems. His Web site, www.techgalaxy.net, is dedicated to technical resources for IT professionals. Zubair may be reached at [email protected].