IE 11 Default Search Provider Resets After Sysprep

I'm trying to make a Windows 7 Ent. x64 image for deployment but for the life of me I can't get the default search provider to stick after the workstation syspreps. I've followed Microsoft's instructions and added a section in my answer file that adds Google as a search provider, but when I try to set it as the default, it ignores it and sets Bing as the default search provider. Here's what I have in my answer file:

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<Home_Page>www.wnc.edu</Home_Page>
<DisableAccelerators>true</DisableAccelerators>
<DisableFirstRunWizard>true</DisableFirstRunWizard>
<FavoritesDelete>true</FavoritesDelete>
<SearchScopes>
<Scope wcm:action="add">
<FaviconURL>http://www.google.com/favicon.ico</FaviconURL>
<ScopeDefault>true</ScopeDefault>
<ScopeDisplayName>Google</ScopeDisplayName>
<ScopeKey>Search1</ScopeKey>
<ScopeUrl>http://www.google.com/search?q={searchTerms}&amp;sourceid=ie7&amp;rls=com.microsoft:{language}:{referrer:source}&amp;ie={i nputEncoding?}&amp;oe={outputEncoding?}</ScopeUrl>
<SuggestionsURL>http://clients5.google.com/complete/search?q={searchTerms}&amp;client=ie8&amp;mw={ie:maxWidth}&amp;sh={ie:sectionHeight}&amp;rh={ie:rowH eight}&amp;inputencoding={inputEncoding}&amp;outputencoding={outputEncoding}</SuggestionsURL>
</Scope>
</SearchScopes>
</component>

Any ideas? ScopeDefault = true is the what Microsoft says to use when you are setting the default search provider but it doesn't seem to work for me.

Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

Do you have Bing installed in Programs and Features?

Is it removed in Browser Add-on's under Search with no other service allowed box checked?

Bing is installed. I don't really mind it being there, I just don't want it as the default. Though I've removed Bing in the past and it shows back up after syspreping. I've never checked the option "Prevent programs from suggesting changes to my default search provider". My co-worker says he's used that option before but after syspreping, Bing came back up and was set as the default again.

I don't see Bing listed under programs and features.

I'd ask Kari who is our SysPrep expert: Windows 7 Help Forums - View Profile: Kari

Kari said:

Internet Explorer search provider setting is part of the default user profile settings. The default user profile can only be customized and settings saved when:

• No user accounts exist (clean installation on reference computer interrupted to enter Audit Mode with built-in administrator account)
• The value of CopyProfile is set to TRUE in answer file (tutorial, Part 6 and Part 9 Step 2)
• The image is generalized (for instance %windir%\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:X:\MyAnswerFile)

Kari

I do all of these things but still can't get that setting to stick. I build the image in audit mode, CopyProfile is set to true and we run it in generalize. Here is my answer file minus a few serial numbers / passwords I removed:



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="generalize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="specialize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<RunSynchronous>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>1</Order>
<Path>net user administrator /active:yes</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP-UX" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<SkipAutoActivation>true</SkipAutoActivation>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<ComputerName>*</ComputerName>
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
<DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar>
<TimeZone>Pacific Standard Time</TimeZone>
<ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<Home_Page>www.wnc.edu</Home_Page>
<DisableAccelerators>true</DisableAccelerators>
<DisableFirstRunWizard>true</DisableFirstRunWizard>
<FavoritesDelete>true</FavoritesDelete>
<SearchScopes>
<Scope wcm:action="add">
<FaviconURL>http://www.google.com/favicon.ico</FaviconURL>
<ScopeDefault>true</ScopeDefault>
<ScopeDisplayName>Google</ScopeDisplayName>
<ScopeKey>Search1</ScopeKey>
<ScopeUrl>http://www.google.com/search?q={searchTerms}&amp;sourceid=ie7&amp;rls=com.microsoft:{language}:{referrer:source}&amp;ie={i nputEncoding?}&amp;oe={outputEncoding?}</ScopeUrl>
<SuggestionsURL>http://clients5.google.com/complete/search?q={searchTerms}&amp;client=ie8&amp;mw={ie:maxWidth}&amp;sh={ie:sectionHeight}&amp;rh={ie:rowH eight}&amp;inputencoding={inputEncoding}&amp;outputencoding={outputEncoding}</SuggestionsURL>
</Scope>
</SearchScopes>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="oobeSystem">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
<SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
<UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
<UILanguageFallback>en-us</UILanguageFallback>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<FirstLogonCommands>
<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<CommandLine>cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk #####-#####-#####-#####-##### </CommandLine>
<Description>Activate Windows</Description>
<Order>1</Order>
<RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
</SynchronousCommand>
<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<CommandLine>cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato</CommandLine>
<Order>2</Order>
<RequiresUserInput>false</RequiresUserInput>
</SynchronousCommand>
</FirstLogonCommands>
<OOBE>
<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
<NetworkLocation>Home</NetworkLocation>
<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
</OOBE>
<UserAccounts>
<AdministratorPassword>
<Value>#####</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</AdministratorPassword>
<LocalAccounts>
<LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
<Password>
<Value>#####</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Description>Local Administrator</Description>
<DisplayName>Administrator</DisplayName>
<Group>Administrators</Group>
<Name>Administrator</Name>
</LocalAccount>
<LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
<Password>
<Value>#####</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Description>Local Administrator</Description>
<DisplayName>Localmaint</DisplayName>
<Group>Administrators</Group>
<Name>Localmaint</Name>
</LocalAccount>
</LocalAccounts>
</UserAccounts>
</component>
</settings>
<cpifflineImage cpi:source="catalog:x:/sources/install_windows 7 enterprise.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>



This is the only thing that I can't seem to get working right on my image. I don't know if it was a recent update or what, but my older images didn't have this problem. That setting copied without a problem and Bing wouldn't automatically install itself.

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it.

No worries. I'm just grateful for your help. I'm still doing some testing on my end. I just downloaded an older image of mine when it was working and I'm comparing updates and comparing some registry settings.

Thanks again for the help.