Google was my default browser with icon on the desktop.  It
disappeared and the only way I can get to Google is searching my C
drive.  When I get it up it has saved all my favorite places but I can
not find a way to use it without going to Internet Explorer and
searching the C Drive with Google and than about 800 diffrent items
come up but I can not find a way to get to Google any other way.  How
do I make Google my default browser and get the icon back on my desk
top.  I DO NOT WANT TO LOOSE MY FAVORITE PLACES.

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Request for Question Clarification by aht-ga on 06 May 2004 22:28 PDT

paul31-ga:

Can you please clarify how you were using the Google website before?
You mention that you had an icon on your desktop, which I presume
opened up a web browser window with the Google search page. Please
note that Google is only a web site, it is not the browser program
itself. That program in your case is most likely Internet Explorer,
with Google originally set as the default home page. If something has
changed your default home page setting on you, then that would be the
reason why you do not see the Google web site when you start up your
browser.

There are several things that you can do to get Google as your default
home page again, and to place an icon on your desktop to start up
Google. Before I provide the instructions on how to do this as an
Answer, though, I would like to help you check to make sure that your
computer has not been affected by any bad programs that may have
affected your settings. So, can you please check the following for me,
and let me know what you see?

1. When you start up Internet Explorer, what is the default starting page?
2. In Internet Explorer, when you type "www.google.com" in the Address
field and hit Enter, what happens?

I await your reply,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

---

Request for Question Clarification by aht-ga on 09 May 2004 00:51 PDT

paul31-ga:

It has been a few days since I posted the request for clarification
above; in case you did not receive the notification from the system
informing you of this request, I am posting this follow-up request.
Please take a look at the request above, and let me know what you
find.

Regards,

aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher

Are you looking for your google browser buttons? If so you can go to
this website follow their instructions on how to get them back.

://www.google.ca/options/buttons.html

========

If not, I suspect you are looking for your Internet Explorer browser icon. 

Then you should close all the existing windows on your desktop. 

Click on "start" button (bottom left hand corner of the screen by default)

Goto "find", slide mouse across to "find files or folders"

Click on that, and in the white blank next to "named" type in "launch
internet explorer browser"

From there a ton of icons will turn up in the search, find one with a
blue icon at the side that specifically says "launch internet explorer
browser."

When in doubt if you got the right one, double click on it, it should
launch the browser. If it doesn't start over from the previous step.

If it does just click on that icon again, hold it down and drag it to
your desktop. Voila! It should stay there.

You are half way done. :) 

Now open up a copy of the browser.

At the top left hand corner, you'll see the words "file", "edit",
"view" and so on. Click on the word "tools" then slide down to
"internet options"

If it says "homepage" and "you can change which page to use for your homepage" 

type in: 

www.google.com

If it does not, then click on the left most tab that says "general" 

then you'll see the line about homepage. Type the www.google.com address here

after this step click ok at the bottom and ta da! you are done. The
problem should be solved. :) Enjoy.