Change The Default Windows XP Search Engine

The default Windows XP search feature is not really fast nor does it provide many advanced options for locating files or folders.

That's the main reason why many Windows users install third party search programs like Everything, Locate32 or even desktop search tools like Windows Search 4.0 or Google Desktop Search.

Many search software programs on the other hand do not integrate well with the underlying operating system.

The search option of the Windows XP start menu for instance still uses the basic Windows search functionality instead of that of the newly installed search tool.

Reroute XP Search

Enter Reroute XP Search, a lightweight software program that can change the search link of the Windows XP start menu to another program that is installed or available on the operating system.

You can for instance use the faster search of Everything so that the program is used whenever you click on the search link in the start menu.

All the portable program does is change the search link of the Windows XP start menu so that search uses the selected third-party program from that moment on instead of the default Windows XP search. It will not change the search functionality of the classic XP start menu.

All it takes to change the link is to run the Reroute XP Search application, and browse and pick another search tool on the computer system. A click on the Apply button will change the link to the selected search tool (it apparently is also possible to select any software, even those that are not search related).

The program comes with a Restore Default button in case the settings need to be reverted again at a later time. Most users who have installed third party search programs are probably using hotkeys instead to open the search interfaces.

It can still make sense to change the link in the start menu as well as there are definitely users out there who do not use hotkeys at all. Reroute XP Search is available at the developer's website.

The program does not work with newer versions of the Windows operating system. Since Windows XP is no longer supported, there is little need to download this tool anymore to your system, unless you are still running XP on a PC system and want to modify the search link of the system's start menu.

Update: Reroute XP Search is no longer available. We have uploaded the latest release version of the program to our own download server. Note that we don't support the program in any form, and have done so for archiving purposes. Click on the following link to download the application: (Download Removed)

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