Share via

Appendix D: Search, Games, and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

  • Article

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

In this appendix

Start menu Search and Internet communication

Games Explorer and Internet communication

Start menu Search and Internet communication

The Search box on the Start menu in Windows® 7 and Windows Server® 2008 R2 integrates multiple types of searches, making it easy for users to search for such items as files, programs, recently visited Web pages, and Web pages that they added to their Favorites lists. By using Group Policy, you can exclude recently visited Web pages and Web pages added to the Favorites list from searches.

The Group Policy setting is \User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\Do not search Internet. If you enable this policy setting, the Search box on the Start menu does not search for recently visited Web pages or favorites.

If you enable an additional Group Policy setting (\User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar\Add Internet search link to Start Menu), a "Search the Internet" link is visible when the user performs a search in the Start menu search box. This button launches the default browser with the search terms. If you disable this policy, there will not be a "Search the Internet" link when the user performs a search in the Start menu search box.

Games Explorer and Internet communication

Games Explorer in Windows 7 (located in Start\All Programs\Games) is an interface that makes it easy to access games. Games Explorer displays games that are located in the built-in Games folder. Game installers provide games in this folder by default, and users can move games to this folder.

Some games have game information (including game box art and ratings) that can be downloaded from a Web site that is maintained by Microsoft®. To prevent downloading information about installed games, you can use the Windows interface or Group Policy.

To prevent downloading information about installed games by using the Windows interface

  1. Click Start, click All Programs or Programs, click Games, and then click Games Explorer.

  2. Click Options.

  3. In Set up game updates and options, clear Download art and information about installed games.

Note

Set up games updates and options also contains a link to Windows 7 Privacy Highlights.

To prevent downloading information about installed games by using Group Policy

  1. See Appendix B: Resources for Learning About Group Policy for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 for information about using Group Policy. Using an account with domain administrative credentials, log on to a computer running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 with the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) console installed.

  2. Click Start, type gpmc.msc, press ENTER, and then select an appropriate Group Policy Object (GPO).

  3. Expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Windows Components, and then click Game Explorer.

  4. In the details pane, double-click Turn off downloading of game information, and then click Enabled.