Installation Instructions: SEARCH Investigative Toolbar
February 2014
The SEARCH Investigative Toolbar is an aid for investigators who conduct online, cellular telephone, and wireless investigations. Once installed, it becomes a readily available desktop resource that contains frequently used and up-to-date online investigative links.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Toolbar is hosted by a third party, but offered through the SEARCH website. There are two issues that users should be aware of before installing the Toolbar: 1. The host has included revenue-generating applications that are triggered within the Toolbar installation process. These apps allow advertisements to appear on your device. SEARCH has no control over the inclusion of these apps, but we can show you how to avoid installing them so that you will not see the ads. 2. Certain elements within this installation process can trigger antivirus software alerts. Depending on the antivirus software, the software might view these applications as a nuisance. With the proper installation, the Toolbar will not cause any antivirus alerts. Users are encouraged to follow this installation guide carefully to avoid getting these alerts.
This installation process is accurate for all browsers, including Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Safari.
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Download the SEARCH Investigative Toolbar from www.searchinvestigative.ourtoolbar.com (Figure 1). Select the Free Download button to start the download process. NOTE: Disregard the Firefox installation Instructions displayed on the screen; they are controlled by the host and are not an accurate representation of the download process. Follow the instructions on the coming pages to ensure a successful installation.
Figure 1
The SEARCH Investigative Toolbar is an executable (.exe) file. Select Save File or Run. (Figure 2)
Figure 2
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Once downloaded, double-click on the installation .exe file to begin the toolbar installation. (Figure 3)
Figure 3
On the Step 1 screen, ensure BOTH boxes are NOT checked. Then, select Next. (Figure 4)
Figure 4
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On the Step 2 screen, select Skip All, then select Next. (Figure 5)
By selecting Skip All, the installation process skips step 3 and 4, bypassing two additional applications that might activate the user’s antivirus sofware.
Figure 5
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On the Step 5 screen, select Finish. (Figure 6)
Figure 6
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When you restart your browser, you may get a warning message. If this message appears, click in the box next to Allow this installation, and then click on Continue. (Figure 7)
Figure 7
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As your browser starts, a ‘Thank you’ message is displayed. This message is an advertisement. Do NOT select anything on this page. Instead, close your browser tab. When you reopen your browser, the SEARCH Investigative Toolbar will be ready for use. (Figure 8)
Figure 8
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The Toolbar host includes an advertisement on the Toolbar as a preinstalled application. This advertisement is known as MAM and appears as a Present on the toolbar (Figure 9). SEARCH has no control over this preinstalled application and the application needs to be manually disabled. If you do not disable MAM, an advertising window will open automatically each time you open a browser window.
Figure 9
To disable MAM, open the toolbar settings and hide the advertisement.
The toolbar settings icon is a wrench, located on the right side of the toolbar (Figure 10). Left-click on the wrench to open the Toolbar Options menu.
Figure 10
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Scroll up or down in the Built-In Apps field until you find MAM. Note that the buttons on the right toggle between Show and Hide. Click on Hide to hide the MAM option. (Figure 11)
Figure 11
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A second required change in the Toolbar Options is located in the Advanced Settings option. Ensure the box next to ‘Show a search box on new browser tabs’ is unchecked. (Figure 12)
Figure 12
Click ‘OK’ to save the settings and exit the toolbar options.
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It is possible that a piece of software called Search Protect was automatically installed during the Toolbar installation. Search Protect reports as malware and might set off your antivirus software.
You must uninstall Search Protect from the programs list on your computer if it was installed.
Win 7 –
If you are using Windows 7, click the Start menu button at the bottom left of your computer screen, and follow the path:
Start>Control Panel> Programs>Programs and Features (Figure 13).
Figure 13
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Win 8 or Win 8.1 -
If you are using the Win 8 or Win 8.1 Start window, start typing the word ‘program’. The search window will auto open and you will see ‘Settings’ as the second option on the right. Click on ‘Settings’ and you will see Programs and Features (Figure 14).
Figure 14
If you are using the typical Windows Desktop, in Win 8 or Win 8.1, follow the procedures listed above for Win 7.
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Once Programs and Features is open, scroll down until you see Search Protect in the list of installed software (Figure 15). The publisher will be listed as ‘Conduit’.
Figure 15
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Click on ‘Search Protect’ to select the software and then click on Uninstall/Change. (Figure 16)
Figure 16
The Uninstall/Change software will run and ‘Search Protect’ will be removed from your computer.
You will not receive any messages that the software has been removed; the software title will simply disappear from the list of installed software.
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With the proper installation process, the SEARCH Investigative Toolbar will not violate any security. The screenshot below (Figure 17) is from the Norton Safe Web site, which shows the toolbar website is safe and does not contain any viruses.
Figure 17
Thank you for installing the SEARCH Investigative Toolbar. For any questions, please contact [email protected].
This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement #2010-MC-CX-K046 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the SMART Office, and the Office for Victims of Crime. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not represent the official position or policies of the United States Department of Justice.
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