Cortana Search Help please.

[Nimbi]

Hello,

I have completely removed Cortana from my pc believing it was causing my Intel HD Graphics Display driver to disable itself, but now I found out it is actually UxStyle that was doing it the whole time. I tried to regain Cortana in every way I can think of, including a factory reset, and it all failed. In fact the factory reset simply removed the leftover icons and folders. The only thing left is the search icon on the taskbar. My help request is this, is there a way to set the search icon to work in a way similar to the ones in This Pc and such. I would like to use it to find programs on my system so I won't have to manually search for them. (like the system programs or even downloaded apps and such). atm the search button literally doesn't do anything. clicking it hs no effect. Trying to type into it while its showing as the search bar is also to no avail because it doesn't seem to be selectable. Is there a reg file to be used that can create a redirect for it to make it serve as a way to find things on my system by typing in their names? If not, please tell me how to permanently delete the icon from my taskbar, because ive searched for ways to do that as well and everything I find is just multiple different ways to 'hide' it which can easily be done via the taskbar's context menu. Here are some screenshots of all it is now.

The screenshots show all it is, it's literally only eye candy now. one even shows the area of regedit that Cortana's reg files should've been if it were still on my pc. I would grately appreciate help with this. Whether it be to completely and permanently delete the search icon/bar from the taskbar or t redirect it as a way to search for different programs, apps, files and/or folders through.

[Shemhamforash]

For hiding the cortana icons on the taskbar:

For searching for files and folders I recommend Everything, very nice tool.
https://www.heise.de/download/everything-822512d3022fb989c96c01142be41707-1415325233-2660075.html

[Mr GRiM]

Isn't it easier to press the windows key and start typing to search for programs?

[Nimbi]

For hiding the cortana icons on the taskbar:

For searching for files and folders I recommend Everything, very nice tool.
https://www.heise.de/download/everything-822512d3022fb989c96c01142be41707-1415325233-2660075.html

Hiding can be done with ease, but it doesn't fully delete the icon. as for the tool, if it worked through the icon/search thing then that might work, but since it doesn't appear to then I would still need to find a way to completely 'delete' the search icon from the taskbar.

Isn't it easier to press the windows key and start typing to search for programs?

That feature was built into Cortana, by removing Cortana that feature was also removed. (I just tried and it didn't do anything) Apparently the search features in start menu were packaged together with Cortana.

[Mr GRiM]

Hiding can be done with ease, but it doesn't fully delete the icon. as for the tool, if it worked through the icon/search thing then that might work, but since it doesn't appear to then I would still need to find a way to completely 'delete' the search icon from the taskbar.


That feature was built into Cortana, by removing Cortana that feature was also removed. (I just tried and it didn't do anything) Apparently the search features in start menu were packaged together with Cortana.

When you say it doesn't fully delete the icon do you mean it is still visible on the taskbar?

[Nimbi]

When you say it doesn't fully delete the icon do you mean it is still visible on the taskbar?

No i mean that the context menu option only hides the icon. I want to completely remove it all together. It's just a waste for something with no actual use to even be on my comp imo. I know it probs doesnt use any space but i have ocd and it gets annoying when i have something with no actual use on my comp.