What is Google Toolbar Notifier and how to get rid of it
Posted on October 21, 2008 at 5:43 am
Google Toolbar is the one and only toolbar I use with Firefox and Internet Explorer because it has some very useful features and benefits that I use on a regular basis. However, I do not normally like software that spawns numerous useless services that I can live without.
One of those that comes with the Google Toolbar is Google Toolbar Notifier.exe. It’s a Windows service that runs all the time to make sure that Google is your default search engine! Now personally I don’t really think it’s necessary to have a Windows service to just make sure my default search provider remains the same. I don’t think I’ve EVER had to manually change it back to Google.
Now I would normally tell people to turn off startup programs using MSCONFIG, but oddly enough Google Toolbar Notifier keeps coming back even if I uncheck it in MSCONFIG. So how can you truly prevent the service from starting up?
Step 1: Open Internet Explorer or Firefox and click on the Settings button at the far right of the Google Toolbar. Then click on Options.
Step 2: Click on the More tab and then uncheck the box that says “Set and keep search settings to Google” under the “Search Settings Notifier and Browse by Name” heading.
Click OK and restart your browser window. You can now open up the Processes tab in Task Manager and you should no longer see the GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe process running.
You may also notice the Google Updater service runs all the time to as GoogleUpdater.exe. You can also prevent this process from running by the normal method of going to MSCONFIG, then clicking on the Services tab and unchecking the Google Update Service.
Google Updater Service just keeps checking to make sure your Google products are up to date. If you are like me, you do this yourself every couple of weeks and don’t really need a service hogging up your CPU resources! Enjoy!
» Filed Under Google Software/Tips
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Hi.Thanks for the information it was very helpful on my other computers.But one of my computer is using
(Internet Explorer 8).(And google toolbar for Windows Internet Explorer 8).
Thanks a very useful tip. Was wondering how to get rid of Toolbar Notifier.
real nice…i have stopped the Toolbar Notifier service, now lets see the result after rebooting my system…thanx
I tried to get rid of the toobar notifier but there isn’t a settings button to the right of the google toolbar. is there another way to do this?
Very helpful information – this problem has been bugging me ever since I installed Google Toolbar !
P.S. …………. You might want to amend your instructions for IE 8, as there is no “Settings” button (the required settings can be found under the “Adjust Toolbar options” button).
thanks for this.. used to always think it was a malware or virus.. and used to always kill it..
I just renamed the folder containing the updater…
c:\documentandsettings\[user]\application data\local settings\google\UPDATE to UPDATE2
now updater doesn’t work !!!!
Thanks for that. What I actually did was “end process” in Windows Task Manager, for the GoogleToolbarNotifier, which had appeared for the first time today. Hope my action wasn’t a no-no, but it certainly made it disappear.
I have a question I hope you can answer for me. GoogleDesktop.exe appears three times in the Task Manager processes list. Memory usage is 7,052k, 3968k & 7024k. I was wondering why this would be? And then there’s BGGOOGLE.exe, 2032k?? I do use GoogleDesktop for only one thing, the searchbox that sits in my utility tray at all times whether I have my browser open or not. So handy for any queries I want to search.
Here is an odd one. I’m running Firefox 3.5.5. No Google Tool Bar in sight (not even on the right-click menu for toolbars). And yet GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe is running. Without a Google tool bar the instructions above are useless BUT I did find on the Firefox Tools | Options window, under the Advanced | Security tab, a checkbox for Search Engines. I’ve unchecked that and we’ll see if GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe will stop running now. If not, I’ll just nuke the daylights out of it.
I have uninstalled all Google programs and I still have this Google Toolbar Notifier process running on my system. How can I permanently get rid of it? Thanks
This was very helpful… thanks…I had been wondering what Google Toolbar Notifier was and how to get rid of it!
Yea.It is all simple as you presented here. But with google toolbar notifier every nooblet hacker can enter on your system, and dns spoof your internet connection. how? When you conect to your gmail adress any beginner hacker can make one dns spoofing link from your google page gmail into your dsl device and like this nice and easy he’s inside your modem. from here to randomized disconnections and hacking it is just one step.
“I tried to get rid of the toobar notifier but there isn’t a settings button to the right of the google toolbar. is there another way to do this?”
same thing with me. anyone can help me?
During a Google search, your website answered my question about the Toolbar Notifier. Thank you.
Google Toolbar Notifier and/or Google Quick Search box prevented my monitor from entering standby. After nearly a week of deleting the programs, including their registry files, and having the programs reappear in the middle of the night like a monster coming back to life in a horror movie, I sadly deleted my Google Toolbar. By attempting to take over my computer, Google turned a loyal fan into an angry and disillusioned opponent.
And what if you do not have the google toolbar and still the googletoolbarnotifier is running?
If you are using IE8 and Win 7 you can:
1. Select Tools
2. Select Internet Options
3. Select the Programs tab
4. Select Manage Add Ons
5. Search for Google Toolbar Notifier, select it, then choose “disable” at the bottom.
Now it should be disabled when you run MSCONFIG.
Cheers
If you look at the toolbar, there should be a little icon that looks like a wrench, at least on mine that is how it is. I don’t have the ‘settings’ button to the right either. Just click on the wrench and it will take you to the options, where you can do as the people before me said.
Also, if you don’t have the toolbar showing when you open IE, click on ‘View’ in the menu bar, then ‘Toolbars’, then make sure ‘Google toolbar’ is checked. After you check it, and hit OK, it should appear so you can find the wrench and adjust your settings.
For IE8 and XP:
1. Delete GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe in folder: C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier.
2. Command line: Type MSCONFIG. On the Startup tab, uncheck GoogleToolbarNotifier.
3. Restart Windows.
If you have IE8, go to Tools, Manage Add-Ons. Untder Toolbars and Extensions you will see the ToolbarNotifyer BHO. This is a “Browser Helper Object”. Disable and you should be good to go.