Toolbar Frequently Asked Questions
This page answers Frequently Asked Questions about the AltaVista Toolbar.
Top 5 most often asked questions
System Requirements
Which Internet browsers support the Toolbar and what are the necessary computer requirements?
The AltaVista Toolbar is supported by Internet Explorer version 5.0 and above, running on Windows 95 / 98 / 2000 / NT / ME / XP
Which languages is the Toolbar available in?
The Toolbar is available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Swedish.
Will the Toolbar be made available for other browsers (e.g. Netscape, AOL Browser, Opera) or operating systems (e.g. Mac)?
At the present time there are no plans to make the Toolbar available for other browsers or operating systems.
Installation
Why do I get a Security Warning that asks me if I want to install the toolbar?
If a Security Warning pops up when you install the Toolbar it means that your security settings are set to prompt you before any programs are installed on your machine. The dialogue box is just asking you to confirm that you want to install the AltaVista Toolbar.
Why do I get an Active X error message when I try to install the toolbar?
If you get an Active X error it probably means that you have your Internet security settings on High, which will prevent Active X controls from running. In order to install the AltaVista Toolbar you must enable Active X controls by following these instructions:
- On the Tools menu, click "Internet Options"
- Click on the Security Tab
- Click on the Internet icon in the Content Zone window
- If you see Custom Settings displayed, click on the Default Level button
- Slide the security level bar to Medium
- Having done this you need to install the AltaVista Toolbar again.
Where did the AltaVista Toolbar go after Installation? I can't see it.
If the Toolbar is not visible after Installation:
- On the Internet Explorer View menu, click Toolbars
- Check AltaVista Toolbar
- Occasionally, the AltaVista Toolbar may be obscured by other toolbars which you may have visible. In this case, look out for the separator bar next to the AltaVista logo and drag it to the location that you desire. You will generally find the separator bar towards the right hand edge of your screen.
Why am I having problems installing the Toolbar on a Windows 2000 or Windows NT computer?
Windows 2000 and Windows NT users need to make sure that they have Administrative privileges in order to install applications. If you don't know or are not sure what this is, please contact your system administrator.
I've tried more than once to install the AltaVista Toolbar but it still fails. What can I do now?
If you have followed all the steps above and still do not see the toolbar, please contact us.
How can I download updates to the toolbar?
The Toolbar updates automatically, providing you with new features as we add them, so you do not need to download updates.
You are notified when an update is made and can choose whether you want to include the feature on the Toolbar. To ensure a flawless update, a warning is issued if more than one instance of Internet Explorer is opened.
We won't notify you in the case of a necessary upgrade which is required to keep the Toolbar working smoothly.
If for any reason you wish to re-install your toolbar, you can do so by going to the download page.
I have another Toolbar installed but I can't see it now that I have the AltaVista toolbar. Where did it go?
Your other Toolbar may have moved position to allow space for the AltaVista toolbar. Find the vertical bar on the left of your other Toolbar and drag it to the position you want.
I have upgraded my browser and the AltaVista Toolbar has disappeared. How do I get it back?
- On the Internet Explorer View menu, click Toolbars
- Check AltaVista Toolbar
If AltaVista Toolbar is no longer available as an option, you will need to re-install your toolbar from the download page.
Since downloading the AltaVista toolbar, my browser has started randomly crashing. Why is this?
If you are experiencing browser problems, your browser version might be old. Please try upgrading to the latest IE browser. Another possibility is that you may have other third party plug-in software installed which is incompatible with the AltaVista Toolbar and causes the browser to crash. To continue using the AltaVista Toolbar uninstall the other third party plug-in.
How can I uninstall the AltaVista toolbar?
To uninstall the AltaVista toolbar:
- On the AltaVista toolbar, click on the AltaVista logo on the left
- Select Uninstall from the menu
Your Privacy
Does the AltaVista Toolbar track the websites I visit?
No. The AltaVista Toolbar does not track the websites you visit, and all information it collects is completely anonymous. Please read our Toolbar Privacy Policy in case you have additional questions.
Does the AltaVista Toolbar collect any information that can identify me personally ?
No. All information collected by the Toolbar is completely anonymous information that we use to determine the usefulness of the products and services we make available to you. The AltaVista Toolbar does not collect any personally identifiable information about you.
What is AltaVista's privacy policy?
AltaVista, a division of Overture Services, Inc., and Overture are committed to respecting and protecting your personal privacy. For information about what information is used by AltaVista please read the Toolbar Privacy Policy. You may also wish to consult AltaVista's Toolbar End-User License Agreement.
How do I remove the list of previous searches that appears underneath the search box?
To clear the Search History click the link in the Toolbar menu, or alternatively you can disable the feature in your Toolbar settings.
Does AltaVista keep any information on my PC after I uninstall the Toolbar?
No. After uninstalling the Toolbar, the Toolbar and any data placed there by the Toolbar will be removed from your PC.
Using the AltaVista Toolbar
How do I carry out a search with the AltaVista Toolbar?
Enter a word or phrase into the search box. Then select a search choice from the dropdown menu. Finally click the Find button or hit Enter on your keyboard.
What are the different choices on the search dropdown menu?
The dropdown menu offers different information sources for you to search:
- Worldwide: Search AltaVista's index of the worldwide web
- Local: Search a selected AltaVista local index, offering results tailored to a particular country. You can choose which local index you wish to search by changing your AltaVista settings
- Image: Retrieve results from AltaVista's index of images
- Audio: Retrieve results from AltaVista's index of audio files
- Video: Retrieve results from AltaVista's index of video files
- News: Retrieve results from AltaVista's news index. This option is only available if you download the English-language or German-language toolbar.
- Site search: Search the site that you are currently browsing
What does the Highlight feature accomplish?
The highlight button lets you highlight words on the current page that you are browsing. Simply enter a word or phrase in the Toolbar search box and press "Highlight". There is no need to press the Find button.
How do I use the Toolbar to translate web pages?
If you wish to translate a web site that you are browsing:
- Click the Translate button.
- Click "This Site".
- The page will then be translated using the AltaVista Babel Fish translation service.
How do I use the Toolbar to translate text?
- Enter a word or phrase into the search box or select words on the current web page.
- Click the Translate button.
- If you are on a valid web page, you will have the choice of translating the text in the searchbox or translating the web page. Select the text which appears in the menu.
- Choose the appropriate language pairs to translate from and to.
- The text will then be translated using the AltaVista Babel Fish translation service.
How does the Back to Last Search Results button work?
If you click this button when you are browsing the web you can jump directly back to your last set of AltaVista search results
Why does a list of terms appear underneath the search box?
Your previous searches appear in a dropdown list underneath the search box. This is your Search History. To clear the Search History click the link in the Toolbar menu, or alternatively you can disable the feature in your Toolbar settings
Where is the Toolbar Menu? What does it do?
To access the Toolbar Menu, click on the AltaVista logo on the left of the toolbar. This will reveal a list of options:
| Add/Remove Buttons |
Opens a list of all buttons you can display or hide on the Toolbar. |
| Change Button Display |
Lets you determine how you want to see the Toolbar buttons: with icons and text or icons-only. |
| Toolbar Options |
Takes you to the Toolbar configuration page. |
| Search Settings |
Takes you to the AltaVista Search Settings Page. |
| Clear Search History |
Clears the Toolbar search history. |
| Help |
Takes you to the Toolbar Help page. |
| Toolbar Home |
Takes you to the Toolbar Homepage. |
| AV Homepage |
Takes you to the AltaVista Homepage. |
| AV Images |
Takes you to the AltaVista Image Search Page. |
| AV Audio |
Takes you to the AltaVista Audio Search Page. |
| AV Video |
Takes you to the AltaVista Video Search Page. |
| AV News |
Takes you to the AltaVista News Search Page |
| AV Advanced Search |
Takes you to the AltaVista Advanced Search Page. |
| Hide Toolbar |
Hides the Toolbar |
| Uninstall |
Uninstalls the Toolbar |
| Privacy Information |
Takes you to the Toolbars Privacy Information Page |
| About |
Displays Toolbar Version information |
What keyboard shortcuts can I use with the toolbar?
- Pressing Alt + S will focus the cursor inside the Toolbar search box.
- Pressing Shift + Enter when running a search from the Toolbar will open the results in a new window.
How can I control where the search results display?
- Click on the Toolbar Menu
- Click on Toolbar Settings in the dropdown list
- On the Toolbar Settings page you can choose whether you want search results to be opened in
- The current browser window =
- A new browser window
- The Internet Explorer Search pane
How do I change my Toolbar settings?
- Click on the Toolbar Menu
- Click on Toolbar Settings in the dropdown list
- On the Toolbar Settings page you can configure the user interface. For an explanation of each feature, go directly to the Toolbar Settings Page.
How do I add and remove buttons?
You can add and remove buttons from the Toolbar by clicking on the Toolbar Menu and selecting the option "Display Buttons". Check and uncheck the buttons you'd like to have.
How do I fit more buttons into the Toolbar?
You can fit more buttons into the Toolbar by clicking on the Toolbar Menu and selecting the option "Change Button Display". Here you can determine how the buttons shall be displayed: with icons and text, icons-only or text-only. Choose the icons-only option so that each button takes up less space.
Can I move the Toolbar to a different place within the browser?
Yes, the AltaVista Toolbar can be moved around the top of your browser. You can accomplish this by clicking and dragging the vertical separator bar  to the left of the AltaVista logo.
How do I hide the toolbar? How do I make it reappear?
The Toolbar can be hidden or displayed at any time. To hide the toolbar:
- On the "View" menu, click "Toolbars"
- Uncheck the AltaVista Toolbar
To display the toolbar:
- On the "View" menu, click "Toolbars"
- Check AltaVista Toolbar
How can I find out which version of the Toolbar I am running?
- Click on the Toolbar Menu
- Click on About
- The Toolbar version information will be displayed
I can see the Toolbar but none of the functions work. What is wrong?
You need to be connected to the internet for the Toolbar to work. Check that you are connected then try again.
Does the Toolbar cause popups to appear as I browse?
No, the AltaVista Toolbar does not cause any popup or popunder advertisements to appear. If you see any such advertisements they will have been launched by the web sites that you are browsing or by another third party plug-in that you have installed. If you have the Toolbar Popup Blocker enabled, you should not get popups.
What does the Popup Blocker do and how can I enable/disable it?
The Toolbar Popup Blocker blocks popups and popunders. Popups/popunders are windows opened without your request in front of or behind your current browser windows and contain advertisements. Some users find these annoying as they are unsolicited and may disrupt other tasks. The Popup Blocker can block these advertisements. While capturing most, there might be occasions, where the popups will not be captured in time and still appear. We are working constantly to capture these as well. The Popup Blocker is enabled by default, you can change these settings on the Toolbar Settings Page.
How does the Popup Blocker work?
Websites often use Javascripts to load advertisements while you are browsing a page. When loaded, these scripts open popups, mostly while you are browsing or when you leave the page. The Popup Blocker disables most of these scripts preventing the actual popup from appearing. When blocking a popup the Toolbar plays a windows system sound and adds one to the counter. After counting to 999 it resets again to 0.
The Popup Blocker is enabled by default, you can change these settings on the Toolbar Settings Page.
Contact Us
Send us your thoughts and suggestions regarding the Toolbar by filling in the Toolbar feedback form.
If you need help installing or using the AltaVista toolbar, and have not found the answer in these help pages, please fill in the Toolbar feedback form.
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