I recently did a clean install of windows XP, and i've been having a problem with IE 6. The autocomplete feature (the one that stores your entries for forms), doesn't seem to be working. The URL autocomplete works, but not the autocomplete for forms. I checked the options and i have it turned on. I've tried turning it off and on just to be sure. It just doesn't remember anything that i've typed in. I've tried this on pages where i know the feature works, and i've even tried asking it to remember a password, which i usually don't do. That didn't work either. I thought about repairing internet explorer, but since it came installed with windows there isn't an entry for it in add/remove programs.

Anyone have any idea how i can get my autocomplete back?

Just a thought - I don't really know - but maybe you need to restart IE or reboot to get the entry to take effect. If you've tried both, then you might try the xteq or flexy tweaker. They both have options to enable/disable IE forms completion.

Other than that I have no other suggestions at the moment.

Jim.

I've tried restarting. I guess i'll give X-Teq a try, see if that helps. Thanks!

No luck with X-teq. I've tried everything i can think of, and i can't get form autocomplete working :(

Have you tried what JP suggested in #9 below? Have you checked to see that Content>My Profile actually has entries and hasn't been accidently cleared?

You can also check your registry settings but backup before you make any changes. These are the directions for adding additional domains but suffice to enable you to see if you have them listed where they should be.

"To add search domains, run the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT \INTERNETEXPLORER\MAIN\URL TEMPLATE. You’ll notice String values named 1, or 2, or 3, etc., with values set to “www.%s.com,” as the format. Right-click the URL TEMPLATE key, select New, then String Value. Name the String value the next logical number. For example, if 1, 2, and 3 are already entered, name the new one 4. Double-click the new String value, and enter Value Data using the same format (www.%s.xxx, where xxx is the domain you want). So, if 3 is the last number displayed, create a new String Value named 4 by typing 4 as the String value. Then, to add the .NET domain, type www.%s.net for the Value Data."

Additionally, check out the registry settings mentioned at this site:

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/772/

Jim.

The "My Profile" feature isn't exactly what i'm looking for. While it does allow you to automatically fill in forms, it automatically fills in the same information every time. I just want it to remember what i've previously entered and give that as an option when i get to a similar form. For example, i have more than one hotmail account. It used to be that when i went to the login screen, i could click on the "username" box and it would pop up a list of usernames i had entered there before. This has worked just fine for me ever since IE 5, if i recall correctly. And as i mentioned, it worked when i upgraded from 2000 to xp. But the feature just sorta poofed when i did a clean install of xp :\

>The URL autocomplete works, but not the autocomplete for forms.

What forms? I'm unsure what you mean.

Microsft Knowledge Base on Autocomplete.

If i fill out an online form, name, email address, username, etc.. IE is supposed to remember what i've entered. This way, the next time i encounter a form like this i should be able to just click on the box and be presented with a list of previous entries for similar forms. It worked when i was using IE6 in windows 2000, and it worked after i upgraded to XP from 2000, but it hasn't worked since i did a clean install of xp.

Are you sure you're not thinkg of Roboform? This program is all I'm aware of doing what you want with forms (free).

Roboform: http://www.roboform.com

Hi, Sonny. IE does have a form completion function. I don't use it so I don't know how comprehensive it is. Click Help | Index | type in "forms". Click on forms, quick data entry and the link to adjust autocomplete settings for details.

Jim.

Yep sure does. Good find. That may be what Lucky Bob is refering to.

Are you logged in?
If using the Quest account nothing works.

David C Abernathy

I think that you want to enable Profile Assistant. That remembers what you have entered in forms at sites you have visited before. You can enable Profile Assistant under the Advanced tab of Internet Tools in the Internet Explorer.

You might also want to install Microsoft Wallet, which keeps information handy for online shopping. You can install that from the Windows Setup tab of Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel, or simply go the Windows Update site and download it from there.

There's something else to keep in mind, as well.

When you do a clean install, all the data files that contain info such as that used by 'auto-complete' are wiped. This results in a 'relearning' period during which data is rebuilt.

Yeah, I had expected that :) The problem is, i've been using it for weeks now and it hasn't relearned anything. :(

I wish I could help, but I have the same problem. It has worked in the past, but now it doesn't. It still asks if I want Windows to remember the password, but no matter how often I click Okay, it still doesn't. Probably more secure this way, but lots less convenient.

>i've been using it for weeks now and it hasn't relearned anything.

Ah, but think how much you have learned since. Not to mention how your typeing skills hve improved.

Have you checked the registry settings referenced to in #11 above at winguides?

Start>run, at "Open" type in "regedit" (without quotes), click OK. Click on the "+" in front of hkey_current_user and continue expanding until you get to "AutoComplete" in the left column. In the right column you should see "yes" for "append...", "autosuggest", & "useauto...". If not, edit it to yes.

Autocomplete also appears in other places in the registry. You can click Find>find... to find additional locations to confirm that the setings are correct.

Back up the registry first!

Jim.

I did check out those registry settings, and they all look right. Also did a search for autocomplete in the registry, and didn't see anything that looked out of place. This one has me completely stumped.

Do you have tweakui? If so, check to make sure that under the IE tab "Clear document, run, typed URL-history on exit" is UNCHECKED.

Jim.

It's unchecked. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Well, maybe it's time to try the IE repair tool. Go to Start>Programs>Accessories>SystemTools>SystemInformation. Then click Tools. The first listing should be "Internet Explorer Repair Tool". Click it and follow the steps listed.

Be aware that this sets everything to default - obviously not a problem for your "autocomplete" history, but it likely will remove your Favorites or at least intermingle its default entries with your favorites. I'm not sure which since it's been a long time since I used this.

Jim.

Repairing IE was one of the things i wanted to try :( Unfortunately, it isn't an option. I can't get to it from add/remove programs, or from system information. Apparently since i'm using the version that came with windows, it assumes that there can't be anything wrong with it and it won't let me choose to repair it. Grrrr....

Edit: Hey, the angry smilie doesn't seem to be working! x(

Well, since it's not in SysInfo, it's probably not in add/remove either as you said but double check under "M" for Microsoft IE. LOL.

Jim.

Check out this MS article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q293907 (Copy and paste entire address)

It appears you may have to edit the "IEAccess=off" switch in the Unattend.txt file"

Still, even if you get IE into add/remove, autocomplete may not come back, but it's worth a try.

Jim.