Access Microsoft KB Articles Quickly

If you have been using Windows for a while, chances are you have run into problems at some point and been directed to Microsoft’s Knowledge Base. Here are two ways to access a specific article, so long as you have the number:

The first way is to copy and paste this URL into your address bar, but don’t hit enter yet:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=

After the “=” sign, type the number of the KB article you want to access and press enter. If the number is correct, you will be directed to the appropriate article.

Alternately, if you use Internet Explorer, go to Start > Run and type regedit. Navigate to the following key in the registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl

Add a key named “KB”. In the right pane, double click “Default” and paste this in the value:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=%s

Open IE, type KB 123456, and you will be brought to the respective KB article.

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LuisR
For those afraid of messing with the registry there is a slightly less direct way of doing this. You can add Microsoft Support Search as a search provider in IE 7.0. Just go to http://support.microsoft.com and the down arrow next to the search box will turn orange indicating that the site is a search provider. Just click the arrow to open the menu and select Add Search Providers and from there select “Microsoft Support Search”. Click on Add provider when asked for confirmation. Then when you need to search an article just put the number in the search box and select Microsoft Support Search from the list. Granted, it takes one more step to get to the article because you will get a search results page with the requested article on top but it works good enough.
http://www.nerdsonsite.com Charley Rouse
Or for the Firefox uses why not add the excellent “Add to Search Bar” extension then simply Right-Click in ANY Searchable field or ANY website and voila! that seach filed in now part of your firefix Seach Engines, and for even faster search the Keyboard Shortcut to place cursor focus on the Search File is Cntl+K, also possible via the Amazing Mozilla Search Engine Site “Mycroft” [mycroft.mozdev.org/], so combine the 2 factors and adding the Mycroft Site’s Seach Field with the Add to Search bar extension is a great way to build searchable databases, ie. Linux MAN Pages, Apple Support Articles, Microsoft Kb…
Good L.U.C.K. (L abouring U nder C orrect K nowledge)