Modern Search Box is always disabled in 22000.194.0.22 and 22000.194.0.20

[Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester]

The option to keep/enable the modern search box is not working in these versions even if the INI has:
[General]
AllowModernSearchBox=1

or even if it is set in the GUI in the newest version.

Going back to 22449.1000.0.18 or disabling ExplorerPatcher does bring it back. I am on Windows 11 22468.1000.

[valinet]

AllowModernSearchBox=1 is deprecated; the patcher now has nothing to do with that functionality anymore; I removed it in favor of setting the relevant registry keys and having File Explorer automatically give up or not on the new search box and use the old one. As far as the patcher is concerned, it really never touches anything about that anymore, besides the new GUI setting the relevant registry entries for you.

Also, I cannot reproduce this 'bug' on my machine which is on 22000.194. I don't test anymore on Insider builds, I can't do all the stuff at the same time...

To debug, make sure no shell "extension" like ExplorerPatcher or StartIsBack is running, then make sure you do not have the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{1d64637d-31e9-4b06-9124-e83fb178ac6e}\TreatAs and then that should be it, the modern search box should show.

I will push a new version of the patcher in a couple of hours that addresses a few issues, including that bug where it fails to load in StartMenuExperienceHost.exe. Maybe that automagically fixes it...?

[Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester]

I feel really stupid and silly for wasting your time. It's a StartIsBack issue.

[valinet]

No worries, mistakes happen, no grudge held. I am glad that you figured it out.

[Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester]

Well it looks like this issue still occurs when BOTH ExplorerPatcher and StartIsBack are installed. It doesn't occur when any ONE of them is disabled. Just confirmed again on Windows 11 22468.1000. Any idea why? I am lost.

• When only ExplorerPatcher's latest version 22000.194.23 is placed in C:\Windows and C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy, the modern search box is functional (since there is no more a DLL in MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy. The search box revert to classic functionality as you said is now merely a reg tweak. So far so good.

• If only StartIsBack is installed (or the just released final version, StartAllBack), and ExplorerPatcher disabled or removed, its option "Classic search box" works as intended. Checking it brings back classic search, unchecking keeps Modern search.

• However if StartIsBack or its just released final version, StartAllBack is installed on 22468.1000, and ExplorerPatcher's latest release is also enabled and installed (dxgi.dll ONLY in C:\Windows and C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy), with absolutely no Reg tweaks done, the search box reverts to classic and there is no way to access the Modern one.

You can see why I thought this was an ExplorerPatcher problem and then I thought it was a StartIsBack problem (I reported to Tihiy as well). It only occurs when both are enabled. But if one of them is disabled, the Modern search box comes back.

[valinet]

Scenario #3 should not happen. ExplorerPatcher does not touch that search box anymore. It is just a registry entry and that's it. If something happens, it is not on my part. Do you have StartIsBack64.dll in %appdata%\ExplorerPatcher as well in scenario #3? If you run ExplorerPatcher and leave the modern search box enabled in it, it is StartIsBack's problem what it does with it, PERIOD. I don't touch it in the code. I don't understand how it might happen, but I think it is something else...

[valinet]

@Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester I meditated on why the behavior you described might be caused and I think I know why. It is a convoluted way, but it may happen. Should be fixed in the next version.

[Gaurav-Original-ClassicShellTester]

Well good news. I updated from StartAllBack 2.9 RC to 3.0, the "RTM" version and of course ExplorerPatcher is on latest 22000.258.31.1. The compat issues between the two seem to have all been fixed for now. Not that I expect any sort of guaranteed compatibility but just sharing this good news :))

Even the new Explorer Search box is back now when both EP & SAB are enabled and the setting to revive the classic one is off in both of them. And of course, the Taskbar button issues also resolved. I am soooooooo happy.