Michelle T Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I'm very upset. I looked over the drop-down history of searches that Google provides, you know, so you can see prior searchs you have done. And let's just say there were a couple of terrible surprises there that I certainly did not search for. Our PC is set so that the computer's internet history clears every 20 days. My understanding is that the Google search history is on the hard drive, and so it also would clear every 20 days, or whatever the computer is set to. I hope I am making sense here, I'm very upset, so not explaining myself well. The guilty party insists that these searches were "a long time ago" and certainly not just in the past 20 days. Could that be true, or would the only results showing in the Google drop down history menu be those that had been searched for prior to the last computer's refreshing of its memory? And if it is set to every 20 days, does that clear out everything from those 20 days? Michelle T, who is freaking out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamom3 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 given that I don't know much about computers. So we might be thinking about 2 different things here. When you clear history, it is cleared and wont be there any longer. I ours save for a week and then it isn't there..on our Safari history it gives the date that site was viewed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenstet Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I am no expert but I use the drop down when I am too lazy to type and I know they don't stay there for long. Month max. I always thought it only held say 25 items and then started deleting from the bottom. There is also the drop down on web addresses. You could check that too. I am sure some one a bit more computer savvy could tell you how to check search history. Sorry you are going through this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Is your PC set to clear cookies when it clears the history? If the cookies have been cleaned then it shouldn't be showing up. eta: are you using Internet Explorer or something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicGyrl Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Umm they are lying. What browser are you using? Most browsers only clear the history from the URL bar up top(the bar were you type in a URL).. the google search bar is something entirely different and does not clear out. Do you have the Google Toolbar or just a regular google bar incorporated into your browser? And I do think you are confusing two different things, unless you are using the Google Toolbar. If you are not using GT, then your history is in the URL portion of your browser like I said above. This is where you physically type in addresses. If they did a google search, this wouldn't show in the URL bar either, it would only show on google's page. And those would be gone for good. So if you are seeing them in a drop down menu, that is your history bar and that means they physically typed in something (which they could also type in a word and get an automatic search as well) OR they type in a word and it finds the "best page" related to that word, which would also show up on your history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 Umm they are lying. What browser are you using? Most browsers only clear the history from the URL bar up top(the bar were you type in a URL).. the google search bar is something entirely different and does not clear out. Do you have the Google Toolbar or just a regular google bar incorporated into your browser? And I do think you are confusing two different things, unless you are using the Google Toolbar. If you are not using GT, then your history is in the URL portion of your browser like I said above. This is where you physically type in addresses. If they did a google search, this wouldn't show in the URL bar either, it would only show on google's page. And those would be gone for good. So if you are seeing them in a drop down menu, that is your history bar and that means they physically typed in something (which they could also type in a word and get an automatic search as well) OR they type in a word and it finds the "best page" related to that word, which would also show up on your history. It is showing search terms that were entered into Google. It's not in the main Internet Explorer box that shows the history of everything. I hope I'm making some sense, I'm obviously not computer savvy. This computer has a Google search box right in the toolbar. So you don't have to go to Google's main page, you can enter a search right in the tool bar, KWIM? And obviously, some rather disturbing search terms had been entered into Google that way. The only info I find on Google says that the search terms are stored in the hard drive, and have to do with the settings on the computer setting how many days you want history saved. So I'm not sure if that means that the Google drop down search history is also cleared out every 20 days (that's what this computer was set for) or whether those search terms stay in there for a longer time. I hate to say, I think he is lying, but I need to be sure. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicGyrl Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Then you've got the google toolbar and if it says it clears the same as your history and it's still there, then he is lying. A standard browser has your URL bar (the bar you type in addresses) and next to it is usually a smaller bar that you can "search" from. My default is set to google and I type in a word and it automatically opens a google search page with those search terms already done. I do have a drop down that allows me to select other search places, but nothing in this bar that "keeps history". So that means you have a google toolbar (standard on a newer pc nowadays, grrr..) and it will save your google searches as history files. Your search bar acts as a URL bar as well--you can type a URL in it or search. So if your history is set for 20 days, and it is still there, he is lying. I'm sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*LC Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Michelle, My husband's laptop has that Google toolbar also. I just typed in a letter to see what would come up. Then, I tried it a few more times with different letters. Almost all of them had searches that I know I did 10-12 months ago. There is no doubt in my mine about when those searches were done, because they would not have been necessary except in a very small window of time last winter/spring. I also checked the internet options screen, and this computer's history is to delete every 20 days also. I would suggest typing in some letters to see if find some searches that you know you did & when. LC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOCA Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 My google toolbar has "suggested terms" that come up when just the first couple letters come up and these are not terms that I have ever typed in. I am the only one using my computer and it is password protected. HTH's. I'm sorry you are going through such trauma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in IN Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 We have the Google search box in the tool bar, and it appears to me that it is only cleared manually. It definitely doesn't clear with the browsing history. Our browsing history clears every 10 days, the search bar has terms that I know were searched for months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Don't know if this is helpful, but in Firefox, there are vast lists of search terms "suggestions" in that Google search box on the toolbar. I am certain that I've typed in stuff I've never searched for before, and multiple choices and variations of choices have come up. For example, I just typed in "guinea" and got suggestions ranging from guinea pig sounds to Guinea Bissau. HTH, Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Um, I think you'd be best dealing with the two issues, content and lying, than computer technicalities. There are some values which are non-negotiable. The "while you're under my roof you WILL NOT do X." Then there's the ones where that can't be enforced so you amend to "while you're under my roof you will make sure the rest of us find NO evidence of X." Good luck, Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollie010 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I am no computer expert either. But, just today I noticed that a search I did 2 1/2 year ago popped up on my google toolbar. Then there are things I searched for a month ago that do not show up. So for what its worth it may be possible. That still doesn't help with the more important issues. Laurel T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicGyrl Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 This is why I don't like Google toolbar, but that's another rant for another time... if GT is a manual deletion, then it is possible he could not have done it. But then that means he still did it, it's just a matter of when, now. Personally, I do not use Google toolbar, I have my history set to manual clearance and I don't clear my cookies (it's a pain for me). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 We have the Google search box in the tool bar, and it appears to me that it is only cleared manually. It definitely doesn't clear with the browsing history. Our browsing history clears every 10 days, the search bar has terms that I know were searched for months ago. does it really matter when these searches were conducted rather than somebody searched for these terms - period? I am sure this is a shocking revelation. Take a deep breath. Talk to someone and think about how you want to handle it. So sorry. Things like this can be a punch in the stomach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura K (NC) Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 It's good for what ails you. There is a free monitoring service there you can download. I'd advise the family member responsible that I had installed it. Said family member would not want to deal with the consequences of addiction to unsavory sites. Addiction is more prevalent than you would think, but it can be overcome with good open discussion and with a counsellor. God bless you and our sons (and daughters) and our husbands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in IN Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 does it really matter when these searches were conducted rather than somebody searched for these terms - period? It may or may not matter withint the context of the issue, but since she asked, I was trying to answer her question. :mellow: I do agree that is must be shocking. Michelle, I am praying for wisdom and clarity for you in dealing with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WagsWife Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Michelle, My husband's laptop has that Google toolbar also. I just typed in a letter to see what would come up. Then, I tried it a few more times with different letters. Almost all of them had searches that I know I did 10-12 months ago. There is no doubt in my mine about when those searches were done, because they would not have been necessary except in a very small window of time last winter/spring. I also checked the internet options screen, and this computer's history is to delete every 20 days also. I would suggest typing in some letters to see if find some searches that you know you did & when. LC And I found the same thing. I typed in "a" and a specific search I did for a skateboard (for DD) a year ago came up in the drop down menu. I tried other letters, and the same was true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 It may or may not matter withint the context of the issue, but since she asked, I was trying to answer her question. :mellow: I do agree that is must be shocking. Michelle, I am praying for wisdom and clarity for you in dealing with this! I just plugged my response in under yours, not referring to your answer specifically. I myself don't know how long anything is kept/stored on my own computer. I just thought what I would focus on if I found something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3littlekeets Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Another person chiming in saying that my google doesn't clear with the history. In fact, I've tried repeatedly to clean my google bar, and it won't. UGH! I want to clean it to erase present searches and the like. Even when I clean my cookies, the google searches stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagnfun Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 . Could that be true, or would the only results showing in the Google drop down history menu be those that had been searched for prior to the last computer's refreshing of its memory? And if it is set to every 20 days, does that clear out everything from those 20 days? Michelle T, who is freaking out OK Here is the deal. IF you have a google account, this means signed up for google earth, use the free spreedsheets program or any other google FREE service, they have a history on you. It is not well known and stays forever unless you actually clear it. You have to sign in as that person (user name & password protected), then hit "my account" (upper right corner) and then view history. I just did it and they have every search I've ever done, date and time stamped, going back to 2005. Hope you find what you need & it matches what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asma_08 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Just chiming in that you do have to manually erase google searches. If you don't, they don't go away even if you erase the history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volty Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I need to figure out how to clear this search engine myself so my wife doesn't freak out over some of the stuff I look at online. It bugs me to see them listed there and my only safety feature has been to use vocabulary words she doesn't know since she's Chinese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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