Fixing IE8 corrupt search providers?

[bizzybody]

I've a client with Windows 7 Home Premium. The default IE8 search provider is stuck on Google. Others can be added and deleted but the default cannot be changed from Google.

Every time IE8 is launched it says a program has corrupted the search providers and it's changing the default to Google.

I've spent hours searching for a fix but some people keep posting fixes for XP or higher versions of 7 that do not work with 7 Home Premium or lower due to the lack of Group Policy Editor and other things. One commonly posted XP registry fix for this invloves adding a key that already exists in 7.

So, what've you for WINDOWS SEVEN HOME PREMIUM to fix this problem with IE8?