I found I was getting the test results pages when I googled, and I copied my cookie's ID:

6635c224a77931fb

There was a colon after that, but I figured it was a seperator.

Demen

Hmm, I can't get it to work.

I was following these instructions to change the cookie:
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2006-03-26-n51.html

And also tried with the Cookie Editor FF exension:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Google/index.php?p=140

Would it be possible you need the "S" value? From what I heard, that's a checksum...

Here's mine:aBxNZ6-LTaNLhKMn

Here is my entire cookie value:

ID=6635c224a77931fb:FF=4:TB=2:LD=en:NR=10:TM=1146439595:
LM=1150673455:DV=AA:GM=1:IG=1:S=aBxNZ6-LTaNLhKMn

There is no space between the colon on the end of line one and the LM. It is all one line.

Just a reminder: this is the PREF cookie...

Demen

Sorry for the double post, but it looks like using the second cookie editor tool you would put the "ID" thing I posted in the content box.

Demen

Sigh, I wish I could get this to work. I always end up on Google.de after pasting the cookie, but maybe I'm doing something wrong.

I think I have it:

Using the method where you paste a a "PREF=" thing in the address bar, I modified the commands. Here's what you have to do:

Go to that page (the one with nothing but the cookie).
Go to the address bar; replace it with this:

javascript:document.cookie="PREF=ID=6635c224a77931fb:
TM=1142683332:LM=1142683332:S=aBxNZ6-LTaNLhKMn;
path=/;domain=.google.com"

Again, no spaces, and it's all one line. Reload the page, and the text onscreen should change. NOW you can go to the google page. This time, put the following stuff in the address bar:

PREF=ID=6635c224a77931fb:TM=1142683332:LM=1142683332:
S=aBxNZ6-LTaNLhKMn;path=/;domain=.google.com

One line, no spaces. Reload google. Search for something interesting. I found a goldmine of examples searching for "PHP." There are many condensed pages that you can extend, and there is one (the parent's advocacy thing) that shows a google map at the address of the clinic!

I tested this; it should work.

Demen

Demen, I have your cookie running and 'sticking' here, but am seeing no UI changes.

Can you post some screenshots? (This is an easy upload page, if you like: http://www.imilly.com/noregrets.htm#images).

Do you only see them if you are logged into your Google Account?

I also got the cookie to stick – and was able to see the effects by searching for "software"...

however when trying to replicate this, I deleted all my cookies and was unable to get the cookie to stick around again.

anybody else having luck?

Garett, you might try this 'beta' bookmarklet to see if you can get it to stick : http://www.imilly.com/google-cookie.htm#googleanonbeta

(Also useful for quickly checking which GUID you have, without changing anything. See also the ShowCookie and ZapCookie bookmarklets there, both handy for this sort of testing).

But *don't* change your Google Prefs when it sends you to that page: just back out and try another search. For Demen's cookie, the checksum function (as described here: http://www.imilly.com/google-cookie.htm#update)seems to cover *all* the parameters, which makes it very sensitive to being overwritten. That may be a function of the included 'IG' parameter (i.e. re Personalized Search), which rightly ought to be sensitive to tampering.

I see no changes with a [software] search either. Did you manage to grab a screenshot?

I have a screenshot at:

http://aycu22.webshots.com/image/1301/1258477813031038547_rs.jpg

As for getting a cookie to stay through a browser restart, change a setting and hit apply, close the browser, reopen the browser, and change the setting back. This gets cookies to stay.

I have been logged into my google accounts and gmail and personalized home etc. the whole time.

Demen

It doesn't work for me too

The bug comes, I think, from the "S" value. Very strange, that there is a dash in this variable is strange...

Your "LM" and "TM" values are good.

I can't get the new SERP anymore. By the way, does anyone know why absolutely nothing comes up when you google ++ or – or the like? It's very odd...

I'll let you know if I find anything else.

Demen

Since Demen's GUID seems to be dead for everyone now, I've taken down the 'beta' bookmarklet. Just shout of anyone wants it.

The old, new/test Google UI bookmarklet is still there, and still works: http://www.imilly.com/google-cookie.htm#googleanon-se

As pictured and described here: http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2006-03-26-n51.html and here: http://blogoscoped.com/forum/24704.html#id24926

I'm still using it as my main Google UI, amd hope they adopt it as the default.