Internet homepage default problem

[lazyitus]

Puzzled.

When the computer is on, I am trying to set my homepage to Pistonheads via the 'internet options'.

When the computer is restarted, it keeps deffering back to a different homepage.

How do I get it to stay as Pistonheads, or anything else?

[Deester]

It seems you have another program changing your homepage on boot.

This is normally ad software that can be installed sneakily with another application.

Try a google for adaware, a free prog used to rid your machine of this kind of thing. Its also FOC.

You could also try:
Start -> Run -> msconfig

Then have a look at the applications that are started on boot and disable any dodgy looking ones.

Deester

[docevi1]

follow the instructions in here (last one) : www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=72421&f=95&h=0

The other aspect is that your registry (where that information is stored) could be damaged, are you noticing problems anywhere else in other programs? Is anything unusal/recurring which isn't "right"?

[miniman]

Is this your home PC, or one at work? Many businesses have a system policy in place which sets up stuff like this on startup.

[lazyitus]

miniman said:

Is this your home PC, or one at work? Many businesses have a system policy in place which sets up stuff like this on startup.

At home.

[lazyitus]

Spybot and Adaware have now both been run.

Still no change though!

Its beginning to do my head in.

[Simpo Two]

Yep, the real default 'homepage' is buried in the registry - as I discovered today. I've removed stuff from here but hesitate to give you advice because (a) you can bugger things up, (b) there are smarter people than I here!

[rjo]

There are some spyware and trojans that Adaware and Spybot can't find.
(For instance...Loader. Do a search for it).
Try this link to download Hyjack this
http://spywareinfo.com/downloads.php?cat=sp#det

Then consider going to this forum and posting the results...
http://forums.techguy.org/f54/s89863c02ac03123d5e5b3d022cd34792

HTH

[jam1et]

I had similar problems. It wasnt add ware or such like - the registry was key was ed and changing it manually solved the problem. If its win 98 you can try changing the setting in the registry thus:

EDITING THE REGISTRY INCORRECTLY CAN REALLY BUGGER YOUR PC. MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP THE REGISTRY FIRST.
If you dont know what your doing either do some research on registry backup and editing first or get someone who knows what they're doing.

Having said that, this is a relatively minor registry hack with little chance of a -up.

Run 'regedit' from Start ButtonRun and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMainStart Page

Just edit the entry to the correct homepage url you want. (not forgetting the http:// bit in front).

Reboot.

If the homepage strangely changes back to something other than Pistonheads its almost certainly spy/ad ware thats causing it.

Hope this helps.

>> Edited by jam1et on Tuesday 23 December 16:35

[lazyitus]

Thanks Jamie.

Will it work on Windows ME ?

Lazy

[simpo two]

My numpty way of getting undesirable things out of the registry is to run regedit then go to the top level and do Ctrl/F for 'find'. I enter the name of the offending item (in this case the offending homepage) and delete it wherever I find it. It's worked for me twice and I'm fairly confident as I know I'm only deleting 'bad' stuff.
I discovered this when I was upgrading Norton AV. The new version wouldn't install over the old version, so I uninstalled that. However it still said there was a previous version installed. So I searched the registry for 'NAV', took all references out, and then the new one installed OK.
But as has been said, you need to be fairly confident to do this.