Re: MS Homepage and Anti-Spyware

Thanks Don,

Not running MSN anything and the Automatic update is turned off.

However, in checking msconfig, I did see several entires that got my
interest. Those with names I can Google to see if they are legit, but
there are several entires that have *. and *.. for names.

I will disable those and see if anything is missing when I reboot, but
do you have any idea what they could be? All their paths point to
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up\ and
the only thing in there is a shortcut to 'Digital Line Detect'.

Ideas?

Thanks for responding.




Don Varnau wrote:
Hi,
I agree withTom- you will probably not have a problem. I would be cautious
regarding too much "realtime" protection (Spybot Teatimer or IE Tweaks.) If
you ever have a problem accessing or displaying webpages, I would look at
those security programs as possible causes.

Regarding the homepage issue. Run msconfig> startup and uncheck (as a test)
anything you think might be changing the homepage. Are you running MSN
Messenger or the MSN Toolbar?

Possibly... Internet Options> Advanced> uncheck "Automatically check for
Internet Explorer updates."

Don
[MS MVP- IE]

"Gman" <mbient[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1152422065.310260.95100@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Well Tom, the only website I visited after installing XP Pro on a new
HDD was the MS Windows update site, so if I got a spy, I would think it
would of had to of come from that site. Is that possible?

Given the howling in several of these news groups about MS' role as the
king of spyware, I guess anything is possible. I did not install the
Genuine Windows listening post. Think that could have caused that
hijack action?

I have installed all of those anti-spyware packages and now have more
protection in place than a 30 year-old virgin at a rock concert. Ran
all of them, and no spyware detected. Set the Home Page protection
locks, so that should eliminate the problem.

I was really just wondering if anybody was aware of MS downloading
something that would keep switching the Home Page to their MSN site.

Thanks for your response.

Tom Willett wrote:
You can have as many anti-spyware programs installed as you wish. They
all
catch things the others don't.

If you don't have any anti-spyware programs installed, that may explain
your
problem.

"Gman" <mbient[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1152399760.680294.124770@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I apologize Don, the second part of my post wasn't clear.

I don't have any Anti-Spyware installed, yet, but intend to install a
copy of Spy Sweeper that was given to me for Father's Day.

I was just asking if anyone had experienced any conflicts between Spy
Sweeper and the freeby-threesome - Spybot Search & Destroy, Spyware
Blaster and AdAware, and whether or not it made any sense to have ALL
installed.

The first part of my post is still the main problem. Every time I
launch IE, something tries to change the Home Page to an MS site.
Would like to know what that something is and how to kill it?


Don Varnau wrote:
Hi,
Try starting up in Safe Mode, Spysweeper shouldn't launch. Change the
homepage. Restart. See if Spysweeper accepts the new homepage.

Or, kill Spysweeper then change the homepage.

"Gman" <mbient[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1152383295.471001.159020@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After reinstalling and updating XP Pro, IE6's Home Page keeps
getting
changed to an MS site. I change it to 'about:blank', but the next
time
I launch IE, there's that darned MS Home Page again.

I installed Win Patrol and now get a message that the Home Page has
been changed, with the option to deny the change, but I would like
to
eliminate the problem and that message altogether.

I recall that Spybot S&D had an option to lock the Home Page (maybe
it
was the Tea Timer app), but I have not installed SS&D since I was
told
Spy Sweeper is better. I don't know if they are compatible or just
redundant. Same goes for Spyware Blaster and AdAware with Spy
Sweeper.

Any suggestions for fixing the Home Page problem will be
appreciated,
as well as any advise on the compatibility of those anti-spyware
products, and the advisability of having them all installed.

.

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