Re: when I click on Internet Explorer icon I am hijacked to Window

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

"adiamond" <adiamond@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:30156D0A-D394-4108-9C58-80CE083B6FD6@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
....
> My problem is (and has been) that I am being hijacked
> to the Microsoft Update window (not the Windows Update window,
> as I previously stated).


I think that that could be significant. E.g. it implies that you tried to install
MU. Did you ever try to use it? Perhaps what you are seeing is just the
first use of it after its install? Then, you might expect after doing that
that your Home Page would be restored. (At least that's the way WU
once worked first time. Then it was much simpler just to go where it
wanted to take you than try to fight it and try to figure out what it had done
to cause that and finally try to undo it, etc.)


>
> I don't remember exactly when this started, but it has been going on for at
> least a few days prior to today. It started happening shortly after I
> installed the beta test version of the Microsoft Anti-Spyware program
> (whatever it is called). I tried uninstalling the beta, and my memory is
> that the first time afterwards that I hit the IE icon, I got Google, and
> cheered. But the problem immediately returned, so I concluded that the MS
> beta was probably not the problem.


You shouldn't have to rely on your memory.
Look in your log for clues.


>
> On your last question: I have been getting critical updates via Microsoft
> Update for at least a couple of weeks, maybe it's been a couple of
> months--can't remember exactly.

<Emily Litella> Never mind! </Emily Litella> ;]


BTW I'd use RegMon to try to find out where that URL is coming from.
People forget that IE itself was the original "Home Page Hijacker" ;)

<title>KB289902 - How to Change the Internet Explorer Initial Start Web Page</title>

For another example, look at iereset.inf and watch with RegMon
what happens (e.g. filter with SetValue) when you use it by clicking on
Reset Web Settings (button in Options, Programs tab). (It's not clear
if values such as FirstHomePage would be changed by this procedure
but Start Page apparently would be.) If nothing else this should give
you some focus of where to look for the offending URL. Don't expect
to be able to find it using RegEdit because it might be coded as a binary
string which RegEdit unfortunately does not search in.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---


.

Quantcast