I can't seem to change the homepage in IE !!!

py2006

Hi Guys,

This is probably something really simple but its wrecking my head!! In IE when I go to Tools --> Internet Options and try to edit my homepage it always seems to go back to the current home page.

I have done the usual stuff by cleaning all the crap off my pc, virus check, adaware etc.

It just keeps opening up at a news site that I had previously used as my homepage.

Any ideas?

Ruu_Old

Have you had a look through the MS Knowledge Base? I googled a link here, has a few solutions posted.

py2006

Ruu wrote:

Have you had a look through the MS Knowledge Base? I googled a link here, has a few solutions posted.

Thanks, I don't think I have any virus!

christophicus

It happened to me before, and it was because of a virus( some kind of trojan ).

Theres no harm in getting AVG and doing a scan anyway, you should try it.

py2006

christophicus wrote:

It happened to me before, and it was because of a virus( some kind of trojan ).

Theres no harm in getting AVG and doing a scan anyway, you should try it.

Already done that! Its not defaulting to an advertisment site or a porn site. Its going to an breakingnews.ie

Ruu_Old

Ok if you have Lavasoft Ad-aware go to Settings->Defaults and change the homepage and search engine to what you use and then click Proceed. Let me know if that works out.

py2006

Ruu wrote:

Ok if you have Lavasoft Ad-aware go to Settings->Defaults and change the homepage and search engine to what you use and then click Proceed. Let me know if that works out.

According to that my homepage is msn.com!!!??!!

Ruu_Old

In the same settings page click the "Read settings from system" link and that should bring up what you already have. Then go ahead and change it to what you wish and the Proceed.

GBX

you should try scanning in safe mode. most virus's/trojans dont show up when you scan on normal log in. turn the pc on, right before when windows loads, tap the "shift" button. it will give the option to start in safe mode .. . then run your scans ... all of them .. when all is clear. restart the pc. if it removes and virus's etc .. you should be able to rest your homepage

py2006

Ruu wrote:

In the same settings page click the "Read settings from system" link and that should bring up what you already have. Then go ahead and change it to what you wish and the Proceed.

No joy with that one!

py2006

GBX wrote:

you should try scanning in safe mode. most virus's/trojans dont show up when you scan on normal log in. turn the pc on, right before when windows loads, tap the "shift" button. it will give the option to start in safe mode .. . then run your scans ... all of them .. when all is clear. restart the pc. if it removes and virus's etc .. you should be able to rest your homepage

I'll try that. But if it was a virus or a trojan surely it wouldn't make my homepage an Irish site. Surely it would be some advertisement site or a porn site.

py2006

Still no joy!

is_that_so

Under Internet Options Home what is your home page?
If you manually change the URL in the address bar and hit reload what happens?
Have you tried all the suggestions above in Safe Mode?

mobileplaza

sorry too go off-topic. but get firefox..

netwhizkid

mobileplaza wrote:

sorry too go off-topic. but get firefox..

Totally Agree, It is much better, if you ever encounter a problem where something won't display (which is a rarity these days) you can always switch over to IE Tab which will open it with the IE settings inside firefox.

Have a look here and see if any of the advice there helps

py2006

is_that_so wrote:

Under Internet Options Home what is your home page?
If you manually change the URL in the address bar and hit reload what happens?
Have you tried all the suggestions above in Safe Mode?

Yea, at the moment it is set to breakingnews.ie but when I change that to any other address and then click reload it goes back to breakingnews.ie

py2006

netwhizkid wrote:

Totally Agree, It is much better, if you ever encounter a problem where something won't display (which is a rarity these days) you can always switch over to IE Tab which will open it with the IE settings inside firefox.

Have a look here and see if any of the advice there helps

To be honest with you I don't think its better! I think some people are just anti-microsoft!

Ruu_Old

mobileplaza wrote:

sorry too go off-topic. but get firefox..

Lads, suggestions like these aren't very helpful, whether Firefox is better is not the issue here. The OP has a problem with Internet Explorer.

py2006

I wanted to try uninstalling IE and then reinstalling it but it doesn't come up in the Add/Remove programs list!

Ruu_Old

You wont be able to remove IE totally. Ok another suggestion would be to download Spybot, do this in order.

Change your homepage like you normally would, then open Spybot and select Mode->Advanced Mode. Select the Tools menu and click IE Tweaks, tick the box that says "Lock IE start page setting against user changes (current user).
Any chance you can tell us whats running, a screenshot would be good, in your startup tab in msconfig?(start->run, msconfig->Startup)

irlrobins

py2006 wrote:

I wanted to try uninstalling IE and then reinstalling it but it doesn't come up in the Add/Remove programs list!

in add/remove programs, click on remove windows components on the left. IE should be listed then (provided you have sp2 installed afaik).

py2006

Ruu wrote:

You wont be able to remove IE totally. Ok another suggestion would be to download Spybot, do this in order.

Change your homepage like you normally would, then open Spybot and select Mode->Advanced Mode. Select the Tools menu and click IE Tweaks, tick the box that says "Lock IE start page setting against user changes (current user).
Any chance you can tell us whats running, a screenshot would be good, in your startup tab in msconfig?(start->run, msconfig->Startup)

I had spybot installed but it was interfering with adaware apparently!

28064212

irlrobins wrote:

in add/remove programs, click on remove windows components on the left. IE should be listed then (provided you have sp2 installed afaik).

As far as I know, all that does is remove access to it, it doesn't actually install it

py2006 wrote:

I had spybot installed but it was interfering with adaware apparently!

Shouldn't have, unless you tried to scan with both at the same time. Try it again

py2006

in add/remove programs, click on remove windows components on the left

Ok its working now!!! I did the above by unchecking Internet Explorer and MSN explorer then restarted my pc.

I assumed this was uninstalling IE but it was still there after the restart but when I launched it this time it allowed me alter the homepage!!