MS Homepage and Anti-Spyware

[Gman]

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.

Thanks

 

[Don Varnau]

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.

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

 

[Gman]

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?

Thanks for your response.

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.

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

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.

Thanks

 

[Tom Willett]

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.

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?

Thanks for your response.

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.

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

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.

Thanks

 

[Chuck Davis]

Gman,
When IE goes to a site different than what you have set as Home page, your
browser has been hijacked.
1. Download hijackthis from http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/
2. Install hijackthis on your C: drive.
3. Open the program and click on Do a system scan and save a logfile.
4. Save the logfile.
5. Visit http://www.hijackthis.de/
6. Either copy and paste your logfile contents into the space provided, or
7. Click on the Browse button and locate your logfile.
8. Click on Analyze
9. Wait a few minutes and the results will be displayed.
10. Follow the instructions for the "Nasty" entries.

Good luck.

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?

Thanks for your response.

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.

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

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.

Thanks

 

[Gman]

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.

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.

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?

Thanks for your response.

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.

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

"Gman" <mbient[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
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.

Thanks

 

[Gman]

Good idea Chuck. I've seen a number of hijackthis posts during my
Googling, but have never tried it. Maybe I should. Would like to have
this clean install get started off on the right foot.

Thanks for responding.

Gman,
When IE goes to a site different than what you have set as Home page, your
browser has been hijacked.
1. Download hijackthis from http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/
2. Install hijackthis on your C: drive.
3. Open the program and click on Do a system scan and save a logfile.
4. Save the logfile.
5. Visit http://www.hijackthis.de/
6. Either copy and paste your logfile contents into the space provided, or
7. Click on the Browse button and locate your logfile.
8. Click on Analyze
9. Wait a few minutes and the results will be displayed.
10. Follow the instructions for the "Nasty" entries.

Good luck.

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?

Thanks for your response.

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.

Hope this helps,
Don
[MS MVP- IE]

"Gman" <mbient[at]gmail.com> wrote in message
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.

Thanks

 

[Don Varnau]

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]

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.

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.

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
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.

 

[Gman]

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.

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]

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.

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
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
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.

 

[Gman]

Thank you for responding PA Bear,

I turned on the 'Disallow Home Page Change' in Tea Timer and Win
Patrol, and the problem went away, but I'm still curious what was
causing the change in the first place. Was it something from MS?

Also still curious about those *. unnamed entiries in msconfig, and
what they start up. Will do some experimenting and find out.

Sorry if I'm boring you all, but after 67 years of leading a vigerous /
adventurous / exploring / questioning life-style, the experiences
haven't left me with much to be curious about anymore.