Un-locking your browser's home page.

[spy1]

(1) unlocking homepage setting
Have you installed a custom version of Internet Explorer and now find you can no longer change your HomePage setting ? here's how to fix it ! Click on "start", then "run". type in regedit then click on "ok". Expand the following folders ... HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel. In the right hand pane find the value for "HomePage", double click on it and enter a 0 (zero) in the "value data" box. close the registry editor and you should now have re-enabled the option to change your homepage. (may require a re-boot for changes to take effect).

(You might want to make this a sticky for quick reference). Pete

[Dan Perez]

Very cool Pete!

Please accept a modest (but freshly baked) cookie!

Spy1 Gobbling Cookies -> http://www.wilderssecurity.com/attachments/overboard_gobbling_cookies.gif

[Pieter_Arntz]

Before you dive into your registry, check if you did not lock yourself out by using the options provided by SpywareBlaster or Spybot S&D.

If you try to click Internet Explorer > "Tools" menu > "Internet Options..." and you get a popup telling you "This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator."

Spybot S&D offers you the option to fix that. Spybot has a checkbox to lock or unlock the entire IE Control panel (as shown in the screenshots below). Note that the option to lock/unlock the IE Home Page (start page) is right above it.

In Spybot S&D v1.3 it is here (there are 5 steps because you must first enable Spybot's Advanced mode, then select the Tools module and go to IE Tweaks):

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/supportfiles/spybot13-IE-prot-Int-Opts.gif


In Spybot S&D v1.2 (the previous product version) it was in the Immunize section (also in Spybot's Advanced mode):

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/attachments/spybot-IE-protection.gif


SpywareBlaster

SpywareBlaster does not have an option to entirely lock Internet Options, but it does have a setting to secure the General tab's Home Page setting. It is located here:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/supportfiles/sb31-unlock-IE-homepage.gif


Regards,
Pieter