IE Internet Options locked

[djschenk]

Hello.

I just installed the Blaster program, which looks like a very
welcome complement to Spybot S&D, but I made the error
of clicking various buttons before I knew what they were for.

Specifically, I have managed to disable my IE Internet Options
panel under the IE Tools menu. I need access to that panel,
though, because cookies and ActiveX setttings have to be
fairly permissive in order for me to run the Windows Update
(I'm using XP Pro). My habitual settings are of the more
paranoid variety (high security across the board, all cookies
disabled, and three firewalls plus NAV2002 all running
simultaneously). Thus, regular access to the Internet Options
panel is a must for me.

I tried to re-enable it by unclicking the box under Blaster's Misc.
IE Settings submenu in its Tools menu, but this was to no avail.
When you get the chance, please advise me on how to correct
this problem.

Thank you for your time and for creating this otherwise rather
nifty applications. It's nice to have a way to give the finger to
intrusive advertising corporations (and black hat hackers).


Sincerely,

djschenk

[Pieter_Arntz]

Hi djschenk,

Could you try closing all IE Windows before hitting the apply button on the correct settings and see if that helps.
You didn´t happen to make a Snapshot before you started clicking around, did you? :)

Regards,

Pieter

[javacool]

The only option for an IE restriction in SpywareBlaster is to lock the homepage section of the Internet Tools Control Panel - this would only prevent you from editing the homepage, and not from opening the Internet Tools Control Panel at all.

It sounds like another program may be the culprit here - but in any case, here are manual removal options for this particular restriction (these assume you are familiar with using regedit - if not, please post again).

Open regedit (Start>Run... and type "regedit" - without the quotes - in the box)
Browse to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions
Under this key you should find a value "NoBrowserOptions" - simply delete this value, reboot your computer, and the restriction should be gone (if not, it is a global restriction, so try browsing to the same location under the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" branch of the registry). :)

Best regards,

-Javacool

[djschenk]

Hi.

What a swift response! Wow...

Well, for the purposes of this repair, let's um, just *pretend*
I am what we can call an "Idiot Enduser," if you catch my
meaning. I have not used regedit, but I am willing to give
it a try. Is it an XP component, or is third-party material?
How do I access it?

I'm afraid I did not make any snaphsots. Also, I have tried
closing all IE windows. I even tried closing all unnecessary
programs, then unclicking it, and then rebooting. No good.

For whatever reason it is happening, I am confident that
Blaster is what is restricting my access to the panel, because
I was tweaking the panel yesterday when checking for XP
updates and the restriction only appeared immediately after
I installed the Blaster.

More info: what I get is a small "Restrictions" box that tells
me the following: "This operation has been cancelled due to
restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your
system administrator." I am not running any networks. I
am logged on as the administrator for my machine.

Well... please advise me on the use of the RegEdit app and
I'll give that one a whirl. I doubt it's a terribly serious issue...

Thanks,

djschenk

[djschenk]

Boy, oh boy... wotta piece of cake.

I ran regedit in the start menu, per your instructions, and
everything is fine now. Thanks, Javacool. Your software
and Spybot S&D are two freeware resources for which I am
extremely grateful.


Sincerely,

djschenk

[LowWaterMark]

Just an FYI for everyone...

The new version of Spybot S&D (v1.2) has an option on its "Immunize" panel that allows you to check (on/off) a lock restricting access to the "Internet Options..." menu item in IE.

The option is called: "Lock IE control panel against opening from within IE (current user)". Checking and unchecking that sets/resets that registry setting noted by Javacool above.

[Tassie_Devils]

Nice work guys fixing the problem. 8)

Being unfamiliar with things I could have imagined djschenk's dismay when he thought he had "broken" something.

It was only around 4-5 years ago I would have been in the same boat, and wondering what on earth I had done.

Cheers, TAS ;)