Homepage Locked Up

[Lady Dungeness]

IE6 on XP. My homepage is locked. I cannot change it. I have tried changing it through the IE interface, through the INF file, and through a registry edit. A registry edit attempt gives me an error message.

I downloaded and ran SubInAcl with the batch file recently posted on the MS newsgroups. I downlaoded Dial A Fix and tried to reset the homepage. It showed a permission restriction, so I removed it. Still cannot change the homepage.

I don't know how the homepage got locked, but wonder if I did it by Spybot. I downloaded and installed Spybot again and tried to change it. No luck. So I uninstalled Spybot.

I would like to remove whatever has locked the homepage for IE6. Especially because I want to install SP3 soon.

Can somebody help me find a way to get rid of the lock on IE6?

[thanatos_theos]

Hello Lady Dungeness. Download this *.reg file and merge it into the registry. If the *.reg fix fails, please post a list of all installed security applications and double-check if the browser's homepage feature (Open IE>Tools>Internet Options>General) is disabled/greyed out.

thanatos

[ErikAlbert]

Probably your browser is hijacked, if you can't change your homepage in a normal way.
Create a HijackThis Log and visit a Malware Forum OR run other scanners until it's gone, like SAS, MBAM, ...
The classical way is always painfull and a waste of time. I fix this one in 2 minuts on my computer without knowing anything and doing anything.

[Lady Dungeness]

Thank you, O Theos, for helping me.

I ran the reg file. Rebooted. Still cannot change the homepage.

Originally Posted by thanatos_theos

double-check if the browser's homepage feature (Open IE>Tools>Internet Options>General) is disabled/greyed out.

It is not greyed out. I can enter a new url, but it doesn't stick. It reverts to the previous url. (which is google -- meaning at some time in the past I was able to change it).

Originally Posted by thanatos_theos

post a list of all installed security applications

AVG 8
Zone Alarm
Spybot S&N -- now uninstalled
Crap Cleaner -- used sparingly
Zone Alarm

In the past I have used AdAware, HijackThis, Dial-A-Fix (are those security apps?) -- but none are currently installed.

I am comfortable working in the registry.
I have a second operating system on a separate internal HD and can access the files on this one without booting into it (in case that helps).

[thanatos_theos]

Zonealarm Free:
Temporarily disable its starup key. Restart. Try changing your home page.

Zonealarm Pro:
Go to OSFirewall and make sure "home page" isn't set to deny.

Spybot:
Reinstall Spybot. Follow instructions here.

Try this:
Download this. Copy-paste iereset.inf to C:\Windows\Inf. Ok the prompt to overwrite/replace. Open IE>Tools>Internet Options>Programs>Click Reset Web Settings.

If all fail, you might indeed have a browser/home page hijacker. Follow Erik's suggestion and seek help from a helper at a malware removal forum. Choose one here.

Good luck.

thanatos

[Lady Dungeness]

Ευχαριστω, Ο Θανατος--

HOORAY!


We have found the culprit! And sorry to say, it is my much-beloved Zone Alarm. I had checked previously to confirm that my ZA version was not the one that caused problems. Unfortunately, it appears the information I received at that time was incorrect.

Now using Windows Firewall instead. I would like a firewall that lets me control outbound information as well. Do you know of one?

Also, do you know if the old Zone Alarm v2.31 is effective? Sometimes I suspect that the "new upgrades" are mainly bloatware.

Thank you!

[thanatos_theos]

You're welcome. Glad that I could be of help.

The home page lock issue is a bug of previous versions of Zonealarm free. I don't know if version 7 fixed this (fax could you please confirm?). This issue also occurs with version 6.5.

Zone Alarm v2.31 protected you through these years so I guess it did its job well. However, since previous versions of Zonealarm have been reported to have security flaws, it's best to upgrade to version 7.

You can try PC Tools Firewall Plus which is based on LooknStop. It's a 2-way firewall that is free and light. PC Tools has a support forum for it.

thanatos

[Lady Dungeness]

I'll give PCT a try. Thank you for the help and for the suggestion.

[OI82Much]

Originally Posted by thanatos_theos

Hello Lady Dungeness. Download this *.reg file and merge it into the registry. If the *.reg fix fails, please post a list of all installed security applications and double-check if the browser's homepage feature (Open IE>Tools>Internet Options>General) is disabled/greyed out.

thanatos

Had the same problem as the thread starter, ran your .reg file, problem solved.

Thank you!