Homepage problem

[Jeremy]

I started up my internet a few days ago and a weird search
engine I've never been to came up as my homepage. I go to
too>IO and change my homepage back to what I want but when
I restart my computer it comes up as that site again. I
deleted all my cookies and temp internet files but nothing
seems to work. If you have any solutions it would be
greatly appreciated.

 

[Tim]

It sounds like a virus. Run a scan and once it's gone,
then change the homepage again. In the meantime, you
could try (though I doubt it will work) changing the
start page in the registry. Click Start->Run... then
type "regedit". From there, go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.
On the right side of the window, find "Start Page" and
double-click it. Then type your original homepage
address. Close the Registry Editor and restart the
computer. Then, return to the Registry Editor and find
that value again and see if it has changed. If not, cool.
If it did, you got a virus.

By the way, what was the name of that search engine?

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Jeremy,

Home Page Setting Changes Unexpectedly, or You Cannot Change your Home Page
Setting
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=320159

The problem may be due to a spyware.

Download Ad-Aware from www.lavasoftusa.com, scan the system and eliminate
the malware products. Re-apply the above fix if necessary.
** Remember to update the pattern file using WebUpdate in Ad-Aware **

( Caused by a malware called CoolWebSearch) Also, Download:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip )

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

10 Myths about Windows XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/honeycutt/03december01
..asp


I started up my internet a few days ago and a weird search
engine I've never been to came up as my homepage. I go to
too>IO and change my homepage back to what I want but when
I restart my computer it comes up as that site again. I
deleted all my cookies and temp internet files but nothing
seems to work. If you have any solutions it would be
greatly appreciated.

 

[Erlend]

Jeremy,
I have the same problem. I think that there is a faul file
called "NavExt.dll" in your WINTT folder. I haven't be
able to change or delete it though. Do you have an idea.
Strange thing is that the Microsoft Website is not
familiar with this file??
That is why I am convinced that I must delete this. No
luck until now. Try to find this file, open it with
NOTEPATH and search for "Search_space" ( this is somehow
linked to coolsearch) and you will find a reference. If
you have an idea please keep me posted.
Thanks
Erlend

 

[robert]

-----Original Message-----
It sounds like a virus. Run a scan and once it's gone,
then change the homepage again. In the meantime, you
could try (though I doubt it will work) changing the
start page in the registry. Click Start->Run... then
type "regedit". From there, go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.
On the right side of the window, find "Start Page" and
double-click it. Then type your original homepage
address. Close the Registry Editor and restart the
computer. Then, return to the Registry Editor and find
that value again and see if it has changed. If not, cool.
If it did, you got a virus.

By the way, what was the name of that search engine?
.

I've done that. Ad-aware, Norton, et al. Nothing removes
it.

I find this repeatedly in the registry throughout:

http://t.rack.cc/sp-php

Can't get it to go away.

???

 

[John]

Hi! You may try to use Rich Explorer Bar 1.1
(http://www.softinterop.com/Home.aspx/Products)

 

[Mike K]

I ran into the same coolweb virus and was able to disable it using
SpyBot (free download, search the net). What you'll need to do with
SpyBot is to select "tools" then "system startup". There will be an
entry in there that modifies your registry. Unfortunately I do not
recall the exact text but you will see that it is for the registry and
it will end in -s. Once you find it uncheck it so it does not run the
next time you log in. Then, change your home page to what you want it
to be, log out, then log back in. Test your home page at that point
and the basic functionality of IE. If all looks good, go back into
SpyBot highlight the registry change entry again and delete it.

Hope that helps.
Mike