http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q320159
Home Page Setting Changes Unexpectedly, or You Cannot Change Your Home Page
Setting
SYMPTOM
When you try to change your home page in the Internet Options dialog box,
you may be unable to type in the Address box, and the following buttons may
be greyed out:
Use Current
Use Default
Use Blank
This can occur if you have a customized version of IE provided by your ISP
or a website has forced the change. One of the customizations they make in
the registry disables the ability to change the home page, so you are forced
to use their home page. This can re-enabled by making a small change in the
Windows registry.
WARNING : Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that
may require you to reinstall your operating system. Use the Registry Editor
at your own risk.
Note: You should back up the registry before you edit it.
Back up the registry
The first thing that you should do before attempting this is to back-up your
registry, this will avoid any major foul-ups (nothing should go wrong, but
just in case):
1. Click Start, then click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
2. Type regedit and click OK. The Registry Editor opens.
3. Click the Registry menu and click Export Registry File.
4. Verify the following items in the Export Registry :
File dialog box:
Save in: Desktop
File name: Registry Backup
Save as type: Registration Files
Export range: All
5. Click Save.
6. Exit the Registry Editor.
7. Verify that an icon labeled "Registry Backup.reg" is on the desktop.
CAUTION: Do not double-click the "Registry Backup.reg" file on the desktop
unless you intend to undo the changes you are making to the registry.
To resolve this issue in Internet Explorer 5.5, use the following steps:
Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Go to Start | Run | type - "regedit"
(without the ["];
Locate and click the following key in the registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control
Panel
NOTE : The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
readability.
Right-click the HomePage value, and then click Delete .
When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes .
Right-click the SecChangeSettings value, click Delete .
When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes .
Quit the Registry Editor.
Reboot the machine.
Change your home page or your Internet Explorer security settings.
----
Once that is done, download this little app which is receiving good reviews
and stop home page hijacking period per there claim!
StartPage Guard v1.20 [636k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
http://pjwalczak.com/spguard/spg12.zip
http://www.pjwalczak.com/spguard/index.php
http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/startpageguard.png
And to keep from having to manually edit the registry to unlock your
homepage settings, try this little script which allows you to turn this
feature on or off.
Written by Doug Knox, MS MVP:
http://www.dougknox.com/security/scripts_desc/nosethomepage.htm
