MSN Highjacking Browser ??

[Mocacius]

I posted before, but don't think my message made it, so...

Weirdest things... (and I thought I had sen it all <g>)

(1) I changed my default opening page in IE6 to google.com. so, every time
I started IE6, it went there. Until I had to reboot, that is. After I
rebooted, the MSN page came up as the default. Hmm, I figured I did
something wrong, so I set it to google.com, again. It worked, until I
rebooted. Then, back to MSN. I run virus and addware
scanners/removers, no indication of any problem. This keeps happening,
and I know of no way to stop it! Is MSN highjacking browsers now?

(2) When I click on URLs in OE6, nothing happens. Aha, I remembered I had
seen that. Went to the Microsoft KB, found the appropriate message(s), made
the appropriate mods, re-registered the suggested DLLs. Only, still, if I
click on a URL, in an OE6 message, nothing happens. If I click on a URL in
in an OL2003 message, the browser opens, as expected!

Any ideas, anyone?

*M*

 

[N. Miller]

I posted before, but don't think my message made it, so...

Weirdest things... (and I thought I had sen it all <g>)

(1) I changed my default opening page in IE6 to google.com. so, every time
I started IE6, it went there. Until I had to reboot, that is. After I
rebooted, the MSN page came up as the default. Hmm, I figured I did
something wrong, so I set it to google.com, again. It worked, until I
rebooted. Then, back to MSN. I run virus and addware
scanners/removers, no indication of any problem. This keeps happening,
and I know of no way to stop it! Is MSN highjacking browsers now?

(2) When I click on URLs in OE6, nothing happens. Aha, I remembered I had
seen that. Went to the Microsoft KB, found the appropriate message(s), made
the appropriate mods, re-registered the suggested DLLs. Only, still, if I
click on a URL, in an OE6 message, nothing happens. If I click on a URL in
in an OL2003 message, the browser opens, as expected!

Any ideas, anyone?

*M*

AdAware protection? See the thread:

Subject: Microsoft Update preempts Home Page
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 20:57:57 -0400
Message-ID: <#[email protected]>

Apparently AdAware takes a snapshot of the registry state, and assumes a
Home Page change is malicious. If it took the snapshot at the wrong time,
it may pick the wrong home page to protect. Or something like that.

Also, watch the pop ups when you start programs. ICQ kept hijacking my
browser; until I figured out that I was clicking a button to accept changes
when I started ICQ. The solution was (short term) to not accept changes
offered by the pop up, (long term) to not allow ICQ to pop up windows on
start.

 

[Gregory]

AdAware protection? See the thread:

Thanks. I lloked at the thread, but no AdAware installed on this system,
and no ICQ hijacking. As far as I can tell, there is no third party
software on this system that would prevent Home Page changes (unless Win XP
Pro SP2 is doing it), and the funy thing is that I can change it and the
change stays until I hibernate or reboot the system.

*M*

 

[Rob Parsons]

There are options on the MSN toolbar to use MSN defaults which includes the
MSN Home Page setting. Check the toolbar settings or if they are not there
re-install the toolbar. If not in the settings the installer prompts you if
you want the MSN settings or to retain your current settings.

You can easily test this...
1. Disable third party Browser Helper Objects (Internet Options\Advanced
tab)
2. Change your Home Page setting to Google.com
3. Reboot your machine.

Google should be retained as your home page setting.

Unfortunately this behaviour cannot be classed as hijacking as you would
have been prompted when installing the MSN toolbar to use their settings.
Caveant Emptor!

 

[Mocacius]

Thanks.

This was a pre-installed system, and don't recall installing the MSN
toolbar, or being given that option, at any time, but...

In any case, the MSN toolbar does not appear to be there, so how do I
re-install it?

Any ideas?

 

[Roger]

I have exactly the same symptoms with no AdAware, tried registering the
dlls, and no MSN toolbar. I keep trying to set the home page to
my.yahoo.com and it reverts to MSN after every reboot. I hae tried
posting this on the w/xp forum and have received no suggestions.

Roger

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

I posted before, but don't think my message made it, so...

Weirdest things... (and I thought I had sen it all <g>)

(1) I changed my default opening page in IE6 to google.com. so, every time
I started IE6, it went there. Until I had to reboot, that is. After I
rebooted, the MSN page came up as the default. Hmm, I figured I did
something wrong, so I set it to google.com, again. It worked, until I
rebooted. Then, back to MSN. I run virus and addware
scanners/removers, no indication of any problem. This keeps happening,
and I know of no way to stop it! Is MSN highjacking browsers now?

There must be something in your startup which is doing that.
Troubleshoot your startup.

(2) When I click on URLs in OE6, nothing happens. Aha, I remembered I had
seen that. Went to the Microsoft KB, found the appropriate message(s), made
the appropriate mods, re-registered the suggested DLLs. Only, still, if I
click on a URL, in an OE6 message, nothing happens. If I click on a URL in
in an OL2003 message, the browser opens, as expected!

Any ideas, anyone?

More of the same? (Since you didn't specify what you did and I suspect
most likely it wasn't enough.)

Elsewhere you imply that your OS is XPsp2. To start with use the
regsvr32 commands listed in KB831429. If you don't have msjava.dll
don't worry about that one failing. The command most likely to help is

regsvr32 /i shdocvw.dll


Note to lurkers of non-NT5x systems who have this symptom that same
repair is available on your OS in a much stronger form via:

rundll32 setupwbv.dll,IE6Maintenance

Note that a successful repair involves a reboot so you might as well close
all applications before trying this.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
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