# changing my IE start page **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 21, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301 "2003-12-21T12:27:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/1 "2003-12-21T12:27:47Z")
Is there any way, perhaps through the registry, to make it to where nothing, if necessary not even I, can change the IE start page? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/2 "2003-12-21T12:49:14Z")
tools/internet options/ then click on “use blank” should do the trick. However, I have a very persistent porn page that even if I change the start page, after a reboot will have that porn page as default. I’ve tried to search and delete but that is one persistent little sucker and I can’t figure out how to get rid of it. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/3 "2003-12-21T14:38:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by China Guy \* > \*\*tools/internet options/ then click on “use blank” should do the trick. > > However, I have a very persistent porn page that even if I change the start page, after a reboot will have that porn page as default. I’ve tried to search and delete but that is one persistent little sucker and I can’t figure out how to get rid of it. \*\* IIRC, a few of the malware programs download a program, something like “loader.exe,” that automatically changes the start page to their homepage whenever MSIE is loaded. Someone with more experience than I in fixing the problem can tell you what to look for and where to look – I _can_ say that you should have no \*.exe programs in your Temporary Internet Files directory (which is worth browsing anyway – a wide range of programs will dump counters into that directory to keep tabs on your Internet usage). While we’re on the subject, I’ve run into a similar problem that I have not found the solution to – whenever I run Google, I get Google results, but clicking on the first link will, instead of taking me to the page specified, take me to a search page for “Umax” or “Fastnetsearch,” two Google-wannabes that I have never intentionally used. Any clue how to fix this? ---
**Author:** ![Thin\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Thin\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Ice)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/4 "2003-12-21T15:10:18Z")
I’ve had this problem more than once since I frequent the seedier side of the net on occasion. They are called hijackers and they usually change your startpage but I recently had one take over Google so when I clicked Google in my favorites folder I got another search engine instead. Even if I typed the word google it went to the other one. I have Ad-aware 6.0 and Spybot-S&D and ran both. Neither got rid of it 'til I updated them then Spybot found it and zapped it. This is a long answer to say: update your spyware/malware detection programs and run them again. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/5 "2003-12-21T15:22:20Z")
Links to free programs mentioned above and others are [here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=228730) In your case, I would try CWshredder first. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/6 "2003-12-21T15:27:58Z")
After you run Spybot S&D **Check for problems** tool, go to the **Immunize** tool, and at the bottom is a checkbox to lock the start page. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/7 "2003-12-21T15:54:04Z")
**Fear Itself,** it appears that AdAware and probably Spybot do not detect the CoolWave group of programs, and my WAG is that is what **China Guy** and **Chaoticdonkey** are faced with. I have communicated with the AdAware dudes thru their forums, and they admit CW is not detected. They seem pretty close-mouthed about why and about future upgrade plans, so my guess is there is a different principle at work. No point in immunizing until you have your start page the way you want it. Anyway, [CWshredder is here](http://gambit.catharsis.org/mt/archives/000007.html) (free), and it does detect the CoolWave malware stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-my-ie-start-page/220301/8 "2003-12-21T18:23:34Z")
I agree **Musicat** , CW is a problem that Spybot and AdAware do not address; I use CWShredder myself. However, there are many homepage highjackers besides CW, and locking the homepage is effective against them. The belt _and_ suspenders approach is the most effective, as the prevalence and destructive nature of crapware grows.