# My IE homepage keeps resetting. Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450 "2003-12-11T22:44:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Broodha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Broodha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broodha)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/1 "2003-12-11T22:44:25Z")
Everytime I open up Internet Explorer, my desired homepage ([Cnn.com](http://Cnn.com)) does not load. Instead, I am sent to one of a number of pseudo search engine sites that advertise viagra, on line gambling, and pornography. No matter how much I reset my homepage, it always happens. Why is this happening to me? More importantly, how can I fix this on my computer? ---
**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 11, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/2 "2003-12-11T22:52:06Z")
You probably have spyware installed on your computer. Get [Adaware](http://www.lavasoft.de/) 6.0 (free version), run it, and delete all it finds. Another good program is [Spybot search & destroy,](http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10194058.html?tag=lst-0-1) also free. Run them periodically to clean out your computer. After you are clean, reset your home page. This problem has come up on SDMB at least a hafl-dozen times in the last week. For more info, try searching for threads with logical keywords. ---
**Author:** ![Broodha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Broodha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broodha)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/3 "2003-12-11T22:53:15Z")
Everytime I open up Internet Explorer, my desired homepage ([Cnn.com](http://Cnn.com)) does not load. Instead, I am sent to one of a number of pseudo search engine sites that advertise viagra, on line gambling, and pornography. No matter how much I reset my homepage, it always happens. Why is this happening to me? More importantly, how can I fix this on my computer? ---
**Author:** ![Grave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Grave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grave)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/4 "2003-12-11T22:54:29Z")
Download AdAware from here [Lavasoft](http://www.lavasoft.de/) Then HijackThis from here [HijackThis](http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt) Use each one, and use the forums of each to learn more or get support for them if needed. Then don’t install any more ‘free’ software, search bars, P2P applications, or other such things advertised in popups. ---
**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/5 "2003-12-11T22:55:48Z")
go to “tools” on the top of your ie browser choose internet options under the general tab there should be a thingy for “home page” and type [cnn.com](http://cnn.com) into it and select OK that should fix it : ) ---
**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/6 "2003-12-11T22:57:52Z")
ummm, I mean apply THEN ok also you could try reinstalling ie on your computer? other than that hmmmmm…?? ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/7 "2003-12-11T23:00:33Z")
**LVgeogeek** , that’s not going to do any good at all. It’s clear that **Broodha** has picked up some adware/scumware on his PC, so no matter how many times he resets his homepage, the scumware is going to hijack it. I’ll leave it to someone else to come up with the proper solution. (Oh, and **Broodha** , posting the same thing in two different forums is called “cross-posting,” and isn’t allowed on these boards.) ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/8 "2003-12-11T23:06:48Z")
Have you run a spyware program to see if it picks up something? Here’s two good ones to try, I run both once a week on all my machines, and my advice is, it’s a good idea for you to do the same. I’ve gotten myself into the habit of running the scans when I do my weekly defrag, which makes it alot easier to remember. [Ad-Aware](http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/) [SpyBot Search & Destroy](http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?lang=en&page=download) These will both detect and remove spyware on your computer, which, even if it doesn’t fix the problem you’re having, will certainly net you better protection in the future _provided you run the scan periodically_, as well as update it’s database before each time you run it (there’s usually an option in the user interface to do it automatically). ---
**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/9 "2003-12-11T23:11:34Z")
I mis read it the first time, that is why I suggsted reinstalling ie, but I didnt consider a bug program at first… my mistake. Adaware is a good program to remove stuff from your computer that you dont want there. Again my apologies for my error in reading. ---
**Author:** ![Broodha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Broodha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broodha)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/10 "2003-12-11T23:13:17Z")
Apologies for the cross posting. I thought I may have posted in the wrong forum. Won’t happen again. thanks for the advice. I’ll give it a try. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/11 "2003-12-11T23:28:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broodha \* > \*\*Apologies for the cross posting. \*\* No big deal. I just thought I’d warn you before one of our beloved Nazi moderators comes along and orders you to report to the dungeon for some attitude adjustment. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/12 "2003-12-11T23:35:58Z")
Ditto to the above and afterwards, set your internet security to at least medium high to prevent “stealth” downloads of the same things again. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/13 "2003-12-12T10:49:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broodha \* > \*\*Apologies for the cross posting. I thought I may have posted in the wrong forum. Won’t happen again. > > thanks for the advice. I’ll give it a try. \*\* For future reference, it’s best to e-mail a moderator and ask to have the thread moved than to re-start it in another forum. Since both threads have responses, I’ll merge this one into the GQ thread. bibliopahge moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Blassie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@Blassie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blassie)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/14 "2003-12-12T11:14:34Z")
Alright guys. Now… I’ve run AdAware as well as Spybot Search and Destroy. Each says, “Congratulations!!..” blah blah blah. I’ve checked Add/Remove and run regedit. A slew of other problems (reset favorites, etc) were corrected, but… I’ve got the same home page deal as **Broodha**. At the risk of offending every one - HELP! (please) Blassie ---
**Author:** ![kip70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@kip70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kip70)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-ie-homepage-keeps-resetting-help/218450/15 "2003-12-12T11:47:37Z")
I posted the same problem in this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=225989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=225989) and Tusculan’s answer was the one that worked. And you’re right, adaware and spybot don’t solve this problem.