# Unwanted Homepage on Internet Explorer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwanted-homepage-on-internet-explorer/202162>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 17, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwanted-homepage-on-internet-explorer/202162 "2003-09-17T16:21:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![D.E.S.K.Top668](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@D.E.S.K.Top668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D.E.S.K.Top668)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwanted-homepage-on-internet-explorer/202162/1 "2003-09-17T16:21:14Z")

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Several months ago, my home page was accidentally reset to an adult site. I ran Spybot Search & Destroy and thought I got rid of it. The problem is that it keeps coming back. I usually surf with MSN 8 and don’t have any problems with it, but when I use IE, sometimes it opens to the MSN home page and sometimes it opens to the adult site. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern to which one I’ll get. I’ve run Ad-Aware, Spybot, and Eraser. I’ve double checked to make sure my cookies are cleared. Any other ideas to get rid of it once and for all?  
Also, to fight my ignorance, can anybody explain how it keeps coming back?

Thanks in advance - DESK

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**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwanted-homepage-on-internet-explorer/202162/2 "2003-09-17T16:49:53Z")

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Are you running an _updated_ version of AdAware?

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**Author:** ![D.E.S.K.Top668](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@D.E.S.K.Top668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D.E.S.K.Top668)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwanted-homepage-on-internet-explorer/202162/3 "2003-09-17T17:21:19Z")

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I’m using the latest Spybot and (free)Ad-Aware. Spybot seems to get rid of it because after I run it, I get my MSN back. But eventually, I get this page again. That’s the part I don’t get. If it’s not gone, why does it give me back my MSN?

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwanted-homepage-on-internet-explorer/202162/4 "2003-09-17T17:32:09Z")

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There’s probably a “drive-by” browser hijacking. Some of these scums use Active-X controls to change your home page. You can change the security of the Active-X in MSIE (Under “Tools,” “Internet Options,” “Security,” and "Custom Level.) Another good solution is to use Spybot’s “Innoculate” function. Even better is to install Spyware blaster to block these.

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**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwanted-homepage-on-internet-explorer/202162/5 "2003-09-17T19:32:57Z")

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[This page](http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm) may be helpful?