# Who's Changing Home Page to MSN.com? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 24, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-changing-home-page-to-msn-com/256693 "2004-07-24T16:00:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Brother\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_brother_1/32/3513_2.png) [@Little\_Brother\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Brother_1)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-changing-home-page-to-msn-com/256693/1 "2004-07-24T16:00:57Z")
I read the “please read first” PC thread; I have AdAware and Spybot installed on my home PC, and they do a pretty good job. But there’s a nagging, though minor, issue that’s irritating me. I didn’t come across it in the thread. I prefer a “blank” home page on my IE6.x browser, at least until I feel like changing it. But once a week or so, the home page goes to [MSN.com](http://MSN.com). Sure enough, when I go into my options page, the “about :blank” setting has been replaced. I sent a nastygram via the contact link on [MSN.com](http://MSN.com) complaining about this, and of course wasn’t honored with a reply. I know that _some_ outside force is hijacking my home page (I live alone, no other users on my PC), and it’s reasonable to conclude that Microsoft itself is the culprit. I mean, who else would have a motive for rubbing my face in [MSN.com](http://MSN.com)? Does the program that automatically checks Microsoft for critical updates do this? If so, why doesn’t it happen every time I activate the browser? Any suggestions for how to prevent or meaningfully complain about this? It’s a small matter, but it’s _wrong_ , dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-changing-home-page-to-msn-com/256693/2 "2004-07-24T17:59:31Z")
Is MSN your ISP? If so, are you running their client to connect you to the internet? If this is the case, you may want to set up a dialup networking (DUN) connection directly. How you do this depends on your OS and which ISP you have. ISP clients are notorious for resource hogging, changing things they have no business changing, and occassionally spy on your internet usage. ---
**Author:** ![Alien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Alien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alien)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-changing-home-page-to-msn-com/256693/3 "2004-07-24T22:39:36Z")
It could be adaware that is the cause, see > **[core.zip definition file updates](https://forum.adaware.com/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F27767-corezip-definition-file-updates%2F)** > > Dear Support members, I try to download the Definition file updates from the Lavasoft homepage, since Nov. 9th there is no actual version available. Today I loaded down version 0149.0093 as ZIP-file, opend it and found the version from 9.11.09???? If... and [http://forums.techguy.org/archive/index.php/t-249362.html](http://forums.techguy.org/archive/index.php/t-249362.html) A discussion is available here: [http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=30515](http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=30515) ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-changing-home-page-to-msn-com/256693/4 "2004-07-26T01:44:12Z")
Bill Gates :eek: 'Nuff said!