I hate this sort of thing :(

[macai]

OK my homepage, got changed. Im talking about the default IE website.

HomePage = http://art-xxx.com/top/1.shtml#Teen_...*ing_Galleries

I know, the title has offensive language, but i just thought that it may come in handy in case im not the only one...

Heres the weird part -- when i go to Tools -- > Internet Options, i get this error "This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator."

So basically, its trying to stop me from changing my homepage or any other setting back !! It won't show the page -- i'm on XP, is there any way to reverse this??

Thanks,
Luke

[The Hobo]

I have a similar problem with my search. Whenever I try to search from the address bar, it goes to some funky ign search site, no matter what I change it to in the Customize section, and no matter what I change it to in the registry.

Did you go into the registry and see if you could change the value through there?

[macai]

Yeah, i changed my homepage etc back. Now the issue is getting into that options window. Heres the really weird part -- at random i get this german application popping up at me. It seems to be one of those porn dialers.

Is the key-value path you are using this?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page

Also, what does it equal? Or does it change itself back?

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by macai
Yeah, i changed my homepage etc back. Now the issue is getting into that options window. Heres the really weird part -- at random i get this german application popping up at me. It seems to be one of those porn dialers.

Is the key-value path you are using this?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Start Page

Also, what does it equal? Or does it change itself back?

Yes, that's the key I was thinking. It equals whatever you want your homepage to be. Such as about:blank.

[macai]

Yeha, the weird part is, i can't get into the actual Internet Options dialogue....also, one question -- in your case, does the registry key change back to whatever you dont want it to be, or does it simply not work?

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by macai
Yeha, the weird part is, i can't get into the actual Internet Options dialogue....also, one question -- in your case, does the registry key change back to whatever you dont want it to be, or does it simply not work?

The registry keys are perfect. Yet it still goes to the other search.

[macai]

Weird -- i have a similar, yet more annoying thing. When i try to go on certain sites, it says the site cannot be found and redirects me to a search thing -- i know the site exists, because i can go on it using Netscape. In fact, i also know it even on IE, because it half loads then gets bumped onto the search page.

I've dealt with a friendlier version of this, called "Searchex" which can be uninstalled -- is the one you are dealing with Searchex?

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by macai
Weird -- i have a similar, yet more annoying thing. When i try to go on certain sites, it says the site cannot be found and redirects me to a search thing -- i know the site exists, because i can go on it using Netscape. In fact, i also know it even on IE, because it half loads then gets bumped onto the search page.

I've dealt with a friendlier version of this, called "Searchex" which can be uninstalled -- is the one you are dealing with Searchex?

Nope. But I'm going to go looking for odd things on my system and see if I can find whatever it is.

[BrandonTurner]

Try going to the webpage you want as your homepage and then dragging the ie icon next to the address onto the 'home' button on your toolbar. That is a shortcut to changing it, i dont know just a thought.

[Sastraxi]

Use AdAware, Spyware-Search-and-Destroy, and then check your HOSTS file. I'm sure you'll find places across the internet that will help you do all these things... If all else fails, reinstall Internet Explorer.

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
Use AdAware, Spyware-Search-and-Destroy, and then check your HOSTS file. I'm sure you'll find places across the internet that will help you do all these things... If all else fails, reinstall Internet Explorer.

I used Ad-Aware and it turned up nothing. My hosts file had nothing. Dead ends everywhere.

I upgraded to IE6 hoping that would fix it. Didn't work.

So I finally decided to actually look at the page it was taking me to for the search, and at the bottom it had a link to this page: http://www.igetnet.com/IGNSupportDownloads.asp

And sure enough, the first link there was a program to uninstall the stuff.

So my problem is solved now.