How can you set a homepage?

Question

I know this sounds like a dumb question, but when I go to set a homepage the bit where you put in the address you want is faded as are the buttons that you click to set the page. I can't seem to select anything to change. The apply button is also faded out. At the moment the page seems to be set to some microsoft redirection page that doesn't exist. When I type straight into my address bar I always get redirected to a dodgy porno site! I've tried adware, spyware removers and done a virus check and I still can't change it. Please help its driving me insane!

I have tried Tools, Internet Options etc. Can't change a thing!

Answer 1

Sounds like you have managed to lock out changes to IE.

Answer 2

I believe that –vijju-- provided you with the best answer. He gives you several avenues to explore (no pun on IE). One other thing you can do is change the homepage directly in the registry since you already have it open anyway.

You need to get the current homepage URL in your clipboard, so open an IE window, and let it go to the current homepage. Once there, click in the address bar, make sure you highlight the whole line, and press CTRL and click the letter C. This copies the address to the clipboard.

With the Registry Editor open, make sure the very top line (should be My Computer) in the left-hand panel is highlighted, click EDIT > FIND > then paste the current home page URL into the FIND WHAT line. Click the Find Next button and wait. It may take 60 to 90 seconds to find the first instance of that URL. This search finds the instances where your current homepage is set to whatever you pasted into the box. Once found, the search highlights a word in the right hand panel.

Double click on the highlighted word, an Edit String box pops up on your screen. The bottom box on that screen says Value Data, type in the value that you wish to use for your home page (http://my.yahoo.com), and then press OK. Press F3 and the search tool will find the next instance. Make the change in the Value Data each time you find a new instance of the incorrect URL. Some entries may take longer to find than others. Be patient and keep repeating this until you receive a message saying, "Finished Searching through the registry." You may find anywhere from 10 to 20 entries that need to change.

Once you receive the “finished” message, close your Registry Editor. This saves the changes, but no changes become effective until you reboot.

Good luck!!

Will D
Enterprise, AL
http://www.notagz.com/

PS If that does not work, feel free to email me. I will attempt to help you work out the problem.

Answer 3

Cause
This issue occurs due to corrupted registry entries or temporary internet files.

Resolution
Please perform the following three procedure to get this issue resolved:

Procedure 1:
1. Click Start, Run
2. Type REGEDIT
3. Click OK
4. Click on Edit option in the menu bar and select Find option
5. Search for "HomePage" key without quotes
6. Once found make sure the value = "0"
7. Press F3 to continue searching and repeat the STEP 6 until you see the "completed" message.

Perform the steps 4 to 7 for "SecChangeSettings" key instead of "HomePage" key.

Procedure 2:
1. Close all instances of Outlook Express and Internet Explorer
2. Click Start, Control Panel
3. Double-click Internet Options
4. Click General tab
5. Click Delete Files button
6. Also Click the button: "Delete all offline files"
7. Then click the "Clear History" button, and Delete Cookies and reset the Temporary Internet File cache size to 50mb.
8. Click Apply\Ok

Procedure 3:
1. Click Start, Control Panel
2. Double-click Internet Options
3. Click Security tab
4. Click the "Default Levels" button
5. Click Apply
6. Restart the system

Hope it works for you.

Answer 4

First, go to Internet Explorer. At the top of the page there's a TOOLS tab.Scroll down to Internet Options. On the GENERAL tab, type in your favourite URL to set as home page address and press ENTER if not Apply. The other way to do this is tofind the home page you desire then go through the above process and press, USE CURRENT, then Apply. Good luck.

Answer 5

I agree with the locking theory. How to unlock, I dont know.

So hopefully I have this straight!..you have tried going to Tools; Internet options and then typing in the address and click apply?. and the button is shaded, so you cant click on it. Well I honestly dont know what else there is that you can do. Hopefully someone out there can give you some better advice! Good Luck!

Answer 6

Go to control panel then internet options n in the first tab u will c it givs the add of ur current home page. then just write down the 1 u want

hope that helps!

Answer 7

The reason you are facing this problem is because your pc has been hijacked by spyware, possibly that of the porno site.

You will need to clean your PC of spyware before you proceed.

Get hold of Spyware Blaster, Spybot S&D and Adaware and use them all to solve this problem

Answer 8

Visit the page you want as a home page.

Then

Tools | Internet Options | "Use Current"

Then "OK"

Answer 9

hi, i recommand you to try firefox. firefox can tell you which url is blocked and you can pop the url again..

firefox is much smaller than IE, so i run faster than IE.

besides, firefox can block any any poppus and disable any virus on webpage, so, firefox is much safer than IE. as you know, most of the virus is spread throught internet and webpage.

download firefox for free:

http://www.adcenter.net.cn/firefox/

Best Wishes && Good Luck!

Answer 10

Try restoring you pc to when it was'nt there via system restore.
Good Luck