I am having the same problem with the IE at startup i done the hijackthis scan this is the HijackThis Log:Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 01:40:44, on 24/01/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP3 (6.00.2900.5512)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\egui.exe
C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\ekrn.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\Program Files\Nero\Nero8\Nero BackItUp\NBService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\TUProgSt.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WLLoginProxy.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Documents and Settings\murdocks\Desktop\hjt\HiJackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In SSV Helper - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [egui] "C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\egui.exe" /hide /waitservice
O4 - HKCU\..\Policies\Explorer\Run: [server] C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
O9 - Extra button: PartyCasino - {B4B52284-A248-4c51-9F7C-F0A0C67FCC9D} - C:\Program Files\PartyGaming\PartyCasino\RunApp.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: PartyCasino - {B4B52284-A248-4c51-9F7C-F0A0C67FCC9D} - C:\Program Files\PartyGaming\PartyCasino\RunApp.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {8AD9C840-044E-11D1-B3E9-00805F499D93} (Java Runtime Environment 1.6.0) - http://javadl.sun.com/webapps/downlo...BundleId=26688
O20 - AppInit_DLLs:
O23 - Service: Eset HTTP Server (EhttpSrv) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\EHttpSrv.exe
O23 - Service: Eset Service (ekrn) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Smart Security\ekrn.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: Lavasoft Ad-Aware Service - Lavasoft - C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware\AAWService.exe
O23 - Service: Nero BackItUp Scheduler 3 - Nero AG - C:\Program Files\Nero\Nero8\Nero BackItUp\NBService.exe
O23 - Service: NMIndexingService - Nero AG - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Nero\Lib\NMIndexingService.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: TuneUp Drive Defrag Service (TuneUp.Defrag) - TuneUp Software - C:\WINDOWS\System32\TuneUpDefragService.exe
O23 - Service: TuneUp Program Statistics Service (TuneUp.ProgramStatisticsSvc) - TuneUp Software - C:\WINDOWS\System32\TUProgSt.exe

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End of file - 4149 bytes

Hi and welcome to Daniweb .

http://www.daniweb.com/forums/forum64.html

==

Rescan with hijackthis and place a check next to the following entry;

O4 - HKCU\..\Policies\Explorer\Run: [server] C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

Close ALL Internet Explorer windows and now click Fix Checked in hijackthis.

Reboot your pc and see how it is now.