Can anyone help. My IE6 opens as MS Windows update page. My Homepage Freeserve (Wanadoo) is still set as default in Tools/Intenet Options, and it appears to be, being redirected.

I have run adaware and Spybot S&D. and it still happens, although I have Adwatch, and when I try to reset Homepage via default setting in Tools/Internet Options I get the following Registry modification, when I have tried "about:blank."


03/09/2005 22:37:13 - Registry modification detected
Root:HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Keyoftware\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Valuetart Page
Data:http://www.freeserve.com/
New Data:about:blank

03/09/2005 22:43:13 - Registry modification detected
Root:HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Keyoftware\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Value:First Home Page
Data:http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir...e5update&O1=b1
New Data:no


I have also run HiJack This with the following log

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 22:47:10, on 03/09/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

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\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccProxy.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\ISSVC.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\Power Management\CeEPwrSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\DVDRAMSV.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehSched.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehtray.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\Power Management\CePMTray.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\E-KEY\CeEKey.exe
C:\Program Files\EzButton\CplBTQ00.EXE
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TouchPad\TPTray.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\ConfigFree\NDSTray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
C:\Program Files\Drag'n Drop CD+DVD\BinFiles\DragDrop.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSCDSPD\toscdspd.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehmsas.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Lavasoft\AD-AWA~1\Ad-Watch.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate\qbupdate.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
C:\Program Files\FireTrust\MailWasher Pro\MailWasher.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apntex.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\DOCUME~1\Steve\LOCALS~1\Temp\Temporary Directory 2 for hijackthis[1].zip\HijackThis.exe
C:\DOCUME~1\Steve\LOCALS~1\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for hijackthis[2].zip\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.freeserve.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.freeserve.com/
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by Freeserve
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Norton Internet Security - {9ECB9560-04F9-4bbc-943D-298DDF1699E1} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AdBlocking\NISShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton Internet Security - {0B53EAC3-8D69-4b9e-9B19-A37C9A5676A7} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AdBlocking\NISShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ehTray] C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CeEPOWER] C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\Power Management\CePMTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CeEKEY] C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\E-KEY\CeEKey.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CplBTQ00] C:\Program Files\EzButton\CplBTQ00.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPNF] C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TouchPad\TPTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NDSTray.exe] NDSTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ezShieldProtector for Px] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Drag'n Drop CD+DVD] C:\Program Files\Drag'n Drop CD+DVD\BinFiles\DragDrop.exe /StartUp
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMNET~1\SNDMon.exe /Consumer
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [TOSCDSPD] C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSCDSPD\toscdspd.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AWMON] "C:\PROGRA~1\Lavasoft\AD-AWA~1\Ad-Watch.exe"
O4 - Startup: MailWasherPro.lnk = C:\Program Files\FireTrust\MailWasher Pro\MailWasher.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: QuickBooks Update Agent.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate\qbupdate.exe
O4 - Global Startup: RAMASST.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Translate English Word - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmwordtrans.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2\bin\npjpi142.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2\bin\npjpi142.dll
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
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.freeserve.com/
O16 - DPF: {01010E00-5E80-11D8-9E86-0007E96C65AE} (SupportSoft SmartIssue) - http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/asa/ctrl/tgctlsi.cab
O16 - DPF: {01012101-5E80-11D8-9E86-0007E96C65AE} (SupportSoft Script Runner Class) - http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/asa/ctrl/tgctlsr.cab
O16 - DPF: {4C39376E-FA9D-4349-BACC-D305C1750EF3} (EPUImageControl Class) - http://tools.ebayimg.com/eps/wl/acti..._v1-0-3-24.cab
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsof...?1125776994406
O16 - DPF: {CE28D5D2-60CF-4C7D-9FE8-0F47A3308078} (ActiveDataInfo Class) - http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/asa/ctrl/SymAData.cab
O18 - Protocol: intu-res - {9CE7D474-16F9-4889-9BB9-53E2008EAE8A} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\intu-res.dll
O18 - Filter: text/html - (no CLSID) - (no file)
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Proxy (ccProxy) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccProxy.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: CeEPwrSvc - COMPAL ELECTRONIC INC. - C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\Power Management\CeEPwrSvc.exe
O23 - Service: DVD-RAM_Service - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. - C:\WINDOWS\System32\DVDRAMSV.exe
O23 - Service: ISSvc (ISSVC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\ISSVC.exe
O23 - Service: LexBce Server (LexBceS) - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
O23 - Service: Macromedia Licensing Service - Macromedia - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macromedia Shared\Service\Macromedia Licensing.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Driver Helper Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: SAVScan - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec SPBBCSvc (SPBBCSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe

Any help will be appreciated

Steve

I think this is some kind of automatic thing IE does every n days. It will redirect you to Windows Update. Do an update scan and install everything, and it should go away for a while.

Hi mmiikkee,

I tried that and restarted Windows, but still the same problem. Any other thoughts coz this is buggin me now. It isn't a big issue, but just one of those things that gets you annoyed every time you want to go on the internet. You know.......!!!

Just resolved issue; which I thought I would share with others, as many people appear to be having similar problems in other discussion groups I've looked at.

I have installed Adaware, with the paid for Adwatch program on my PC. It appears that Adwatch was preventing the change from the MS Update page back to the original homepage by creating a block. For anyone else with this issue and has Adwatch, try disabling the automatic and active buttons, resetting the homepage in TOOLS/ INTERNET OPTIONS from the default button, APPLY and ReBoot. It worked for me, and I have Adwatch with both Active and Automatic Re-enabled.

This method appears to work beautifully, thanks very much! I had originally attempted to edit the Registry and delete or modify the FirstHomePage string that Adware points to but no sooner did I delete it than it bounced right back! Temporarily disabling Active and Automatic (in Adware) then looking at that key in the Registry actually shows that string as gone now. Good sleuthing!