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May 16th, 2006 09:00

Dell HiJacks Home Page!

This is getting old.  Hey, I love DELL but can't seem to stop it (every once in a while) from stealing my home page.  It actually changes my home page default to http://www.dell.com .  I can change it back to my prefer'd home page and a day or so later - boom...here comes http://www.dell.com when I startup my browser.  Any suggestions?

12K Posts

May 16th, 2006 10:00

I do not belive it is Dell doing this rather something you may have downloaded.

31 Posts

May 16th, 2006 10:00

I thought so as well.  Unfortunately, it is a new B130 and the only things I've downloaded has been WindowsXP Updates and all the B130 peripheral updates.  I've installed Zone Alarm, CounterSpy, Grisoft, WordPerfect and Microsoft Word.  I'll keep looking through the system.  CounterSpy detected the URL change and I prevented it.  That works for a while and then it pops back.

Thanks for the quick response.

Message Edited by naf on 05-16-200607:35 AM

12K Posts

May 16th, 2006 10:00

Are you sure this is not some sort of Dell application runing, looking for updates?

31 Posts

May 16th, 2006 11:00

Might be.  If it is - I could understand DELL sending you to their page but they shouldn't be replacing your default page.   Hey, it could be worse.

683 Posts

May 16th, 2006 13:00

My guess is that the default page as shipped is Dell, then you are changing it to your preferred home page, then one of your antispyware programs is doing what it thinks is the right thing and changing it back to the default when you run a spyware check. Might be worth checking the settings.................

31 Posts

May 16th, 2006 21:00

I ran CounterSpy and it found nothing.  Tomorrow I'll download and run Ad-Aware.

Thanks!

31 Posts

May 18th, 2006 18:00

I ran Ad-Aware and it found nothing.  I just removed Dell's resident stuff.  I'll let ya know if that handles it. 

Thanks!

31 Posts

May 19th, 2006 07:00

Well, CounterSpy and Ad-Aware didn't find anything.
 
Yuppa - http://www.dell.com hijacked my page again.
 
Just ran SpyBot - keep your fingers crossed!
 
 

31 Posts

May 27th, 2006 06:00

Well, SpyBot and Ad-Aware didn't find anything. 
 
I searched (via Google) and guess what I found?  I found that a lot of new Dell PC users are having their home pages "hijacked" to www.dell.com!
 
I applied this suggested fix (and so far so good):
 
Deleted:  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Main\Start Page ( www.dell.com)
 
So far - it is holding MY selected Home Page.
 
Wow - wouldn't think that Dell would play this game.

4 Posts

June 16th, 2006 15:00

That simple fix may have worked in 2003, but now "That value can not be changed or deleted."

 

31 Posts

June 16th, 2006 17:00

Interesting.  It worked in 2006 because my page hasn't been hijacked again.  I applied the fix and it took it without any problems.  Maybe I'm lucky.

 

4 Posts

June 16th, 2006 17:00

Thanks, naf.

Sorry, I read your "registered" date as the message date.

I've been on the phone almost 2 hours now with 3 different support techs, still no joy.

Problem exists for one user, not for another, both have administrator privileges.  Might be a clue there, but the only idea that comes to mind is to create a new user and delete the problem account; sounds simple, but that means moving files and re-establishing preferences etc. - with no idea what caused it and whether it may happen again.

AAAaaaarrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhh!, as they say.

31 Posts

June 16th, 2006 18:00

Something else I did at the same time (I should have tested both ways) was to remove that Dell Channel thingy that starts up.  I "disabled" it via the Administrative Panel and also ran my Tweak software to validate it wasn't starting.  Dell shouldn't have a problem figuring it out since it is obvious that THEY are doing the hijacking (smile).

Good Luck.

29 Posts

June 24th, 2006 03:00

Just try Firefox It won't change your homepage to http://www.dell.com ever unless you want it to and it is much more secure, faster and customizable(if you want) than Internet Explorer. I hope this helps!
-Gino

P.S. It is also free!

4 Posts

August 17th, 2006 15:00

I found a solution for MY computer, and it is NOT Dell's fault.

Certain versions of ZoneAlarm firewall have a bug that prevents changing your home page in Internet Explorer.  Received a notice from ZoneAlarm confessing to the problem, downloaded and installed the update, problem solved.

An earlier message suggested a similar solution but cited anti-spyware software as the possible culprit.

Not that Dell is without fault, but I can't blame them (any more) for this one.

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