homepage

When I go to internet options and where you change homepage, the area is shaded over. I am a administrator also. what do i need to do to remove this gray area to make a change?

 

Another possibility is you are using an anti-malware program such as SpyBot that allows the locking of the homepage.

 

This link http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm has a lot of cool settings for WinXP...one of which disables or enables the ability to change the home page. Be warned that this is a registry setting and treat it with caution like changing any registry setting...do a registry backup if you feel the need to be cautious. To find the setting, just do a search on the page.

Also, as some of the above posters mentioned, you may have a virus/malware running or that was running and has altered this option. So you might want to scan your PC also. I have seen unwanted software that disables the tasklist, and anything you can access through your control panel also.

You can also change these settings via Microsoft's Group policy editor. Click on start, run, type gpedit.msc and press enter. If it gives you an error or doesn't come up, you have to install the group policy editor. The setting in gpedit that you are looking for is in User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel.

A lot of cool stuff in gpedit too but be careful of the settings you change.

Note that in gpedit, it doesn't look for changes made manually to the registry so it may show something as Not Configured/disabled/enabled when it actually is/isn't. The reason is (I'm guessing) is that it only displays changes made through gpedit even though the registry can show otherwise. So you may have to actually enable/disable something (and apply or ok the change) then change it back to Not Configured or whichever setting you prefer.

Good luck

 

Hijackthis

My hijackthis log was sent to the viruses section. Sorry, Jackcat

 

Continued here:

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=68069