Microsoft KB Archive/895339

= How to configure your Internet Explorer browser settings after your computer has had malicious software removed =

Article ID: 895339

Article Last Modified on 3/9/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

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Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



INTRODUCTION
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool scans for certain malicious software that modifies Internet browser settings. The tool tries to repair these issues. As part of the resolution, the tool may reset your Microsoft Internet Explorer settings to point to a specific Microsoft Web site that includes instructions for reconfiguring the settings.

This article describes how to configure your Internet Explorer browser settings after your computer has had malicious software removed. This article describes the steps for resetting your Home page and search option settings for Internet Explorer 6 and for Internet Explorer 5.



MORE INFORMATION
If the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool indicates that you have to reset your Home page and search option settings, follow these steps.

Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (Internet Explorer 6)
Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.  In Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options. On the General tab, type the URL of the page that you want to set as your default Home page in the Address box, click Apply, and then click OK. To change the search options, follow these steps.

Note These steps may affect only the current user. You may have to follow these steps for other user accounts if they are present.  Open Internet Explorer 6. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options. Click the Programs tab, click Reset Web Settings, and then click Yes in the Reset Web Settings dialog box. To verify that these settings were changed, start Registry Editor. To do this, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.</li> Locate and then right-click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar

</li> Click Delete to remove this subkey.</li> Make sure that the values for the follow registry subkeys are as listed:

Subkey: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL

Entry name: (Default)

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: (value not set)

Entry name: Provider

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: no value

Subkey: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Entry name: Search Page

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch

Subkey: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\URLSearchHooks

Entry name: (Default)

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: (value not set)

Entry name: {CFBFAE00-17A6-11D0-99CB-00C04FD64497}

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: This value should be blank (no value).

Subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Entry name: Default_Search_URL

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch

Subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search

Entry name: CustomizeSearch

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: http://ie.search.msn.com/{SUB_RFC1766}/srchasst/srchcust.htm

Subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search

Entry name: SearchAssistant

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: http://ie.search.msn.com/{SUB_RFC1766}/srchasst/srchasst.htm

Subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\AboutURLs

Entry name: blank

Type: REG_SZ

Value data: res://mshtml.dll/blank.htm

</li></ol> </li></ol>

Microsoft Windows 2000 (Internet Explorer 5)
For additional information about changing search options for Windows 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

171853 Changing search pages used by Internet Explorer

For additional information about the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

890830 The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool helps remove specific, prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000

Keywords: kbsecurity kbinfo kbhowto KB895339

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