Setting home page problems

Hi! Um, this may be an easy question, but it's irritating me to no end. A few weeks ago I downloaded the Google toolbar in order to have a search box handy at all times, and to get rid of pop-ups. Shortly after (but not immediately after), I started having a problem with my homepage settings when Internet Explorer is booted. When I start my laptop up on any given day, and start up IE after connecting to the internet, my homepage comes up as an about:blank website, which is somewhat annoying, but the major annoyance is that it pops up one of those big windows that you can't close, except for CTRL-ALT-DEL/End Task. So I've tried resetting my homepage in Internet Options under the Tools menu in IE, and it'll work for the rest of the IE windows I open that day. But the next time I start my computer up after shutting down, it's back to about:blank, regardless of whether I try to lock settings or anything. I went to my Active Desktop to check its web settings, and the home page listed there is about:blank, but it won't let me change it.

A little help? I'd really appreciated it, before i end up throwing my laptop across the room in a fit of rage someday.

Thanks!

I would check my comptuer for adware/spyware. You can get spybot from http://security.kolla.de

I use adaware. It can be dwonloaded on http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

After you install it, make sure you click on 'check for updates now' to download the latest file before you do a system scan.

Did you ever fix your About_Blank Problem? I have the same problem and cannot figure it out.

Jeff

Hi ja2,

The best way to repair browser hijackings is with HijackThis (link below). Download and unzip to a permanent folder (C:\HJT), run the program, click Scan, click Save Log, save it to your permanent folder, Notepad will open with a copy of it. Copy and Paste the entire log into a new message (start a new thread) and post the message. Note: do NOT fix anything in the log. Most items are necessary for your computer to run properly!

Be patient, the people that will help you with the log have other obligations (family, work, etc). Also, some logs are very complicated and just take time to complete.

Tom

I have had the same problem. I have found the solution at :
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm#Coolwebsearch

Download :
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip
and run cwshredder.exe
This will remove the problematic files.

Tell me if it works.

bye

I was just also experiencing the about:Blank homepage syndrome for the last 24 hours, and googled my way into this thread. The cwshredder.zip worked like a charm. Thanks stonehenge.

I tried the CWShredder, and it does not seem to work for me! Any other suggestions???