There is no end to schemes to get your attention through your Web browser. One way is to change your home page, the one that is the default when you start up your browser.

I’ve had this happen to me a couple of times, and different fixes worked at different times, depending on how the schemers implemented the kidnapping of your home page. The simplest is when they change it, manually changing it back.

Manually changing your default home page back to your URL of choice used to work in every case. Now, these pests have gotten more devious, and have buried the change in a file that hangs around on your disk. To get rid of most of those nasties, go to Tools/Internet Options and click the Delete Cookies button.

This will clean out all the cookies that may be the source of your problem. It will also clean out all the other cookies, so you might have to log in manually to some Web sites again.

While you are in that window, click the Delete Files button and check the box to Delete All Offline Content. That gets rid of the files that the browser saves to keep from having to download them again. The home page switcher might be lurking in there, and it’s good to clean out that stuff once in a while, anyway.

Finally, while still in that same window, click the Clear History button. This probably won’t help the home page problem, but again, it’s good to sweep away some cobwebs.

Now if that doesn’t work, you need to bring out the big guns. I’ve had Ad-aware clean up this problem for me. It searches through your computer and finds files and cookies that need to be removed to rid your computer of unwanted advertising.

Go to Lavasoft at [url]http://www.lavasoft.de[/url] to download a free version of Ad-aware. It’s currently at version 6.0. You also need to update the data files regularly, but you can read about that in the Help section. (Notice that it’s Lavasoft.de, not .com.)

I'm pretty sure adaware check for new registry keeys- so it should show you if that is the root of your problem.

>>
from info on a virus that changes your start page.

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]
...
In the registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

it changes the value data of

Start Page

to

C:\www.symantec.com.{3050F4D8-98B5-11CF-BB82-00AA00BDCE0B}

This sets the start page of Internet Explorer to the fake virus information web page..

I know you don't have a virus, but I thought that might point you in the direction of the homepage key.
The virus changes your start page to a fake symantec page. Soooo...I thought you might be able to use the info to find the key you're looking for.
It's in that registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

fourth from the bottom
marked "start page"

I think the Group Policy Editor allows you to lock the home page.  It's in the Windows Resource Kit.  Or try the IE Administration Kit.

I use zone alarm, and do not let anything have access to the internet.

Um, stop looking at all the porn? [;)]

Good solution:Quit looking at porn
Better solution: [url=http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firebird/] use the phoenix browser[/url]
Best solution: Install linux or bsd (hell even solaris)

Well suuure... anyone can give the obvious answer.[:P]

I use Norton Internet Security 2002 and am quite pleased with the combination of security tools combined within the software. It tracks your registry and will interrupt hostile scripts that change things, such as your home page. It will warn you if someone is trying to hack into your computer while you're on line. Many other useful features also.