How can I configure my Internet Explorer browser settings after I have removed malicious software from my computer?

You used the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to scan for malicious software that changed Internet browser settings. As part of the repair process, the tool reset your Microsoft Internet Explorer settings to point to a specific Microsoft Web site that includes instructions for reconfiguring the settings.

This article helps you reset your home page and search option settings for Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 5.

To have us fix this problem for you, go to the "Fix it for me" section. If you�d rather fix this problem yourself, go to the "Let me fix it myself" section.

To fix this problem automatically, click the Fix this problem link. Then click Run in the File Download dialog box, and follow the steps in this wizard.



Note this wizard may be in English only; however, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.

Note If you are not on the computer that has the problem, you can save the automatic fix to a flash drive or to a CD so that you can run it on the computer that has the problem.

Now go to the "Did this fix the problem?" section.

If the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool indicates that you have to reset your home page and search option settings, you must follow the steps for the operating system that your computer uses:

• To reset your options on a computers that uses Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, go to the "Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 (Internet Explorer 6)" section.
• To reset your options on a computer that uses Microsoft Windows 2000 and Internet Explorer 5, go to the "Windows 2000 (Internet Explorer 5)" section.

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 (Internet Explorer 6)

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

1. In Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.
2. 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.
3. 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.
   1. Start Internet Explorer 6.
   2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
   3. Click the Programs tab, click Reset Web Settings, and then click Yes in the Reset Web Settings dialog box.
   4. To verify that these settings were changed, start Registry Editor. To do this, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
   5. Locate and then right-click the following registry subkey:
      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar
   6. Click Delete to remove this subkey.
   7. Make sure that the values for the follow registry subkeys are as follows:
      • 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

Windows 2000 (Internet Explorer 5)

For more information about changing search options for Windows 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Check whether the problem is fixed. If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article. If the problem is not fixed, you can contact support.