How to configure your Internet Explorer browser settings after your computer has had malicious software removed (895339)

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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.

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. Open 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 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
      

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