cant change homepage

this is one of those subtyl annoying things that make me never want to buy any computer gear again. Sign me up for the unabomber style shack with no ac.
My new Lenovo 3000 C200 is pretty much a decent laptop for its sub $700 price. It burns dvds, networks, and runs my audio apps. But no matter what I do I cant get the default home page to be anything but Lenovo.com. So has the idiot in marketing who though of this ever used a computer? Like most of you I like my home page to open on my webmail page. Instead, I have to hit ctrl-esc to stop the slow loading lenovo page. Then ctrl-o to open yahoo.
This basically guarantees I'll be just annoyed enough by Lenovo to never buy anything from them again. I think they though it would insure that I relent and buy overpriced notebool accessories from them.

 

You are using IE, correct?

Perhaps trying out a new browser could fix it.

 

what browser are you using???? I'm sure you know ways how to change default page...

 

Here's a quick registry fix to change your homepage, unzip it and give it a try. BEFORE you just double click the .reg file, you need to edit it with notepad and replace the homepage address with the site you want. Right now I have it set as http://www.notebookreview.com, you can set it to your company's website if you wish. Let me know if it works, there's also other ways of editing your registry to affect the change.

 

Thanks for the quick replies!
First, I am a somewhat capable computer tech. This notebook is the computer I've owned in about ten years that I didnt build from scratch. I also am pretty adept at tweaking the Os. I have been doing the computer music thing since CWPA 7. So I have had to learn how to get drivers work when they dont want to by editing the Registry. I also know how to change the home by internet options and editing the reg.
None of these are working, which is why I turned to you guys. I also called IBM tech support and got a surly rep who thinks its a virus. A virus that conveniently resets the homepage to the manufacturers website? he still insists its a virus and is fedexing me new system restore disks so I can re-install my system. Just to be able to set the home page correctly. Well if they want to blow the cash...
I just spent the last hour going thru every nook and cranny of the reg. Lots of hilarious junk in there! Still getting the home page reset everytime I restart. I am pretty sure its something outside of the reg. Some kind of service that runs on startup to reset the homepage and who knows what other annoying mischief. Maybe a rootkit a la sony?

 

Maybe a virus from IBM!:

 

I just spent a little while looking up other possible culprits with PCwiz. There are some things for scheduling under common files/lenovo that look likely, but nothing easily modifiable like an ini.
Yeah I could go firefox/opera or whatever but at this point its a lot more about principle. Besides, if I can find a solution it will be that much easier for other owners of the same box.

 

Do you by chance have nortron antivirus or internet secuirty or spybot sd?

both have home package protection that will change home pack back

 

hmm, i'll have to check and see. The AV is from th Lenovo security center, so I am not sure it will help.

 

not sure never seen that

do have any spyware program like spybot that might be reseting?

 

Well I turned on "advanced" in spybot S&D and did some digging. I also installed firefox. I had forgotten how much nicer it is than IE. One of the two killed it. Basically I made Firefox the default broswer. Then I used S&D to change the default homepage and freeze it. I also found some weirdness that appears to be a manufacturer installed spyware. one from Lenovo and one from the audio chipset. I also nuked the lenovo scheduler and instalshield scheduler (even with nothing selected to be updated it still pops up and checks for updates?!) I am now at 19 processes. Came with about 60 processes out of the box.
But yeah if anybody else is having a similar problem use Spybot S&D, its free. Turn on advanced, go to the tools section, then go to browser pages to set your default homepage. Then go to IE tweaks and select freeze home page. Also check the system startup category, I found some funny stuff there.

 

Sounds like a browser helper object - not technically a virus or malware. Kinda depends on your viewpoint. Have you tried:

In IE, click on the Tools button and select "Manage Add Ons". If there are any in there for Lenovo or their webpage, highlight it and select "disable". You may need to restart to get it to work. (This is for IE6. Terms might be slightly different in other versions of IE.)

 

I have run into this before. The one and only fix I found that works sometimes, is to boot into safe-mode and set the homepage from there. I prefer to use a blank because it can help when I need a browser for something local and/or do not have internet access at that time.

I have on haunted laptop that simply refuses to change, even using the Safe-mode work-around. I just live with it being screwed up...I only use the thing as a media center now anyway.

 

Hi,
This is caused by a setting in the IBM Access Connection software that is loaded by the manufacturer. If you double-click the Access Connection icon in the system tray you can dig through the settings and locate the setting and uncheck "Reset Internet Explorer homepage to Lenovo.com". Frustrating, I know. What a stupid idea!