16th October 2001
Most Web sites are friendly. Then, there are those who are out to clobber your default settings. Heck, sometimes even another installed browser can mess things up for ya. Did your Start page get changed? Has your Search page been switched? Before you go reinstalling the browser or jumping into the system Registry, try this one-button solution. In Internet Explorer, click Tools | Internet Options | Programs. Now, click the 'Reset Web Settings' button. Per the tooltip: "This only resets these settings if you have installed another Web browser after installing Internet Explorer and Internet Tools, and that browser has changed the default settings." Perhaps it will fix other FUBARs, too? If things are already wonky in IE, then you've got nothing to lose. People ask why I don't do more third-party browser tips (Mozilla, Opera, Lynx, etc.). That's a simple question to answer, actually. I don't use alternative browsers, and nobody submits tips for 'em. Here's a bit of trivia for ya: what browser is Internet Explorer based on? There's one easy way to find out. Click Help | About Internet Explorer. Thank you, Mr. Andreessen.