Comcast hijacked my IE homepage

T

The_X

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Messages
296
Hey everyone,
Recently when I installed cable at my new place, Comcast required me to install something called "Comcast Desktop Software" before it would allow me to get online (would constantly redirect me to some "walled garden" website).

I removed the Comcast search installed in IE10, but some hidden program keeps resetting my homepage to xfinity.comcast.net, even when I repeatedly change it back to my desired default. I'm not sure where to find this hidden software. Is there anyway to reclaim my home page, and also maybe detect any other shenanigans Comcast is up to?

I dug into my system log and found one odd entry, "(GetHomepage()): Failed to open preferences file for Mozilla Firefox. Check if it is properly installed." This makes me think some script is running on a scheduled basis trying to mess with my homepage. Can't figure out what script is invoking this command, though.
 
Try going to "internet options", go to "Advanced" tab then click "Reset" button at the bottom.

Reset your homepage again and see if that stops the redirect.
 
Did the reset, and a couple of hours later the Comcast page came back! Any other ideas? Comcast was NO help whatsoever. The rep actually admitted "Comcast does not have a good track record with end-user software" and her suggestion was to uninstall Internet Explorer.
 
Check msconfig or check the registry keys directly:
hkcu\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run
hklm\ ^^^

If not found there, determine exactly when the change occurs. Does it happen after reboot? Does it happen when you use a specific IE shortcut? What time/date was the entry in the event log written and what did you do at that time? If you can figure out when it occurs, it would help you determine what you're doing to trigger the change.
 
I am guessing you are using a USB connection for your modem.

That is absolutely the only reason why you should have to install their crapware.
 
Nah, just a regular modem -> wireless router -> computer. They just kept redirecting me to some stupid website that forced me to install Comcast Desktop Software because the redirects would stop. I'm still trying to figure out what triggers the homepage reset. It's not power-ons or logons. After I completely reset my user data, it seems like the homepage is quickly changed back to Comcast so there is something triggering there. However, the change takes several minutes to an hour.

Hmmm.....

The registry keys were not there. I also searched for the terms "xfinity" and "comcast" in the registry and deleted all entries. The only promising leads were a file called comcastdx.dll and xfinitydx.dll, but I tried a systemwide search and did not find the associated files on my hard drive.
 
Try uninstalling IE, rebooting, then reinstalling IE, then reboot, and see if it happens again.

Failing that, make a new profile in Windows and see if it happens to that profile.

This will help pin it down between a user specific setting (perhaps contained in the \Users\ directory?), or in IE specifically.
 
What brand and model number modem? You shouldn't have to install any software to access the internet.
Did you uninstall the "comcast desktop software"?
 
There was no way to uninstall Comcast Desktop Software. It left a bunch of links on my desktop for stupid stuff like their antivirus software, and it modified my homepage and default search provider. The search provider was easily changed back, but the homepage resists change.

Weirdly enough, I installed Firefox and the problem seems to have disappeared. Time will tell.

Modem is Motorola SB6141.
 
Sounds like you have a posisned DNS.. Your router might be holding on to the redirect page so your getting sent to it over and over.. Might want to try static google dns in your router to see if it fixes it.. My ISP has the same kind of regiester page and software crap ( I Also do tech support for them :)..
 
Try running HiJack This. It detects things that would redirect like that. After you do a scan, save the log and post it.
 
Around here they used to force you to use their software for the initial install. I'd just have a linux liveCD running, and say "If you think you can install it, be my guest". They then have to go down to the truck and activate your service over their company issued laptop.
 
It's a DNS poisoning issue. AT&T and Charter have started to do it as well. Once the modem goes online and is 'connected' you can even test it yourself by pinging www.google.com and you'll see it resolves to one of your local ISP's web servers. Everything request and ping is redirected to the ISP until you 're-register' the modem or install the 'software'.
 
PornoSatan said:
It's a DNS poisoning issue. AT&T and Charter have started to do it as well. Once the modem goes online and is 'connected' you can even test it yourself by pinging www.google.com and you'll see it resolves to one of your local ISP's web servers. Everything request and ping is redirected to the ISP until you 're-register' the modem or install the 'software'.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's true. I have one of the two ISP you listed and that's what it did until I registered my cable modem. I did not have to install any software.
 
entropism said:
Around here they used to force you to use their software for the initial install. I'd just have a linux liveCD running, and say "If you think you can install it, be my guest". They then have to go down to the truck and activate your service over their company issued laptop.
Click to expand...

They don't force it, The techs just like to do it through the software because it's quicker than calling it in. Consumers can call it in too if they want
 
I actually used to work for Comcast, and like I said, *around here* they used to force you to activate by software. It used to be a huge issue if the tech forgot his laptop, because for a brief period of time, they weren't able to call in.
 
Set up Googles DNS:

1. Set DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

2. Open admin cmd prompt "ipconfig /flushDNS"

3. (optional) Reboot

Might work, give it a shot.

EDIT, just talked with a friend who use to work in the business (cable company) and he said its more than likely their activation software.
 
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