Change Proxy Settings/Internet Properties not available

[mac_shinobi]

If you create a new user account ( local admin ) then try and change proxy settings does that make any difference ?

 

If so I was thinking one of the below :

 

1. Using a script on the original account ( assuming the registry keys related to proxy settings / internet explorer have said user account on the keys with permissions ( admin rights to read / write / delete ) --> 3 Useful Scripts To Modify Your Proxy Settings For Internet Explorer

 

2. Doing the following MS KB manually or Using the Fix It Wizard here --> How to reset your Internet Explorer proxy settings.

 

3. Using notepad to create a registry file which should update the proxy settings via the registry instead of through the internet options control panel applet --> How to configure client proxy server settings by using a registry file

 

Obviously the registry keys mentioned above you may need to confirm if they are the correct registry paths / registry keys for your version of Internet Explorer.

 

4. Last resort ( backup the whole registry key where the proxy settings etc are kept ) so you can re merge them back if needed, delete the main registry folder / key where they are kept and see if it re creates them, if not are you able to remove IE 9 , reboot, log back on ( hopefully you get IE 8 ) and then try proxy settings ( if it works now ) then try and re install IE 9 and test again ?

 

There may be a better option then option 4, if using a different account works then maybe transfer everything over to the new account and delete the old account ?

 

If you have any error messages about access denied or you don't have access rights you may need to go into the registry to the correct path --> right click on the main directory where the sub keys etc exist --> permissions and ensure said user accounts have full access rights to the keys and sub keys etc ?

 

If not I think there is another registry key that you can adjust that will re enable access rights to adjust proxy settings but as others have said with ref to malware or any programs that run in the background ( may change this back ). Also due to you having spybot search and destroy and possibly other programs running in the background you may constantly get pop up messages requesting access rights to make changes to the registry

Edited April 12, 2012 by mac_shinobi

[69liz]

Try this...

 

1. Go to the Control Panel, select the Network and Internet category and click Internet Options.
   
2. Click the Advanced tab.
   
3. Click the Reset button.
   
4. Click the Reset button in the box that pops up.
   
5. Click the Close button.
   
6. Open Internet Explorer and try visiting a website e.g. bbc.co.uk
   

 

Clicking Internet Options doesn't do anything - that is the problem!! We can't get into change or reset anything there.

[69liz]

Spybot S&D is NOT on the machine.

 

The Combofix and the Este scan as well as the Malwarebytes hasn't shown anything up.

 

I will try some of the things that Mac has suggested next. Thanks!

[69liz]

Creating a new account didn't make any difference.

 

The Fix it wizard hasn't made any difference either.

[mac_shinobi]

Maybe it is applied to the machine rather then the user ( Make proxy settings per-machine (rather than per user) - Windows-2000-NT-General-Discussion - Windows-2000-NT )

 

There are some machine specific settings for Internet Explorer. For instance

open regedit and look under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Microsoft\Windows\current version\internet settings.

 

Then look under

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Windows\current version\internet settings

 

Normally the user setings apply. If you use Group Policy to

enforce proxy settings for the machine then the machine settings will apply.

Unless you have created entries for proxy settings for machine key you will

not see any there but you can add them. The easiest way would be to

configure proxy settings as you want for a user and logon as that user and

compare the machine/user keys and add the keys you need to machine. Then the

Group Policy setting you describe will enforce machine settings. If you want

to do such I would also configure Group Policy to block users from accessing

proxy settings. To configure the registry for local machine you would have

to use a Group Policy startup script or possibly the IEAK IE administration

kit when you roll out your installations. There may be other ways but those

two are the ones I can think of offhand. --- Steve

 

Registry keys as per above quote :

 

There are some machine specific settings for Internet Explorer. For instance

open regedit and look under

 

Machine settings for IE

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Microsoft\Windows\current version\internet settings

 

Then look under

 

User Settings for IE

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Windows\current version\internet settings

Edited April 12, 2012 by mac_shinobi

[Arthur]

Clicking Internet Options doesn't do anything - that is the problem

Could you try this instead...

 

1. Hold down the Windows Key and press R once.
   
2. Copy-and-paste the following into the box...
    
   

   rundll32 inetcpl.cpl ResetIEtoDefaults

   
    
   

3. Click OK.
   

 

You should get this box appear...

 

http://i.imgur.com/9ya0j.png

[69liz]

Thank you Mac for your post but I'm afraid I didn't understand what to do. I opened up the registry as you suggested and followed the pathways. The settings are definitely different for the local machine and the current user. There was a mention of a proxy under current user but not under the local machine.

Does that help at all?

[mac_shinobi]

spybot search and destroy options --> WWW FAQs: Why can't I access Internet Options in Internet Explorer?

 

Possible option here --> Tweak of the week - Registry Explorer

 

You may be able to use TWEAK UI to adjust the relevant settings :

 

Tweak UI for Windows XP

 

Version 2.00 is for XP without any service packs and 2.10 is for SP 1 or later

 

Try what Arthur has suggested first, if not then look at the above few links

[69liz]

Thanks Arthur for your suggestion. I got an error message: There was a problem starting inetcpl.cpl inetcpl.cpl is not a valid Win32 application.

 

Any thoughts?

[mac_shinobi]

As per here : How-to: Reset IE browser settings | mynetx

 

Showing to run the fix it wizard from this ms kb : How to reset Internet Explorer settings

[69liz]

Thanks Mac - the first link didn't help me - there isn't a key called NoBrowserOptions in the registry under either Current User or Local Machine.

 

Re the Tweak of the week - this is an old instruction for Windows XP - is this ok for Windows 7? I don't have a subkey called Control Panel under Internet Explorer either - the instruction says - create it - if you recommend this, how do I create it?

[69liz]

As per here : How-to: Reset IE browser settings | mynetx

 

Showing to run the fix it wizard from this ms kb : How to reset Internet Explorer settings

 

Yes, done that already Mac but it didn't help.

[mac_shinobi]

Yes, done that already Mac but it didn't help.

 

1. the first ms kb I posted ( kb 2289942 ) was a different one to the 2nd one I posted ( kb 923737 ) above, so the fix it wizards will more then likely do different things

 

2. The first link ( WWW FAQs: Why can't I access Internet Options in Internet Explorer? ) I posted was more for the spybot search and destroy settings to make sure spybot search and destroy is not blocking you from opening up internet options

 

Unblocking Internet Options In Spybot Search & Destroy

 

If Spybot is blocking Internet Options, you'll need to temporarily turn off Spybot's protection against abuse of the the "Internet Options" control panel. Just follow these steps:1. Click on the "Start" menu

2. Click on "All Programs"

3. Click on the "Spybot - Search & Destroy" program group

4. Click on the "Spybot - Search & Destroy" program

5. When the main Spybot window appears, click the "Immunize" button in the toolbar at left

6. At the bottom of the window, you may see checkboxes named "lock IE start page setting against user changes" and "lock IE control panel against opening from within IE." If they are checked, uncheck them. This will enable you to use Internet Options.

If you don't see these options, then your version of Spybot Search & Destroy does not have this feature. See the next section.

Edited April 12, 2012 by mac_shinobi

[Arthur]

I don't have a subkey called Control Panel under Internet Explorer either

If the key isn't there, access to 'Internet Options' isn't being restricted by a policy so there isn't really any need to create it.

[Arthur]

I have uploaded a .reg file that will remove any proxy settings under HKCU/HKLM. All you need to do is double-click the .zip to open it, and then double-click the .reg file inside (click Yes to any prompts).

DeleteProxy.zip

Edited April 12, 2012 by Arthur

[69liz]

1. the first ms kb I posted ( kb 2289942 ) was a different one to the 2nd one I posted ( kb 923737 ) above, so the fix it wizards will more then likely do different things

 

2. The first link ( WWW FAQs: Why can't I access Internet Options in Internet Explorer? ) I posted was more for the spybot search and destroy settings to make sure spybot search and destroy is not blocking you from opening up internet options

 

Spybot S&D isn't on the machine. I'll try the second Fix it wizard then if it's different. Losing the will to live though on this one.

[mac_shinobi]

Spybot S&D isn't on the machine. I'll try the second Fix it wizard then if it's different. Losing the will to live though on this one.

 

Go through Arthurs zip file - will be easier. If it is still the same after all this then I would say backup data / re image and start fresh. If possible save chipset / network card and video / graphics drivers onto a memory stick so you can at least run those on the netbook / laptop to allow you to re connect and update the remainder of drivers ie audio etc

[69liz]

1. the first ms kb I posted ( kb 2289942 ) was a different one to the 2nd one I posted ( kb 923737 ) above, so the fix it wizards will more then likely do different things

 

I got the same error message as before:

There was a problem starting inetcpl.cpl inetcpl.cpl is not a valid Win32 application.

[Arthur]

1. the first ms kb I posted (KB2289942) was a different one to the 2nd one I posted (KB923737) above, so the fix it wizards will more then likely do different things

The FixIt from KB923737 does exactly the same thing as post #31. I extracted the VBScript from the MSI to double-check. This explains why the error message is the same.

[69liz]

I have uploaded a .reg file that will remove any proxy settings under HKCU/HKLM. All you need to do is double-click the .zip to open it, and then double-click the .reg file inside (click Yes to any prompts).

Thanks Arthur. This hasn't worked either so now I am trying to find out how to do a factory reset on it.

[plexer]

If Start - Run - inetcpl.cpl says you have no internet control panel then that's not good.

 

What version of IE does it have?

 

What make/model is the laptop?

 

Ben

[Arthur]

There was a problem starting inetcpl.cpl inetcpl.cpl is not a valid Win32 application.

It sounds like there is a problem with rundll32.exe (and perhaps some other system files). One thing you could try before reinstalling Windows, is to run the System File Checker. This will verify the integrity of all of the files Windows needs to run.

 

1. Type cmd in the Start Menu search box.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/7uGbh.png
    
    
   
2. Right-click cmd.exe and select Run as administrator. Click Yes if the UAC prompt appears.
    
   
3. Type the text shown in yellow and press Enter.
    
   http://i.imgur.com/ojbun.png
    
   You should see the following message once SFC has finished if everything is fine. If you don't, SFC will attempt to replace the corrupt files.
    
   

   Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

   
   

[69liz]

If Start - Run - inetcpl.cpl says you have no internet control panel then that's not good.

 

What version of IE does it have?

 

What make/model is the laptop?

 

Ben

It's an Asus EEEPC and is running IE9

[69liz]

Running your scan now Arthur - fingers crossed as no idea how to reinstore Windows as it is a netbook with no disc drive.

[mac_shinobi]

On windows 7 do you not get system restore - just wondering if you did a system restore to a previous point when you know it was working fine without any of these issues ( but again not sure in regards to the system restore points being infected with malware ) especially seeing as you are having issues in launching internet options or the cpl via start / run etc ??