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Hi every now and then with no user interaction my default web browser firefox opens to the msn home page (my home page is google)(this also happens if edge is set as the default browser). It is completely random and comes up over whatever I'm currently doing on my computer stopping me in my tracks this is very annoying. I've run anti virus software and its come up clean, I reloaded my operating and it returned after a few weeks and I haven't added new apps or software that may have caused it. The only thing I've found that may be involved is a system restore point automatically created by windows module installer what its for I have no idea, so I tried a restore point prior to that date and the issue seemed to go away but alas it has returned this time there hasn't been a restore point created by anything that might indicate a change. Any ideas on what be triggering my web browser to open to msn?
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
This issue occurs no matter what browser I use firefox edge chrome etc. Whatever is set as my default browser randomly opens to MSN which is not my homepage (thats google and I know how to set a homepage thats not the issue) I have never even been onto MSN. Please actually read the question it does help. So again what windows component is triggering whatever I use as a default browser to open to MSN with no user interaction?
So any ideas why this is occurring? I tried uninstalling reinstalling firefox but no change. The only thing I've found that apparently solves this issue is a registry hack, but I shouldn't have to alter the registry to stop msn from opening at random times. This seems to be a windows issue that many people are having trouble with so a solution would be nice. I've never actually gone onto the msn website there is nothing I want on there this lack of response from microsoft makes it seem as if they are trying to force it on me which isn't right. Again a little help with this issue please.
The Microsoft MVP has no idea whatsoever of why this is happening. Unfortunately, tech support people don't always know how to troubleshoot, and they rely on canned responses instead.
Windows does a periodic test for a captive portal. It tries to hit the URL http://www.msftconnecttest.com/redirect, and if that immediately results in a 301 or 302 HTTP response or if it is simply unreachable, then it assumes that you need to interact with a captive portal in order for you to have internet access. What it does in response is open your default browser to that URL. In order to prove this, try manually pasting that URL into your web browser and see if it results in you going to the same MSN page that your web browser periodically enters.
A few things to try in order to fix the problem:
First, if you're connected to more than one network (wired, wireless, or even a tunnel adapter, vpn adapter, or other virtual network adapter) try temporarily disabling all of them except for the one that is your primary route to the internet, and see if the problem goes away. If it does, then Windows is trying to probe one of those secondary interfaces, which is tripping up this detection.
If that doesn't work, then make sure you don't have a proxy or a firewall that is either blocking access to that URL, or redirects it to another page (say for example, a web page indicating that your access was denied.)
If that still doesn't work, then try the nuclear option: Modify the registry to disable active network probing. Here's a way to do that with a command console running as admin:
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet" /v EnableActiveProbing /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Reboot after making that change, and the problem should go away.
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stitches12 - THANK YOU! After reading your post from 7/11/18, I checked and found that I was connected to both wireless and wired. I simply disconnected the wireless and that has fixed the problem! Thanks for taking the time to post this solution. Ghost - thanks for posting in the first place and keeping the thread going!
