Anniversary Update - default browser opens on login


  1. Posts : 7
    W10 Pro 64 bit, release version
       #1

    Anniversary Update - default browser opens on login


    We recently updated two machines to the Anniversary Update (via the Media Creation Tool method).

    Since the update, when you log in, the default browser is automatically opened at MSN.com. Neither browser has msn.com as their default page, and if you launch the browser from the menu / taskbar icon it opens in the correct default page. .

    There is nothing in Task Manager >> Startup, or shell:startup, to trigger this browser opening. This behaviour was definitely introduced by the AU; and whilst it's only a minor irritation, it would be nice to make it stop, so any suggestions welcome.

    Thanks
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 42,637
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #2

    Hi, not seen any other such report, so doubt it's an anniversary 'feature' if you see what I mean.

    Suggest:
    a. Try a clean boot and see if a browser is still launched
    b. Get Autoruns (free) and inspect/search for start up entries. (Very comprehensive).
    c. Create a new user for test purposes and see if the same thing happens (it probably won't).
    d. Otherwise an outside possibility is somehow it's launched by an unexpected scheduled task triggered on logon.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 7
    W10 Pro 64 bit, release version
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks!

    From your excellent list of suggestions

    a) - yes, still happens
    b) - cannot see anything out of the ordinary, nor any reason in there why the browser would open
    c) - yes, still happens - created a local user and the browser opened on login. It was Edge this time rather than Chrome.
    d) - Nothing in scheduled tasks that wasn't there before (two Google update tasks, Adobe Acrobat updater (disabled), and a user feed sync task running system32\msfeedsync.exe.

    So, sadly, still none the wiser ...
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 42,637
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #4

    Does it happen in safe mode? It might be interesting to compare with and without networking.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 7
    W10 Pro 64 bit, release version
    Thread Starter
       #5

    The plot thickens - I did my home machine by the same route and don't get this issue.

    We're currently looking at whether there's something going on around detecting the wireless network (despite the machines being desktops, our standard build enables wi-fi!); will update the thread if I discover anything.

    Thnak you dalchina for your efforts so far
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 7
    W10 Pro 64 bit, release version
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Fixed it - for anyone else who hits the same issue, it was the changes installing the AU had made to the settings in
    Settings >> Privacy >> Background apps

    Edge was set as running in the background; turn that off, and the phantom popup is no longer seen. There's all sorts of nonsense turned on in their so it's well worth going through that and switching lots of unnecessary clutter off, even if you're not getting the exact issue we hit.

    [Edit: after a couple of days it started happening again, so it wasn't this after all.]
    Last edited by sfmans; 16 Aug 2016 at 06:29.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 42,637
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #7

    Edge is on as a background app, but I've never seen Edge appear unexpectedly. Glad it worked for you.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 7
    W10 Pro 64 bit, release version
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Found it! There's a registry key for 'active probing', which is being blocked by our network.

    The answer is is a post on the Stack Exchange SuperUser site, so rather than steal their glory here's a link to the post:
    networking - Why does Windows 8 open Bing.com by itself? - Super User
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 15
    Windows 10 Professional 64-bit
       #9

    Also have two machines that automatically opened browser on MSN (en-au) homepage. Very rare for us to need to visit an MSN site at any time, so not a page we may have left opened during last session. Also different browsers used on each machine, Edge on one and Firefox on the other. Tonight after startup Edge automatically opened on the website hotelscombined.com.au a website I have never heard of or been to.
      My Computer


 

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