IE7: How to stop http://runonce.msn.com/runonce2.aspx from loading every time IE is started

by admin on November 14, 2007

Every time I launch IE7 the Internet Explorer customization screen, http://runonce.msn.com/runonce2.aspx, has been displayed instead of the three home pages I specified in Tools – Internet Options. I had completed the whole customization processs many times, but Internet Explorer never seemed to remember the settings.

IE7 runonce

I found this thread that pointed me in the right direction for fixing this problem. To fix the problem, edit the following registry keys, or create them if they do not exist:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
“RunOnceComplete”=dword:00000001
“RunOnceHasShown”=dword:00000001

Once I made the registry changes and restarted IE, all was good. My home page opened up as expected.

This site also has five different ways of deploying this change, from scripts to a small executable file.

[updated 02-06-2008]

Updated broken link to five different ways of deploying this change

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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }

Dilantha November 21, 2007 at 3:06 am

I remove the thread. but didn’t work dude :-(

Reply

Dilantha November 21, 2007 at 3:09 am

This works !!

Method 2:
Create a BAT/CMD file with Notepad with the following contents and save as RunOnceDone.cmd. Double click on RunOnceDone.cmd.

REG ADD HKCU”\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” /v RunOnceComplete /t REG_DWORD /d 00000001 /f
REG ADD HKCU”\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main” /v RunOnceHasShown /t REG_DWORD /d 00000001 /f

Reply

Gokalp November 27, 2007 at 9:22 pm

also its has to be work

Click Start > Run and type “gpedit.msc”
Click OK.
at left side
-User Configuration
-Administrative Templates
-Windows Components
-Internet Explorer
at the right side double click at “Prevent performance of First Run Customize settings”
change the settings for “Prevent performance of First Run Customize settings” to Enabled and drop-down box to select “Go directly to home page”

-click OK , close Group Policy
-Restart Internet Explorer 7

Reply

Mohamed December 17, 2007 at 7:39 am

Thank you Gokalp, it succeeded and my original homepage worked .

Reply

TAPAS December 19, 2007 at 5:24 am

I followed the process as mentioned over here and it worked. Thanks a lot.

Reply

isabelle g, watson December 19, 2007 at 12:20 pm

i want to have this program removed from my internet.
How do I go about getting it removed?
Please e-mail me as quickly as possible as it has messed
my programming up.

Reply

Steven December 27, 2007 at 9:19 am

This worked fine for me.

Cheers mate

Reply

Fred January 5, 2008 at 6:38 am

I only had one of the values. When I added the second, no problem anymore. Thanks.

Reply

Tom Mathew January 21, 2008 at 2:43 pm

I was getting irritated with this error poping alsways when explorer opend. Thanks a lot. It worked for me and it was symple to make the change.

Reply

Trung January 21, 2008 at 4:29 pm

I just used the method 2 and it worked.

Thanks a lot

Reply

Hu1112 January 24, 2008 at 12:15 pm

THANK YOU Gokalp!!!! IT WORKS!!! and you made my day!

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Danny January 24, 2008 at 11:30 pm

WORKED LIKE A CHARM!!!

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Chris January 30, 2008 at 10:51 am

I added the two lines to the registry…restarted the computer and no longer is it going to the runonce…Thanks!

-Chris

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Todd February 7, 2008 at 10:41 am

I also had problem with runonce error. I contacted microsoft support at 800-936-5700 (support for IE7 is free), and they told me to go to: http://norun.notlong.com/ and then save to desktop and run. This worked instantly and is the best way to fix runonce error.

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Candy March 21, 2008 at 2:48 am

Thank you Gokalp!! Finally something that worked!!

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theSEKIman April 1, 2008 at 7:19 am

Todd, thank your very much, that’s awesome!

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Amol Nirmala Waman April 10, 2008 at 1:23 am

Thanks Gokalp and Todd! I overcome the microsoft’s bad habit!

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mitch May 9, 2008 at 11:59 pm

Thanks Gokalp it work. Phewww.

Reply

Nata May 26, 2008 at 4:28 pm

To Todd!

I tried Gokalp’s fix – and my computer did not find “gpedit.msc”.
Todd’s fix worked like a charm. Thank you!

Reply

Randy June 13, 2008 at 2:05 am

I added the 2 registry keys suggested and everything worked fine after that. Thanks a million!
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
“RunOnceComplete”=dword:00000001
“RunOnceHasShown”=dword:00000001

Reply

Ashutosh June 19, 2008 at 3:00 am

Thank you Gokalp, it succeeded.

Reply

Andrew June 25, 2008 at 2:51 am

Gokalp – if you wanted to push this out via Group Policy do you need to install IE7 onto the Domain Controller or does someone know of a resource kit that can be downloaded?

Reply

John July 2, 2008 at 4:24 am

Thank you Gokalp. It works fine.

Reply

dave July 2, 2008 at 7:27 pm

Todd.
I have tried your simpler solution (http://norun.notlong.com) and it worked. Thanks to all who help us non IT people. IE7 now opens on specified home page and the annoying Runonce2 has disappeared, once and for all.
Thanks.
Note: http://norun.notlong.com has to be typed into browser/search window, save and run and it will ask if you want to put into registry (twice it will ask) press ok each time and it will automatically finish/complete for you. You will not see Runonce2 again. Its really simple.
Thanks TODD.

Reply

Kreed July 24, 2008 at 9:33 pm

My problem started with run once so I switched to Mozilla, but my quickbooks wont work on downloads so i went back to IE and it seems certain pages don’t show the content even though in the bar it shows for ex. waiting for 5 images to download. It downloads them says done but the screen is blank. I think that is why my QB can’t load its page. Please help!

Reply

Hector July 25, 2008 at 12:32 am

Thank u, Gokalp. It works great………

Reply

Aditya Prabhu August 2, 2008 at 6:56 am

THIS IS WORKING DUDEssss….

very simple also…..

Click Start > Run and type “gpedit.msc”
Click OK.
at left side
-User Configuration
-Administrative Templates
-Windows Components
-Internet Explorer
at the right side double click at “Prevent performance of First Run Customize settings”
change the settings for “Prevent performance of First Run Customize settings” to Enabled and drop-down box to select “Go directly to home page”

-click OK , close Group Policy
-Restart Internet Explorer 7

Reply

Gert August 27, 2008 at 5:34 am

The exe on the site you’re linking to is infected with a Trojan, according to AVG.

Reply

Bobber November 18, 2008 at 2:35 pm

Thanks!!! the Runoncedone.cmd script worked! thank you, thank you, thank you

Reply

xnavyman December 12, 2008 at 1:11 am

Thanks Todd, that worked like a charm. Damm runonce should be banned from the service.
Once again thanks.

Reply

tazgirl_68 January 9, 2009 at 4:27 pm

Thanks you very much. I had to remove Google tool bar for it to completely work but it worked. Now I am able to use IE-7

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IT Werks April 26, 2009 at 8:27 am

I simply put runonce.msn.com in the ‘Restricted Sites’ security zone in Internet Options and that solved it for me. Just block IE from going to that subdomain I guess.

Worked for me – hope that helps someone!

Reply

Manoj August 19, 2010 at 10:18 am

Thanks Gokalp .. It really worked

Reply

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