Information Regarding Web Browsers
If you have got your windows update set to automatic you may find yourself with a window entitled Information Regarding Web Browsers appearing next time you log in.
The first thing to note is that this IS from Microsoft and not spam or a virus, I don’t think the Information Regarding Web Browsers window makes its self entirely clear where it has come from.
The window you are likely to see.
This has come about from the European Commission ruling that Microsoft has to give people choice of which browser they use.
I wont go into that, if you are interested a quick google search will tell you all you need.
Information Regarding Web Browsers Update
Tags: european commission, google, Information Regarding Web Browsers, microsoft, web browsers
I had this today on a number of laptops I look after at a school.
Can’t believe the lack of documentation / branding / reference docs. It basically looks like a spyware. I was wary when I first saw it!
After reading up, I clicked “OK”, the window hung for about 2 minutes and then brought the same message back. Good one!
Thanks for highlighting it.
Thanks for this. Like Mat Smith I too came across this window upon my laptop this morning and was really concerned as it did look just like a piece of malware. The first thing I did was look on the internet for it’s meaning as the screen contains no identifying information as to it’s source. I was very relieved to find this site explaining it’s origins.
I tried to exit the window and got not response and ended up having to kill it.
I got this window yesterday. I closed it yesterday, and today I have it again. There is no DONE button. Any idea how to get rid of this completely?
Have seen it on about 5 pc’s now. All I have done on all of them is click the OK button, then close the next window that opens. (Already a firefox user)
Like all the above people, I saw this message and was most perturbed.
Malware or similar was my fist and immediate impression since there is no indication whatsoever of where it has come from, and indeed actually looks like a poor attempt on the part of people with illegitimate motives to appear legitimate, so I proceeded to “Google” it and foud your explanation.
I am very thankful for the most helpful information you have posted here.
From the form of this notice, mocrosoft would appear to be displeased and grudging at having to bow to fair competition.
I do however feel that Microsoft need to be more careful. since this kind of carelessness appears to treat their European customers to at least a little contempt.
No one can be in any doubt about MS’s ability to afford to present the panel in a proper and informative manner, negating the need for good people like yourselves to post the information that Microsoft omit.
I think I will now invesitage Netscape and Firefox and see if they are (still) superior to Netscape ….
OK, I understand Micro$oft are doing this to sidestep EU rulings and various bits of law etc etc, but the important question is - how do I get rid of that irritating dialogue so it doesn’t keep returning after every reboot. Any suggestions most appreciated !! Thanks
Glad to find your info on this scary message - I thought my security had been compromised.
Five minutes ago, after completing my Windows update and restarting there sat this icon on my desktop. Which opened up the above window as per your printscreen at the top of this page. Just like some of you folk on here I Googled it straight away and found this site - thank goodness! Thanks for your confirmation everyone.. also thought it malware.
Haven’t yet tried to get rid of it - any solutions?
(Yesterday I found a Mc Affee Plus icon on my desktop and am still wondering how that got there?)
turned on computer 08:45pm and this meassage appeared, like others, was disturbed by it. ran spyware doc not a problem, obviously gooled and got this page. ran enditall and is there as Program - “mshta.exe” Description “Microsoft(R) HTML Application host - Tiltle”Information Regarding Web Browsers. so if you delete this file it should go away.
As others have said a bit naff of Microsoft to do it with no explantion
clicked on ok and ally ou get is choice of google chrome, IE8, Safar,i Firefox, Opera, and a choice of further info which if clicked takes you to http://www.browserchoice.eu/terms_en.htm which goes through the usual garbage with a link to a microsoft page - lost interest - so,” hijack this” also shows a reference to this popup, namely, in my case, “04 - HKCU\..|Run:[Browser Choice]“C:\WINDOWS\system32\browserchoice.exe”/run. So another program to delete and, maybe, kiill this registry key
searching “mshta.exe” it was also in IE7 so this is not the problem must be “browserchoice.exe” pretty obvious now
to finalize this “Browserchoice.exe” resides in
C:\WINWOS\system32 … and…
C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\93d50fc0b796f3639bee08e9d7535807
on my machine
Thanks for the explanation mate. As the rest have said, the lack of information that this isn’t spyware or malware certainly raises an eyebrow. I’m kinda glad though -i’d been meaning to get Chrome for a while, this one prompted me to do it. Thanks Microsoft!
Like so many others, I immediately assumed this was malware of some kind. Finding out that it is, in fact, from Microsoft has angered me though. MS, of all companies, should show a more responsible attitude. This has gone down as another black mark against them in my book. It certainly shows little respect for their European customers. Has anyone TOLD them that yet?!
Thanks everyone for your very useful information.
Like the others I imediately thought of spyware and killed it the search brought up this site, I already use firefox at work and will probably change at home now, I will also mail Microsoft and tell them what I think of it
John
If you go to Control Panel>Add/Remove programs (ensure that “Show updates” is checked), you will find this as ‘Hotfix for Windows XP (KB976002-v5′, ‘This update cannot be removed’. Google the KB reference for Microsoft’s explanation. Could try rolling back to a previous restore point, but Microsoft might send it again, in which case you could disable automatic updates and do them manually for a period, making sure to exclude this update.
I followed the tips to find it that you guys have posted here, and finally located it in my C:\ WINDOWS\system32 ….files.
I tried deleteing it though but it said I couldn’t as access was denied!
I was using the Administrator account on my laptop, so why won’t it let me get rid?
Can anyone help?
I think Microsoft have purposefully made the pop up screen look like a spam/virus type message so that people would go about finding the source of the message i,e, the exe and delete it.
Result is the user would not really have the choice of choosing another browser. Clever….lol
Just sayiung thank you for taking time and trouble to tell us about this - I’d suspected it was spam, as you say, site/pop up does not make anything clear so again, thank you.
Like lots of others, I thought it was malware, spyware or something else malign. I had automatic updates enabled, so it just appeared and I didn’t want it! I have to use the IE version I have because of accessing work sites via citrix.
Anyway, I searched all files and folders for anything with ‘browserchoice’ as part of the name and deleted them all. I also deleted the shortcut. I have no more problems except that the automatic updates thing constantly tells me I need to install the update - I don’t know how to stop that happening and make the yellow shield disappear.
So annoying!
very pleased to read the abpve, but my laptop is now stuck in thsi screen - cannot delete, will not progress if i click on ok….. does anyone know how I get round it? Huge thanks in advance