You can prevent IE from going to the RunOnce page by merging this reg file with your registry.
http://enhanceie.com/dl/NoRunOnce.reg

Source: http://enhanceie.com/ie/troubleshoot.asp

To disable the runonce page:
Create a reg file with:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

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

in it.

Run as a logon script from a bat file using reg add /f

Then:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Start Page"="http://www.google.com

This has to be done for HKCU - you cannot apply these changes to HKLM (as far as I am aware).

Open regedit, highlight HKey_users. Select File>Load Hive. Browse to c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat. Put ntuser in the dialog box for a name.

Then go to HKEY_USER\ntuser\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main and right click and the follow new dword values.

RunOnceComplete with a value of 1
RunOnceHasShown with a value of 1

Highlight the ntuser hive then go to File>unload hive and you should be good to go.

Hope this helps
B

For ease of use, just download and run the "NoRunOnceReg"
below is what's in the "NoRunOnce.reg:
-----------------------------------------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

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

The reg file you refer to will only work for the current user. not everyone that logs into the machine from now on.

Hi bfason

May I know if I use the following suggestions from you, will you applies to all Users on the same Windows XP PC ?

Open regedit, highlight HKey_users. Select File>Load Hive. Browse to c:\documents and settings\default user\ntuser.dat. Put ntuser in the dialog box for a name.

Then go to HKEY_USER\ntuser\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main and right click and the follow new dword values.

RunOnceComplete with a value of 1
RunOnceHasShown with a value of 1

Highlight the ntuser hive then go to File>unload hive and you should be good to go.

==========================================================================

Please kindly advise ASAP !! Many thanks in advance.

It will apply to all "new" users on the pc. If they already have an existing profile it will not apply to them. Of course if they already have an existing profile then they have already been to the site so it probably doesn't matter.

Hope this helps
B

Thank you - hope that my comments were useful.

I wrote a simple little reg hack file that banishes the runonce and resumes normal operation of ie7. Sometimes i run into an issue where it hangs on some machines and this fixes it.  it basically appends the registry with the suggestions above.

you can download it at http://www.shanehar.com/upload/RunOnce_fix.reg

makes my life easier, i just keep it on my flash drive.