How to disable Content Advisor in IE5, IE5.5 & IE6

If you forget your Content Advisor's supervisor password, there is no way to disable or change the ratings again, not even by removing and reinstalling/upgrading Internet Explorer without editing the registry directly. (All the solutions should work with Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 and XP)

There are 2 solutions. Choose one of the following solutions:

1. I know my Supervisor Password for Content Advisor

2. I have lost my Supervisor Password for Content Advisor

Solution 1:- I know my Supervisor Password for Content Advisor

Step 1 - Navigate yourself to Control Panel and double-click on Internet Options. Click on Content tab. (Note if Content Advisor has been enabled previously, Settings button will not be grayed)

Step 2 - Click on Disable button

Step 3 - Enter a valid password.

Step 4  - Click OK

Step 5 - Now Content Advisor is disabled

Solution 2:- I have lost my Supervisor Password for Content Advisor

Step 1 - Click Start and then Run. Type regedit then click OK. This will open the Registry Editor.

Step 2 - Navigate yourself to the following subkey

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Ratings]

Step 3 - Right click on the name, "Key" and select Delete. (Below shown the Data value for this "Key" when the password for Content Advisor is "password")

"Key"=hex:5c,e1,94,69,3f,f0,cb,6f,b2,3b,cb,aa,ea,e1,fb,ec

Step 4 - Content Advisor is disabled after Step 3. But I would prefer to do a clean job. If you are using Windows 95, 98 and ME, locate the file Ratings.pol in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM and delete it. (Ratings.pol has a hidden file attribute. You can only see it in Windows Explorer after choose to view all hidden files under the folder options. Notice that Settings button is not highlighted after the file is deleted.)

What if I skip Step 4 in Solution 2?

After completing Step 3, Content Advisor will be disabled. However, if you navigate yourself to Control Panel and double-click on Internet Options, the Disable button is still shown and this may cause confusion later. In Windows NT, 2000 and XP, there is no file by the name of Ratings.pol so you will not be performed Step 4.

What if I delete Ratings.pol without removing "Key"?

You will get the following error message when you click on Content tab.