Setting Homepage and Search engine in Windows 8.1

[Gustavus]

I have done what has always worked before -- gone to the home site (CNN International news) which I wished to be my new home page, clicked on Tools, then on Internet Options and then selected Apply current etc. But no matter what I do the computer goes to MSN as home page and to Bing as the search engine. I am paranoid enough to believe that Microsoft may have made it impossible to get rid of MSN and Bing, but surely there is a way to change away from those two dreadful choices.

What I would like to do is get the MSN page and Bing completely off the machine since I will never use them.

How can I stop 8.1 always going back to the Microsoft set defaults?

Thanks

PS
I have spent a couple of hours on a task that should have only taken five minutes -- and only got half way. 8.1 is now booting into my desired home page, but I have not been able to change to the Google search engine. I found comments on net that it was going to take an order from a judge to force Microsoft to make Windows 8.1 allow Google -- but whatever, I am still unable to make Google the default search engine. I know it is a pointless comment, but I despise Windows 8.1. I was never able to get a Toshiba laptop to where it was comfortable to use, and now this new build of a desktop is going the same way. Have no choice but to upgrade the OS, but so far it is about as pleasant as a root canal.

 

[Smoove910]

I'll go out on a limb and say you use Internet Explorer???

 

[OlyAR15]

Download either Firefox or Chrome. Problem solved.
Download Start8 + ModernMix (costs $8 for the bundle) and it fixes a lot of the annoyances of Windows 8.

 

[OlyAR15]

Strange, I had no trouble changing the home page and search engine for IE 11. Just wondering if you use a user or administrator account? Not sure if it makes a difference since I always use an administrator account ( I know that isn't the most secure way of running Windows).