Deactivating Internet Conn. Wizard

On a new install [for Win98] I can’t get rid of the Internet Connection Wizard [The system has not been registered yet. Is that why?]. The system hits the Network only by right clicking the “I.E.” icon and sekecting open. This will bring up the default web site that I.E. is set to. After that any attempt to go to any other site triggers the Internet Connection wizard, and it tries to find a modem device. It searches a few minutes, confirms “no modem device found”…..Can this wizard be deactivated?

DevineFV