Windows messenger (pop ups)

[Nat]

Hey guys, I just got a new Dell with windows xp. Everytime
i use the internet (i'm using the free AOL for 6 months)
with netscape navigator, i get these pop ups which are gray
boxes with the title in the blue bar that says "messenger".
I went to explorer and deleted messenger, but i still get
these messages!! how do i stop them? (other than actually
listening to those ads that say, "stop these annoying
popups") heheh.

thanks.

 

[Nicholas]

Purchase and install Norton Internet Security 2003
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/nis_pe/

-- Includes Norton AntiVirus 2003
-- Includes Norton Personal Firewall
-- Includes prevention of annoying web pop-ups
-- Includes Parental Controls
-- All in one, easy-to-install package


--
Nicholas

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| Hey guys, I just got a new Dell with windows xp. Everytime
| i use the internet (i'm using the free AOL for 6 months)
| with netscape navigator, i get these pop ups which are gray
| boxes with the title in the blue bar that says "messenger".
| I went to explorer and deleted messenger, but i still get
| these messages!! how do i stop them? (other than actually
| listening to those ads that say, "stop these annoying
| popups") heheh.
|
| thanks.

 

[Paul]

DON'T LISTEN TO HIM...(well maybe its a good idea but)
Do these "pop-ups" that are appearing have "Messenger
Service" in their titlebar? If so, what
you're seeing is the Messenger service built-in to
Windows, *not* Windows Messenger (which
are two different things) which spammers are exploiting --
this is not Microsoft, nor can
Microsoft control them anymore then they can control spam
to your e-mail inbox.

To get rid of these pop ups, you'll need to disable
the "Messenger Service", click Start,
then Run, enter "services.msc"and click OK. Scroll down
to "Messenger", select it,
right-click and then choose Properties. Under startup
type, choose 'Disabled' and then
choose the 'Stop' button. After the service is stopped,
click OK. Nothing in Windows or any
real third-party applications should be effected by this.
So now you've deleted Windows Messenger when it wasn't
the cause, but you can download it at their website.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

I do wish you would stop posting potentially harmful advice.
Disabling the messenger service is a "head in the sand" approach to
computer security.

The real problem is _not_ the messenger service pop-ups; they're
actually providing a useful service by acting as a security alert. The
true problem is the unsecured computer, and you're only
advice, however well-intended, was to turn off the warnings. How is
this helpful?

Equivalent Scenario 1: Somewhere in a house, a small fire starts,
and sets off the smoke alarm. The home-owner, not immediately seeing
any fire/smoke, complains about the noise of the smoke detector, so
you tell him to remove the smoke detector's battery and go back to
sleep, or whatever else he was doing.

Equivalent Scenario 2: You over-exert your shoulder at work or
play, causing bursitis. After weeks of annoying and sometimes
excruciating pain whenever you try to reach over your head, you go to
a doctor and say, while demonstrating the motion, "Doc, it hurts when
I do this." The doctor, being as helpful as you are, replies, "Well,
don't do that."

The only true way to secure the PC is to *properly* configure the
firewall; just installing one and letting it's default settings handle
things is no good. Unfortunately, this does require one to learn a
little bit more about using a computer than used to be necessary.


Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Does the title bar of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"

This a type of spam has become quite common over the past few
months, and unintentionally serves as a valid security "alert." It
demonstrates that you haven't been taking sufficient precautions while
connected to the Internet. Your data probably hasn't been compromised
by these specific advertisements, but if you're open to this exploit,
you may well be open to other threats. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall. (Disabling the messenger service, as
some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does nothing to
secure your machine.) And ignoring or just "putting up with" these
messages and the problem they represent is particularly foolish.

Messenger Service of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;168893

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904

Stopping Advertisements with Messenger Service Titles
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

You will have to obtain a 3rd party firewall, as AOL has
deliberately made their connection software incompatible with WinXP's
built-in firewall. AOL's proprietary connection applet is
deliberately designed to preclude your setting/adjusting any of its
properties, to include enabling/disabling WinXP's firewall, which is
connection-specific.


Bruce Chambers

Help us help you: