Tech: HELP! pop ups on windows xp

Subject: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Robin2
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 08:37 PM

I just got a new 'puter with windows xp. I like it well enough, but when I'm online I get all of these annoying pop-ups selling crap. They all say they are from windows messenger service. The most annoying thing is most of them are trying to sell me protection from their popups! I feel like Bill Gates is selling me mafia protection! "pay us zzz$, we won't burn you out" Is this really a part of microsoft? If so, no wonder he got sued!!

How can I get rid of this crap??

Robin2

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: GUEST,pdc
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 09:02 PM

You need to disable Windows Messenger. I can't remember how to do that, but I also had the problem when I first got XP, and when I disabled Messenger, it cleared right up. Google "Windows Messenger" +popups and you will come up with a lot of hits on how to disable it. I also downloaded a freeware program called Smart Popup Killer, and now have no popups at all. Make sure you get the right one -- there are others with similar names, but Smart Popup Killer is freeware. Yay!

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: mack/misophist
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 09:29 PM

The news says that M$ is dumping Messenger because they can't stop the pop-ups. Great design.

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Robin2
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 09:54 PM

this has sucked, and they need to dump it!

I downloded a freeware program that stops this spam, and so far, so good! Not really freeware, bur worth it for 2 bucks!

Robin2

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: NicoleC
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 10:01 PM

It really just needs to turned off by default, or is only available as an add-on. It's useful in corporate settings to send messages like "email server down for the next 10 minutes."

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: artbrooks
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 11:06 PM

Click here for instructions for various versons of Windows.

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 11:27 PM

What is wrong in those instructions, though, is that if you click "Stop" then it will come back next time you turn on the computer. Instead, you must tell it "disable." Then it will stay turned off. I ran this question through a few weeks ago, and with some mudcat clues, found the answer. I don't remember what the thread was called, and I posted some links, but if you follow Art's instructions and then disable the sucker, it will stop with the spam.

Just don't go monkeying around with the rest of the stuff in that file, or you could mess up your computer. You need most of that stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: kendall
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 07:51 AM

I'm still running windows 98, and the note says messenger can not be disabled. Bastards!

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Greg F.
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 09:08 AM

Kendall-

Win 95 & Win 98 do not have "Messenger" but a utility called "Winpopup" that can be disabled per instructions
HERE

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 08:14 PM

My Win98 pc came without messenger. Don't know what I did with my new XP box but don't have any problems, could be the configuration or it could be my Norton firewall.

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: kendall
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 08:33 PM

I didn't find anything like that in my programs. The one that bugs me the most has the header; Mocrosoft and the address is http:// premium.offers.com/popups etc.
I have three popup killers and still I get this crap.

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 09:10 PM

It got past my Norton firewall and popup blocker. I think you've just been lucky in not receiving them. The default setting is to receive messages.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Robin2
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 09:53 PM

I have Norton firewall too, and it didn't even slow them up. But thanks to all of your advice, I have been pop-up free today.

One has to wonder why Microsoft allows such a shoddy hole in their program to still exist....hmmmm


Robin2

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 10:07 PM

It can be a useful tool in a network. At the university library where I work they have it set up so that if any part of the system goes down, a message is sent to all of the IT folks, but the program is disabled to the rest of our computers or we'd continually get automated messages that are meaningless to us.

The downside is that the IT folks also get the tripe that is shipped over the service by folks who've figured out who to do it.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 11:04 PM

The last download of Windows XP updates appears to have finally stopped these from arriving, on our computer. And I don't use a popup stopper or anything besides Norton AV, except Spybot.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 11:13 PM

From MS type 'gpedit.msc' into run box ..
Easy as it can be from there...   happy Popup blocking
(:

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Marje
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 12:44 PM

If you download the Google toolbar, there's an option on it to block pop-ups. It seems to work well (it keeps a tally of how many it's blocked, and has saved me from 35 today) and is easy to override if required.

Or there is a program called Popupstopper which comes in various versions including a free one. I tried that first but found it also stopped me from opening up legitimate windows when browsing, so I've uninstalled it.

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 03:07 PM

Different kind of popup, Marje.

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: GUEST,Bigchuck at work
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 04:59 PM

I downloaded the free version of Opera a couple of months ago and have been using it exclusively since. Does a real good job of blocking popups so far.

Sandy

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 09:08 PM

The popups you're talking about in the last couple of posts (Marje and Bigchuck) are different from what the thread is about. There is another type, essentially a system message that Microsoft built into the Windows system that is meant for networked computers to use to deliver System message. But some spammers have figured out how to discretely get their message to travel to and appear on your screen in the Messenger Service window. They always say "write this message down" because the text cannot be highlighted or clicked on.

Go back and look at the earlier link with an example of one.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 02:39 AM

The message utility has been in most "network capable" systems, in one form or another, since the first day when two computers got hooked to each other. It was/is intended for use for messages within a local network.

In order for someone "outside" your network to use the utility, they have to know your "address," and in the old days, that was always hidden behind your network system firewall.

It wasn't much of a problem with dial-up connections, because you get a new address each time you connect, so there's no way for someone to know where you are, unless they "discover you" and make some use of it while you're still connected.

When you switch to a "permanent connection" of one sort or another, you may get a fixed address, or at the least, you may be given a "long term lease" on an address. This allows someone to find your location, and blast you with these worthless messages - until your address changes or until you block their messages. Many internet providers will automatically rotate your connection address periodically to preserve your anonymity, but may not do it very frequently if you're on DSL, WebTV, or some other "hard wired" connection. (And a few have been rumored to sell the new addys when they rotated them.)

Even with dial-up, new Windows systems (WinXP and Win2K at least) assume that everybody wants to be "connected" all the time, so you may find your machine dialing its own connection, and keeping the connection open even when you close your email and browser, for long enough for the spam crawlers to find you and start sending their spam through the message utility.

It's not a new web thing. It's a problem now because of the new way(s) in which we're using the web.

John

Subject: RE: BS: HELP! pop ups on windows xp
From: GUEST,Stilly River Sage, missing cookie
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 11:27 AM

John,

As you say, some computers have a mind of their own and will turn on or dial up or connect at will (and this is a feature some virus or worm writers build in for infected computers). So when I finish with my computer I not only shut it down I also turn off the power to it.

SRS