pop ups & programs added without my knowledge

[Patricia]

The pop ups are driving me mad! They interfere with pages
opening, they block the screen when I am writing, and now
I am finding programs in my Control Panel that
have "installed themselves". How do I stop this? It's
slowing my computer, popping up adult sites in front of
my kindergardener, taking up space in my hard drive....we
don't even enjoy using the computer anymore because it's
so frustrating. Can anyone help?

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Patricia;
No need to pay for the fix.
For Messenger Service ads:
You need to install or enable a firewall:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330904
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp
Disabling Messenger Service can be a good idea, but it does not solve
the real problem.
The ads are not the real problem, the ads are only a symptom.
The real problem is open ports that allow unwanted traffic into the
computer.
Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports.
The firewall controls the traffic.

Internet Connection Firewall will not work if you have AOL.
AOL is not compatible with Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
(ICF)
If you have AOL, you should contact AOL and/or get a 3rd party
firewall:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/npf/

Disable Messenger Service:
Start/Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, click Services.
Go down to "Messenger".
Right click "Messenger" and select Properties.
Then under Start-up select DISABLE
Click OK and follow prompts

Spyware may be your problem.
Check this link:
http://www.aumha.org/a/noads.php
Run Ad-Aware (free version) or Spybot to check for spyware:
http://www.lavasoft.de/
Or
http://spybot.eon.net.au/

For internet pop-ups, try one of these:
http://www.panicware.com/
http://www.bysoft.se/sureshot/stopthepop/index.html
http://www.popupbuster.com/PopUpBuster/
http://www.kolumbus.fi/eero.muhonen/FS/
http://www.endpopups.com/
http://www.adshield.org/

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://dts-l.org/index.html


"Patricia" > wrote in message
...
> The pop ups are driving me mad! They interfere with pages
> opening, they block the screen when I am writing, and now
> I am finding programs in my Control Panel that
> have "installed themselves". How do I stop this? It's
> slowing my computer, popping up adult sites in front of
> my kindergardener, taking up space in my hard drive....we
> don't even enjoy using the computer anymore because it's
> so frustrating. Can anyone help?

[Nicholas]

A New Window Appears When You Visit Some Web Sites
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=3Dkb;[LN];Q308446=20

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=3Dkb;en-us;330904&sd=3Dtec=
h

Essential Security Tools for Home Office Users
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=3D/technet/colu=
mns/security/5min/5min-105.asp=20

If you wish to solve your pop-up problems once and for
all, consider purchasing and installing a third-party program
designed to do just that:

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


--=20
Nicholas

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Patricia" > wrote in message:
...

| The pop ups are driving me mad! They interfere with pages=20
| opening, they block the screen when I am writing, and now=20
| I am finding programs in my Control Panel that=20
| have "installed themselves". How do I stop this? It's=20
| slowing my computer, popping up adult sites in front of=20
| my kindergardener, taking up space in my hard drive....we=20
| don't even enjoy using the computer anymore because it's=20
| so frustrating. Can anyone help?

[jp]

just install a spy ware removal program
>-----Original Message-----
>A New Window Appears When You Visit Some Web Sites
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;
[LN];Q308446
>
>Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet
Advertisement Appears
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;330904&sd=tech
>
>Essential Security Tools for Home Office Users
>http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?
url=/technet/columns/security/5min/5min-105.asp
>
>If you wish to solve your pop-up problems once and for
>all, consider purchasing and installing a third-party
program
>designed to do just that:
>
>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
>
>----------------------------------------------------------
-------------
>
>"Patricia" > wrote in message:
> ...
>
>| The pop ups are driving me mad! They interfere with
pages
>| opening, they block the screen when I am writing, and
now
>| I am finding programs in my Control Panel that
>| have "installed themselves". How do I stop this? It's
>| slowing my computer, popping up adult sites in front of
>| my kindergardener, taking up space in my hard
drive....we
>| don't even enjoy using the computer anymore because
it's
>| so frustrating. Can anyone help?
>.
>

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Some of the popups use legitimate services such as Messenger Service
and the popup stoppers will not stop them because they are not
actually popups.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
http://dts-l.org/index.html


"jp" > wrote in message
...
> just install a spy ware removal program