messenger service pop ups

[MIke]

How can I get rid of the annoying pop ups from messenger
service. The ones w/gray background. Please help!

[Gary Tsang]

For Messenger Service ads:
You need to install or enable a firewall:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q330904

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 of a larger
issue. The real problem is open ports that allow unwanted traffic into the
computer.

Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports. You would need a
firewall that controls the traffic.

The above solution will not work if you have AOL as 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.

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

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/






--
Gary Tsang


"MIke" > wrote in message
...
> How can I get rid of the annoying pop ups from messenger
> service. The ones w/gray background. Please help!

[Paul]

>-----Original Message-----
>For Messenger Service ads:
>You need to install or enable a firewall:
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-
US;Q330904
>
>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 of a larger
>issue. The real problem is open ports that allow
unwanted traffic into the
>computer.
>
>Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports.
You would need a
>firewall that controls the traffic.
>
>The above solution will not work if you have AOL as 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.
>
>Disable Messenger Service:
>Start/Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, click
Services.
>Go down to "Messenger".
>Right click "Messenger" and select Properties.
>Hit the Stop Button under Service Status section
>Then under Start-up select DISABLE
>Click OK and follow prompts
>
>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/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>--
>Gary Tsang
>
>
>"MIke" > wrote in message
...
>> How can I get rid of the annoying pop ups from
messenger
>> service. The ones w/gray background. Please help!
>
>
>.
>I tried enabling MS WindowsXP's ICF (Internet Connection
Firewall) to solve this pop up spam problem, but found I
then had difficulty accessing my RoadRunner via cable
modem, as well as one of my highly used streaming data
application sites. Am I alone here? Or has anyone else
found an incompatibility between RR and ICF? Has anyone
had a positive experience with Norton's firewall in NIS?
Thanks.

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Paul,

As Gary said in his message, you can avoid the whole firewall thing (and this is what I
recommend) and simply just disable this service from running.

To do so, 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.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

"Paul" > wrote in message ...
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >For Messenger Service ads:
> >You need to install or enable a firewall:
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-
> US;Q330904
> >
> >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 of a larger
> >issue. The real problem is open ports that allow
> unwanted traffic into the
> >computer.
> >
> >Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports.
> You would need a
> >firewall that controls the traffic.
> >
> >The above solution will not work if you have AOL as 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.
> >
> >Disable Messenger Service:
> >Start/Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, click
> Services.
> >Go down to "Messenger".
> >Right click "Messenger" and select Properties.
> >Hit the Stop Button under Service Status section
> >Then under Start-up select DISABLE
> >Click OK and follow prompts
> >
> >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/
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Gary Tsang
> >
> >
> >"MIke" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> How can I get rid of the annoying pop ups from
> messenger
> >> service. The ones w/gray background. Please help!
> >
> >
> >.
> >I tried enabling MS WindowsXP's ICF (Internet Connection
> Firewall) to solve this pop up spam problem, but found I
> then had difficulty accessing my RoadRunner via cable
> modem, as well as one of my highly used streaming data
> application sites. Am I alone here? Or has anyone else
> found an incompatibility between RR and ICF? Has anyone
> had a positive experience with Norton's firewall in NIS?
> Thanks.

[Paul]

>-----Original Message-----
>Greetings Paul,
>
>As Gary said in his message, you can avoid the whole
firewall thing (and this is what I
>recommend) and simply just disable this service from
running.
>
>To do so, 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.
>____________________________________________
>Jonathan Kay
>Windows MVP, Messenger
>Associate Expert
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
>Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
>
>"Paul" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >For Messenger Service ads:
>> >You need to install or enable a firewall:
>> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-
>> US;Q330904
>> >
>> >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 of a larger
>> >issue. The real problem is open ports that allow
>> unwanted traffic into the
>> >computer.
>> >
>> >Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports.
>> You would need a
>> >firewall that controls the traffic.
>> >
>> >The above solution will not work if you have AOL as 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.
>> >
>> >Disable Messenger Service:
>> >Start/Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, click
>> Services.
>> >Go down to "Messenger".
>> >Right click "Messenger" and select Properties.
>> >Hit the Stop Button under Service Status section
>> >Then under Start-up select DISABLE
>> >Click OK and follow prompts
>> >
>> >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/
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >--
>> >Gary Tsang
>> >
>> >
>> >"MIke" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >> How can I get rid of the annoying pop ups from
>> messenger
>> >> service. The ones w/gray background. Please help!
>> >
>> >
>> >.
>> >I tried enabling MS WindowsXP's ICF (Internet
Connection
>> Firewall) to solve this pop up spam problem, but found
I
>> then had difficulty accessing my RoadRunner via cable
>> modem, as well as one of my highly used streaming data
>> application sites. Am I alone here? Or has anyone
else
>> found an incompatibility between RR and ICF? Has
anyone
>> had a positive experience with Norton's firewall in
NIS?
>> Thanks.
>
>
>.
>Thanks Gary,
I appreciate your sharing your recommendation with me.
I'll definitely try the disabling route. Yet I still
wonder whether Gary's strategy of controlling unwanted
traffic of open ports through use of a firewall might not
be a sound approach, possibly for other potential
security risks. (Such an approach could let you keep
beneficial messenger service functionality, if there is
any.) Is there any, for a non-networked home user?

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Paul,

The Messenger Service does nothing locally, there isn't anything in Windows (XP) that uses
it.

The reason why Gary (and Microsoft's Knowledge Base) say to enable the firewall, is because
it then blocks insecure file shares that people have made on their PC, as well as other
security holes they may have opened. The Messenger Service itself isn't a security hole (all
it can do is bring up messages).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

"Paul" > wrote in message ...
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Greetings Paul,
> >
> >As Gary said in his message, you can avoid the whole
> firewall thing (and this is what I
> >recommend) and simply just disable this service from
> running.
> >
> >To do so, 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.
> >____________________________________________
> >Jonathan Kay
> >Windows MVP, Messenger
> >Associate Expert
> >http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
> >Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
> >
> >"Paul" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >For Messenger Service ads:
> >> >You need to install or enable a firewall:
> >> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-
> >> US;Q330904
> >> >
> >> >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 of a larger
> >> >issue. The real problem is open ports that allow
> >> unwanted traffic into the
> >> >computer.
> >> >
> >> >Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports.
> >> You would need a
> >> >firewall that controls the traffic.
> >> >
> >> >The above solution will not work if you have AOL as 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.
> >> >
> >> >Disable Messenger Service:
> >> >Start/Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, click
> >> Services.
> >> >Go down to "Messenger".
> >> >Right click "Messenger" and select Properties.
> >> >Hit the Stop Button under Service Status section
> >> >Then under Start-up select DISABLE
> >> >Click OK and follow prompts
> >> >
> >> >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/
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >--
> >> >Gary Tsang
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >"MIke" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> >> How can I get rid of the annoying pop ups from
> >> messenger
> >> >> service. The ones w/gray background. Please help!
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >.
> >> >I tried enabling MS WindowsXP's ICF (Internet
> Connection
> >> Firewall) to solve this pop up spam problem, but found
> I
> >> then had difficulty accessing my RoadRunner via cable
> >> modem, as well as one of my highly used streaming data
> >> application sites. Am I alone here? Or has anyone
> else
> >> found an incompatibility between RR and ICF? Has
> anyone
> >> had a positive experience with Norton's firewall in
> NIS?
> >> Thanks.
> >
> >
> >.
> >Thanks Gary,
> I appreciate your sharing your recommendation with me.
> I'll definitely try the disabling route. Yet I still
> wonder whether Gary's strategy of controlling unwanted
> traffic of open ports through use of a firewall might not
> be a sound approach, possibly for other potential
> security risks. (Such an approach could let you keep
> beneficial messenger service functionality, if there is
> any.) Is there any, for a non-networked home user?

[Gary Tsang]

Yup,
What Jon says is correct. The messenger service may be useful for network
administrators on a large local area network where they might want to
broadcast a message to all the users saying that the network will be down
for the next few minutes due to a network upgrade or something similar to
that.
When you disable the Messenger Service from the Services Snap-In this will
disable the messenger type pop-up alerts that administrators use and in
recent months the Messenger Spam pop-up's that are being used by spammers.
For a home-based network disabling the Messenger Service isn't a big issue,
but if you're on a corporate network and your IT department uses these
messages to give alerts then you may want to think twice before disabling
the messenger service.



--
Gary Tsang


"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Paul,
>
> The Messenger Service does nothing locally, there isn't anything in
Windows (XP) that uses
> it.
>
> The reason why Gary (and Microsoft's Knowledge Base) say to enable the
firewall, is because
> it then blocks insecure file shares that people have made on their PC, as
well as other
> security holes they may have opened. The Messenger Service itself isn't a
security hole (all
> it can do is bring up messages).
> ____________________________________________
> Jonathan Kay
> Windows MVP, Messenger
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
> Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
>
> "Paul" > wrote in message
...
> >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >Greetings Paul,
> > >
> > >As Gary said in his message, you can avoid the whole
> > firewall thing (and this is what I
> > >recommend) and simply just disable this service from
> > running.
> > >
> > >To do so, 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.
> > >____________________________________________
> > >Jonathan Kay
> > >Windows MVP, Messenger
> > >Associate Expert
> > >http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
> > >Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
> > >
> > >"Paul" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >>
> > >> >-----Original Message-----
> > >> >For Messenger Service ads:
> > >> >You need to install or enable a firewall:
> > >> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-
> > >> US;Q330904
> > >> >
> > >> >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 of a larger
> > >> >issue. The real problem is open ports that allow
> > >> unwanted traffic into the
> > >> >computer.
> > >> >
> > >> >Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports.
> > >> You would need a
> > >> >firewall that controls the traffic.
> > >> >
> > >> >The above solution will not work if you have AOL as 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.
> > >> >
> > >> >Disable Messenger Service:
> > >> >Start/Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, click
> > >> Services.
> > >> >Go down to "Messenger".
> > >> >Right click "Messenger" and select Properties.
> > >> >Hit the Stop Button under Service Status section
> > >> >Then under Start-up select DISABLE
> > >> >Click OK and follow prompts
> > >> >
> > >> >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/
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >--
> > >> >Gary Tsang
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >"MIke" > wrote in message
> > >> ...
> > >> >> How can I get rid of the annoying pop ups from
> > >> messenger
> > >> >> service. The ones w/gray background. Please help!
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >.
> > >> >I tried enabling MS WindowsXP's ICF (Internet
> > Connection
> > >> Firewall) to solve this pop up spam problem, but found
> > I
> > >> then had difficulty accessing my RoadRunner via cable
> > >> modem, as well as one of my highly used streaming data
> > >> application sites. Am I alone here? Or has anyone
> > else
> > >> found an incompatibility between RR and ICF? Has
> > anyone
> > >> had a positive experience with Norton's firewall in
> > NIS?
> > >> Thanks.
> > >
> > >
> > >.
> > >Thanks Gary,
> > I appreciate your sharing your recommendation with me.
> > I'll definitely try the disabling route. Yet I still
> > wonder whether Gary's strategy of controlling unwanted
> > traffic of open ports through use of a firewall might not
> > be a sound approach, possibly for other potential
> > security risks. (Such an approach could let you keep
> > beneficial messenger service functionality, if there is
> > any.) Is there any, for a non-networked home user?
>
>