messenger spam even after enabling firewall

[Donna]

I have enabled my firewall as explained on Microsoft's
website but am still getting lots of the Messenger
Service spam pop-ups. Why and what else should I do?
Thanks!

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Donna,

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


"Donna" > wrote in message ...
> I have enabled my firewall as explained on Microsoft's
> website but am still getting lots of the Messenger
> Service spam pop-ups. Why and what else should I do?
> Thanks!

[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


"Donna" > wrote in message
...
> I have enabled my firewall as explained on Microsoft's
> website but am still getting lots of the Messenger
> Service spam pop-ups. Why and what else should I do?
> Thanks!