Re: popupmessages/Bruce & Jupiter

[Janis]

First, Bruce, thanks for the insight into AOL & XP
firewall, though I wonder why, if they are behind their
own firewall, why these messages still keep getting
through?

Jupiter,
I cross-posted my original post to the messenger newsgroup
as well. Here is an excerpt of the reply I got from
Jonathan Kay, MVP, of that group (with his permission, of
course) which I'd like to share with this group.

From: "Jonathan Kay [MVP]"
>

There are only two services in confusion here.
The "Messenger Service", which is a built-in
service in Windows which allows quick "pop up" messages to
be sent and the ".NET Messenger Service", which is the
instant messaging network that MSN and Windows Messenger
use.

Instead of dealing with that, just turn off the "Messenger
Service". The "Messenger Service" is not used by any
component of Windows, is only used by some very old virus
scanners on servers (which would be in a corporate
environment where you would be protected from this
spam anyway). Neither turning off the "Messenger Service"
or using the Windows XP Firewall will stop virus/automatic
updates from working.

Just as a brief recap, here is how to turn off 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.

I disabled messenger service as you and & Jonathan said,
and no more pop-ups....to-date.

Thanks Jupiter & Bruce for your replies.
Janis

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

You're welcome.

As to why the messenger service pop-ups get thru AOL's firewall --
I didn't say it was a particularly good, properly configured, or
entirely effective firewall. And the pop-ups even get through WinXP's
built-in firewall, unless it's been specifically configured to stop
them.

However, a portion of the post you cited from the messenger news
group is horrifically wrong. The messenger service most definitely
isn't "... only used by some very old virus scanners on servers..."
It's main use, in fact, is for the network administrator to broadcast
important and urgent messages to all currently logged on users, such
as warnings that a server must be downed temporarily and everyone
should save their work immediately, or announcements that a server is
back up. I'm very surprised than someone awarded an MVP for offering
network advice could have been unaware of this use of the service.

Admittedly, the messenger service is of little use to the home
user, particularly on a stand-alone machine, and disabling it won't
hurt anything in your case. However, disabling the messenger service,
by itself, is a "head in the sand" solution to the true problem. A
good, properly configured firewall is necessary for proper security.


Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
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----
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Janis" > wrote in message
...
> First, Bruce, thanks for the insight into AOL & XP
> firewall, though I wonder why, if they are behind their
> own firewall, why these messages still keep getting
> through?
>
> Jupiter,
> I cross-posted my original post to the messenger newsgroup
> as well. Here is an excerpt of the reply I got from
> Jonathan Kay, MVP, of that group (with his permission, of
> course) which I'd like to share with this group.
>
> From: "Jonathan Kay [MVP]"
> >
>
> There are only two services in confusion here.
> The "Messenger Service", which is a built-in
> service in Windows which allows quick "pop up" messages to
> be sent and the ".NET Messenger Service", which is the
> instant messaging network that MSN and Windows Messenger
> use.
>
> Instead of dealing with that, just turn off the "Messenger
> Service". The "Messenger Service" is not used by any
> component of Windows, is only used by some very old virus
> scanners on servers (which would be in a corporate
> environment where you would be protected from this
> spam anyway). Neither turning off the "Messenger Service"
> or using the Windows XP Firewall will stop virus/automatic
> updates from working.
>
> Just as a brief recap, here is how to turn off 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.
>
> I disabled messenger service as you and & Jonathan said,
> and no more pop-ups....to-date.
>
> Thanks Jupiter & Bruce for your replies.
> Janis
>
>