pop ups and acess to media

[David Hornblow]

I am having problems getting rid of pop up windows. I am
going through the control panel into folder options and
then the view page and diasbling pop ups, then applying
changes and restarting my computer. This does not stop
them coming back!!
I don't like them and want them to go.

Also what is the procedure of recording external audio
into a folder which then is kept on my hard drive and
accessed by my media player.

Also critical update packs number up to 27 and will take
4-5 hours to download.Which ones are really critical?. I
have my firewall inline and am running anti-virus
software.No problems seen with the OS.

Ta

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

Please define the popups you are receiving since you describe them as popup
windows. The popup option that you describe only disables the "baloon tips"
and even those take some time to diminish though the option ulitmately does
turn those off.

As to the audio question, first you need to connect an audio cable to the
source of the external audio and connect it to the line-in on your
soundcard, any Radio Shack can guide you about what to do and the proper
cable. The actual recording requires special software. Many free audio
apps include such an option, Musicmatch, Winamp, etc.

Critical updates, if they say server, or reference something other than the
type of system you have, you can ignore them. If they are specific to XP,
you probably should have them. These are generally security updates and
they plug holes in the operating system that have been found and are known
to be exploited by virus writers.

Having a firewall is a help as is antivirus you routinely update with new
definitions and scan your system regularly. However, you can't always be
certain something won't get through. If you check these boards you'll find
numerous horror stories about viruses, expecially in the last few weeks.
Antivirus software is only as good as its most recent update, you can still
become infected if the virus hits your system before you receive and install
the update.

Also, safe computing dictates that you scan every file and every attachment
you receive, whether you download it from a known source, unknown source or
your best friend. In fact, most people become infected because they fail to
scan a file or attachment received from a friend who also was infected for
the same reason. Can you be sure you will be on constant guard. If not,
they you need to consider the updates that plug holes in the system as being
crucial in protecting your setup.

For the most part, that's what the critical updates do. Sometimes they are
for the purpose of correcting something specific that may not apply to you
and you can avoid those. Just read the information, if it says it only
applies to certain things and lists them you are probably fine if they don't
seem to apply to you but when in doubt, it's probably best to install.

A few weeks ago, we were asked a similar question about security updates
(they comprise most of the critical updates) and most of us said, if you
have a router, a firewall and antivirus software that you keep up to date
and scan regularly and don't participate in high risk endeavors such as file
swapping and downloading from the various file swapping services, you are
probably safe. Given what we've seen in the last 2 weeks, I don't think we
can be safe enough and the individual can't always know for sure so the
cricital updates, at least those that apply to security give an added layer
of protection.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

"David Hornblow" > wrote in message
...
> I am having problems getting rid of pop up windows. I am
> going through the control panel into folder options and
> then the view page and diasbling pop ups, then applying
> changes and restarting my computer. This does not stop
> them coming back!!
> I don't like them and want them to go.
>
> Also what is the procedure of recording external audio
> into a folder which then is kept on my hard drive and
> accessed by my media player.
>
> Also critical update packs number up to 27 and will take
> 4-5 hours to download.Which ones are really critical?. I
> have my firewall inline and am running anti-virus
> software.No problems seen with the OS.
>
> Ta

[David Hollway]

"David Hornblow" <> wrote in message
...
> I am having problems getting rid of pop up windows. I am
> going through the control panel into folder options and
> then the view page and diasbling pop ups, then applying
> changes and restarting my computer. This does not stop
> them coming back!!
> I don't like them and want them to go.

David

If the popups you refer to appear in the middle of the screen when you're on
line, and look like windows system dialogs, then you are being hit by the
notorious "messenger service spam", which despite the name is nothing to do
with the "Windows/MSN Messenger" instant chat clients.
The page at http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/docs/messagepopup/ has
instructions for dealing with these popups.

> Also what is the procedure of recording external audio
> into a folder which then is kept on my hard drive and
> accessed by my media player.

Plug the external audio source (CD player, tape deck, minidisc player,
radio, etc) into the soundcard of your PC. Use software to record the audio
(some freeware sound editing software is at:
http://download-ecke.de/nonags/auedit.html). Then compress it if required to
save disk space, for example to MP3 format. A good encoder for MP3 and the
newer Ogg Vorbis audio formats is WinLAME, http://winlame.sourceforge.net/.

>
> Also critical update packs number up to 27 and will take
> 4-5 hours to download.Which ones are really critical?. I
> have my firewall inline and am running anti-virus
> software.No problems seen with the OS.

Read the descriptions of the patches, and determine whether they all apply
to your PC. For example, some say "the remote attacker would need to have
the ability to log onto your computer". Unless your computer is used by lots
of different people, you may consider this a low priority.

Hope this helps..

>
> Ta

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

There are at least three varieties of pop-ups, and the solutions
vary accordingly. Which specific type(s) is troubling you?

1) Does the title bar of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"

This particular "sales method" is strikingly similar to the
"protection" rackets offered to small businesses by organized
criminals. Yes, it's a scam; no reputable business would need to
resort to extortion. Particularly since they're trying to sell you a
type of protection that is already available to you free of charge.

This type of spam has become quite common over the past few
months, and unintentionally serves as a valid security "alert." It
demonstrates that you haven't been taking sufficient precautions while
connected to the Internet. Your data probably hasn't been compromised
by these specific advertisements, but if you're open to this exploit,
you may well be open to other threats. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall. (Disabling the messenger service, as
some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does nothing to
secure your machine.) And ignoring or just "putting up with" these
messages and the problem they represent is particularly foolish.

Messenger Service of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;168893

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904

Stopping Advertisements with Messenger Service Titles
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Oh, and be especially wary of people who advise you to do nothing
more than disable the messenger service. Disabling the messenger
service is a "head in the sand" approach to computer security.

The real problem is _not_ the messenger service pop-ups; they're
actually providing a useful service by acting as a security alert. The
true problem is the unsecured computer, and you've been
advised to merely turn off the warnings. How is this helpful?

Equivalent Scenario 1: Somewhere in a house, a small fire starts,
and sets off the smoke alarm. You, not immediately seeing any
fire/smoke, complain about the noise of the smoke detector, and are
advised to remove the smoke detector's battery and go back to sleep.

Equivalent Scenario 2: You over-exert your shoulder at work or
play, causing bursitis. After weeks of annoying and sometimes
excruciating pain whenever you try to reach over your head, you go to
a doctor and say, while demonstrating the motion, "Doc, it hurts when
I do this." The doctor, being as helpful as some of your respondents,
replies, "Well, don't do that."

I'm beginning to think that the people deliberately posting such
bad advice are hacker-wannabes who have no true interest in helping
you secure your system, but would rather give you a false sense of
security while ensuring that your computer is still open to
exploitation.

2) For regular Internet pop-ups, you might try the free 12Ghosts
Popup-killer from http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/popup.htm or Pop-Up
Stopper from http://www.panicware.com/. Myself, I use Norton Internet
Security, which, in addition to containing Norton Anti-Virus and
Personal Firewall, also blocks many of the pop-up adds on the
Internet.

3) For pop-ups caused by some sort of "adware" and/or "spyware,"
such as Gator, Comet Cursors, or Bonzai Buddy, that you've
deliberately installed, two products that are quite effective at
finding and removing scumware are Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and
SpyBot Search and Destroy from http://security.kolla.de/. Both have
free evaluation versions.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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


"David Hornblow" > wrote in message
...
> I am having problems getting rid of pop up windows. I am
> going through the control panel into folder options and
> then the view page and diasbling pop ups, then applying
> changes and restarting my computer. This does not stop
> them coming back!!
> I don't like them and want them to go.
>
> Also what is the procedure of recording external audio
> into a folder which then is kept on my hard drive and
> accessed by my media player.
>
> Also critical update packs number up to 27 and will take
> 4-5 hours to download.Which ones are really critical?. I
> have my firewall inline and am running anti-virus
> software.No problems seen with the OS.
>
> Ta