Gray boxes with spam messages

[Susan]

Since I installed Windows XP Pro, I've been receiving
occasional large gray boxes on my screen with spam
messages in them. My first assumption was that these might
be coming via Windows Messenger, so I (think I)
uninstalled it (I wasn't planning to IM).

However, I'm still getting these things. I haven't singed
on as a buddy, so I don't know how anyone out there would
have gotten permission to IM me, anyway.

Can anyone tell me what these things are and how to stop
them?

Some time ago, I did get a .NET passport for something.
Would this somehow be enabling it?

When I delete these things, do they go to some folder or
just get permanently deleted?

Thanks,
Susan

[John E. Carty]

The problem is the Messenger service, which is something totally different
then what you have listed.. Try going into your services list and disabling
Messenger :-)


"Susan" > wrote in message
...
> Since I installed Windows XP Pro, I've been receiving
> occasional large gray boxes on my screen with spam
> messages in them. My first assumption was that these might
> be coming via Windows Messenger, so I (think I)
> uninstalled it (I wasn't planning to IM).
>
> However, I'm still getting these things. I haven't singed
> on as a buddy, so I don't know how anyone out there would
> have gotten permission to IM me, anyway.
>
> Can anyone tell me what these things are and how to stop
> them?
>
> Some time ago, I did get a .NET passport for something.
> Would this somehow be enabling it?
>
> When I delete these things, do they go to some folder or
> just get permanently deleted?
>
> Thanks,
> Susan

[Susan]

Hi, John --

I have looked up "Messenger service" and just "Services"
in Help and Support and can't find anything that tells me
what or where this is and how to disable it. Can you give
me some more clues? Can't find this in Windows XP Pro: The
Missing Manual, either.

Thanks!
Susan

>-----Original Message-----
>The problem is the Messenger service, which is something
totally different
>then what you have listed.. Try going into your services
list and disabling
>Messenger :-)
>

[Jupiter Jones]

Susan;
Passport has nothing to do with the messages.
When you click OK, you are not really deleting them.
The messages simply go away.
The only existence of them is the image on the screen, when it is gone
from the screen, it is gone.

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.
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.
This will not work if you have AOL.
AOL is not compatible with Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
(ICF)

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

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
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


"Susan" > wrote in message
...
> Since I installed Windows XP Pro, I've been receiving
> occasional large gray boxes on my screen with spam
> messages in them. My first assumption was that these might
> be coming via Windows Messenger, so I (think I)
> uninstalled it (I wasn't planning to IM).
>
> However, I'm still getting these things. I haven't singed
> on as a buddy, so I don't know how anyone out there would
> have gotten permission to IM me, anyway.
>
> Can anyone tell me what these things are and how to stop
> them?
>
> Some time ago, I did get a .NET passport for something.
> Would this somehow be enabling it?
>
> When I delete these things, do they go to some folder or
> just get permanently deleted?
>
> Thanks,
> Susan

[Susan]

Jupiter Jones -- Thank you very much!

-- Susan

>-----Original Message-----
>Susan;
>Passport has nothing to do with the messages.
>When you click OK, you are not really deleting them.
>The messages simply go away.
>The only existence of them is the image on the screen,
when it is gone
>from the screen, it is gone.
>
>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.
>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.
>This will not work if you have AOL.
>AOL is not compatible with Windows XP Internet Connection
Firewall
>(ICF)
>
>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
>
>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
>An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/se
tup.asp
>Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.
>
>
>"Susan" > wrote in message
...
>> Since I installed Windows XP Pro, I've been receiving
>> occasional large gray boxes on my screen with spam
>> messages in them. My first assumption was that these
might
>> be coming via Windows Messenger, so I (think I)
>> uninstalled it (I wasn't planning to IM).
>>
>> However, I'm still getting these things. I haven't
singed
>> on as a buddy, so I don't know how anyone out there
would
>> have gotten permission to IM me, anyway.
>>
>> Can anyone tell me what these things are and how to stop
>> them?
>>
>> Some time ago, I did get a .NET passport for something.
>> Would this somehow be enabling it?
>>
>> When I delete these things, do they go to some folder or
>> just get permanently deleted?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Susan
>
>
>.
>

[Jupiter Jones]

Your welcome Susan.
Glad I could help.

--
Jupiter Jones
Check the following link for some great problem solving newsgroups.
http://support.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.aspx
Please respond to newsgroup only. Everyone can benefit from the
message.


"Susan" > wrote in message
...
> Jupiter Jones -- Thank you very much!
>
> -- Susan
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Susan;
> >Passport has nothing to do with the messages.
> >When you click OK, you are not really deleting them.
> >The messages simply go away.
> >The only existence of them is the image on the screen,
> when it is gone
> >from the screen, it is gone.
> >
> >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.
> >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.
> >This will not work if you have AOL.
> >AOL is not compatible with Windows XP Internet Connection
> Firewall
> >(ICF)
> >
> >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
> >
> >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
> >An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
> >http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/se
> tup.asp
> >Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.
> >
> >
> >"Susan" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> Since I installed Windows XP Pro, I've been receiving
> >> occasional large gray boxes on my screen with spam
> >> messages in them. My first assumption was that these
> might
> >> be coming via Windows Messenger, so I (think I)
> >> uninstalled it (I wasn't planning to IM).
> >>
> >> However, I'm still getting these things. I haven't
> singed
> >> on as a buddy, so I don't know how anyone out there
> would
> >> have gotten permission to IM me, anyway.
> >>
> >> Can anyone tell me what these things are and how to stop
> >> them?
> >>
> >> Some time ago, I did get a .NET passport for something.
> >> Would this somehow be enabling it?
> >>
> >> When I delete these things, do they go to some folder or
> >> just get permanently deleted?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Susan