pop-ups, spyware .. what the hell ???

[Daniel]

Just bought a new TOSHIBA laptop and I keep getting those "messenger"
messages just popping up whenever I type an email or play a game, from what
seems someone who knows my ip address and wants to sell some software or
something ... The only thing I experienced before, on my old desktop, is
pop-ups when I surfed the net but this is different. Can anyone help ? What
are those and is my pc compromised in any way, security wise ? I also keep
getting messages from my pc telling me to purchase a "no to messenger"
software ( www.blockmessenger.com to be more specific).. It also pops a
window saying that I'm "leaking" my ip address etc etc ... What's up ? Is my
pc trying to sell me something I don't need with scare tactics ?? LOL!!!
With my 4 year old windows 98 desktop pc I never even had to install any
virus or any other security software and never had a problem but this
windows xp is very hard to get used to.

Thanks,

Daniel

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Daniel,

Enable the internal firewall, check the properties of your connection.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Daniel" > wrote in message
. ca...
> Just bought a new TOSHIBA laptop and I keep getting those "messenger"
> messages just popping up whenever I type an email or play a game, from
what
> seems someone who knows my ip address and wants to sell some software or
> something ... The only thing I experienced before, on my old desktop, is
> pop-ups when I surfed the net but this is different. Can anyone help ?
What
> are those and is my pc compromised in any way, security wise ? I also keep
> getting messages from my pc telling me to purchase a "no to messenger"
> software ( www.blockmessenger.com to be more specific).. It also pops a
> window saying that I'm "leaking" my ip address etc etc ... What's up ? Is
my
> pc trying to sell me something I don't need with scare tactics ?? LOL!!!
> With my 4 year old windows 98 desktop pc I never even had to install any
> virus or any other security software and never had a problem but this
> windows xp is very hard to get used to.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Daniel
>
>
>

[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



"Daniel" > wrote in message
. ca...
> Just bought a new TOSHIBA laptop and I keep getting those "messenger"
> messages just popping up whenever I type an email or play a game, from
what
> seems someone who knows my ip address and wants to sell some software or
> something ... The only thing I experienced before, on my old desktop, is
> pop-ups when I surfed the net but this is different. Can anyone help ?
What
> are those and is my pc compromised in any way, security wise ? I also keep
> getting messages from my pc telling me to purchase a "no to messenger"
> software ( www.blockmessenger.com to be more specific).. It also pops a
> window saying that I'm "leaking" my ip address etc etc ... What's up ? Is
my
> pc trying to sell me something I don't need with scare tactics ?? LOL!!!
> With my 4 year old windows 98 desktop pc I never even had to install any
> virus or any other security software and never had a problem but this
> windows xp is very hard to get used to.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Daniel
>
>
>

[Daniel]

Thanks so much for your help guys! Problems seem fixed. Firewall is up and
messenger is disabled and am now running adaware!!

Thanks :))

Daniel

[Donald Link]

If you connect to the internet and do not believe you do not need a
firewall, virus program, adremover program, trojan detector program then
your a very foolish person and are in for a lot of future grief. Do not
blame XP.




"Daniel" > wrote in message
. ca...
> Just bought a new TOSHIBA laptop and I keep getting those "messenger"
> messages just popping up whenever I type an email or play a game, from
what
> seems someone who knows my ip address and wants to sell some software or
> something ... The only thing I experienced before, on my old desktop, is
> pop-ups when I surfed the net but this is different. Can anyone help ?
What
> are those and is my pc compromised in any way, security wise ? I also keep
> getting messages from my pc telling me to purchase a "no to messenger"
> software ( www.blockmessenger.com to be more specific).. It also pops a
> window saying that I'm "leaking" my ip address etc etc ... What's up ? Is
my
> pc trying to sell me something I don't need with scare tactics ?? LOL!!!
> With my 4 year old windows 98 desktop pc I never even had to install any
> virus or any other security software and never had a problem but this
> windows xp is very hard to get used to.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Daniel
>
>
>