Here's a nice user-friendly "How To" on the subject from MS:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p...e/stopspam.asp

The article lists alternative methods to stopping the Spam - aside from the
draconian step of disabling the service.

Later,
Neb


"Frances Emerson" wrote in message
...
I recently purchased a laptop with Win XP installed. I
never configured Messenger, but set up all my email
accounts with no problems. Over the past few days I've
begun receiving many spam messages, some of them quite
vulgar. I tried to delete the .exe files in the Messenger
directory, but that didn't work. I've also tried
uninstalling using your run command "RunDll32
advpack.dll ...", but no success. My kids use this
computer, and this has really got to stop! Any ideas
would be most appreciated.

Fran Emerson