Messenger service pop ups

[PhilLew]

How do you get rid of these damn things, every one of them seems to be advertising a programme to stop you getting them but I tried one on a 'free trial' and it didn't work. Any ideas?

[brawburd]

The idea of the pop-up creators advertising how to stop them hasn't filled me with confidence. I would imagine its a bit like fax and e-mail spam, where responding just confirms to them that their message is getting to someone. I only started getting pop-up messages a couple of weeks ago, and although I removed downloads I thought might be culpable they still persist. In fact, there's one from Britney just now! I'm with you PhilLew - ideas for stopping them!!

[brawburd]

sorry PhilLew, didn't answer your question!

[Gandy]

I reccomend getting a good firewall. Kerio is an ok free one. Mcafee's is very good for about �25

[banana]

Try http://www.panicware.com/product_downloads.html t
he free download is working nicely with XP. IT is a simple version but all I wanted was to not have to click on the damned things every time I opened another window .You dont have to register or anything sinister.

[palaceben]

These are caused by Windows Messenger (nothing to do with MSN Messenger) being accessed by other Computers. You probably don't need this active, and if you switch it off these pop-ups will stop. To switch it off you need to do the following: Select Start Menu>Settings>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services (The names may be slightly different depending on OS ... this is for Win2000) On this page Double click on "Messenger" and change the Startup type to "Disabled" and then Click on "Stop" and then on "OK" Then you are done. Close the window and your pop-ups will be no more :-) Hope this helps.

[palaceben]

PS ... these are different pop-ups from pop-up ads ... these are horrible Messenger Pop-Ups, which a pop-up blocker won't stop ... I think the previous posters may have missed that point.

[gilf]

I have McAfee firewall and up untill last week it was blocking all popups however over the last week I seem to be getting them again

[PhilLew]

YIPPEEE. Found it.Note to anyone else trying to rid themselves of this blight on mankind. If you are using xp. it does not have admin tools on the start menu as default then click start menu>control panel>appearance and themes>taskbar & start menu>customise>advanced. then find system admin tools at the bottom of the list and click "display on all pogrammes menu". Then you can go into it and change the settings as described by the previous answers. phew. Many Many thanks to all who contributed.

[brawburd]

as matter of interest, I tried banana's advice and it is working just fine against messenger pop-ups.

[sukisingh]

The best you can get for pop ups a little utiltiy called POP UP KILLER. You can get it free from www.download.com and simply search for it on that site (using the search box) at times it works at bit too well as it will not let you open some web sites that may have op ups be it innocent or not, but this is easly overcome by pressing when you access the web page. I think this tool is brilliant

[palaceben]

Glad I was able to help PhilLew ... and sorry i didn't know the way through in XP ... and thanks for letting me know - I have a colleague with XP with the same problem at home ... I will pass on the route to him :-)

[palaceben]

And another PS ... sukisingh - these are NOT Pop-up Ads ..... they are Windows Messenger messages.