@_$(*%+ Messenger Service - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Bill L · 05-17-2003, 11:31 AM

I constantly get these pop ups from Messenger Service. Is this spyware that gets in with downloads like Kazaa?

Its driving me NUTS!

Anybody know how to delete or deactivate it with existing Windows XP or free downlaod software? I've found some that cahrge for the software (from the Messenger Spam no less

)

HELP!

NilsC · 05-17-2003, 12:01 PM

give these guys a try
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/ , I use them on my home computer and 40 computers that I administer. It's free for home use. read the instructions on how to keep it running as a TSR.

Hope this help. (It's a company in Denmark / Germany but they have affiliates here in the us.

Anytime you like to test out your computer go to www.grc.com and test for open ports on your computer.

Nils

Bill L · 05-17-2003, 01:22 PM

Thanks Nils, I'll give it a shot

Pete_G · 05-19-2003, 10:10 PM

Are you talking about Windows Messenger? If so I have a registry edit that can make it go away.

Bill L · 05-21-2003, 09:15 PM

Nils, finished the Adaware download and ran the scan, got rid of a bunch of files.

BUT, got another (#%*_#% Messenger Service box as I write this

There was one file that could'nt be deleted because I had my browser open though....

Pete, I'm not sure if its "Windows Messenger", its just a gray box that says "Messenger Service" at the top, with text for some type of ad in it. Is this what you have the registry edit for??

Pete_G · 05-23-2003, 07:32 PM

It doesn't sound like it toonoc. Windows Messenger is the chat client Microsoft integrated into XP- http://www.windowsmessenger.com Usually the icon for it is sitting in the system tray (bottom right corner of the screen). I can't remember why I despised Messenger so much as to get rid of it but I believe it was because of pop up messages. This sounds like something different though.

Raven · 05-24-2003, 10:30 AM

try this reg cleaner and kick some computer ass

http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/regcleaner.shtml
free and easy to use....

Raven

NilsC · 05-27-2003, 07:13 AM

Toonoc what OS are you using and what Browser version #?

nils

Bill L · 05-27-2003, 07:54 PM

Nils, I have Windows XP home on a new Dell, and use AOL 8.0.

I've run adaware twice, and each time there is something that it says can't be removed, somthing about close browser and reboot. I'll keep trying -- removed a bunch of crap as it was

Kram · 05-27-2003, 08:08 PM

Seeing as how u have XP, it may be from the REAL ONE media player. I don't know how to stop this this but that may be the source. Do some research. but I'll bet that is what it is.

Raven · 05-28-2003, 08:18 AM

i will never have it on a computer i own...its evil and has more error messages than you can shake a stick at ....not mention imbedded stuff you don't want. Windows 98 second addition still rules for being able to configure it exactly the way "you" want.
but of course thats just "my" opinion. Everyone who asks me for help with computer troubles has windows xp and its driving them crazy for one reason or another.

NilsC · 05-28-2003, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by toonoc
Nils, I have Windows XP home on a new Dell, and use AOL 8.0.

I hate to say this, Windows XP home is limited in the amount of control and tweaking that you can do to it. It's ment for the casual home user with limited knowledge to computers and no desire to tweak (Until they realize how bad it is) and then its to late.

there is a lot of help and tweaks on this site http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakxp/ but it's kinda limited to the pro version and some of it is editing your registry DO NOT EDIT REGISTRY BEFORE YOU BACK IT UP.

As an example on a tweak that can be done on both xp home and pro to remove an macromedia flash plugin: Disable IE's Macromedia Flash plug-in . Read the instructions before you do anything. Back up your computer before you start tweaking (at least your important data). I don't know what your skill level is and some of this can disable your computer if you do the wrong thing.... so be sure before you do anything.

Make sure you have all the original disks that came with the computer just in case you have to restore everything to original configuration.

The reason for all the warnings are from personal experience... I have locked up and crashed more computers than I can think of. I use Norton Ghost on all new computers to have an easy out reinstalling the computer.

Let me know if this helps or post specifics on the popups/problems. try to start computer in safe mode, the run adavare again. (I run adaware every time my cpu is restarted, I'm paranoid, I also run test to check for keystroke loggers, and I have pix firewall and personal firewall on my computer. I have a popup killer from a programmer in Sweden (I can't find his link to post but I'll continue looking).

nils

NilsC · 05-28-2003, 09:48 AM

This is free Ad shield

Paid site (version) Adshield

TheSpecialist · 05-29-2003, 10:12 PM

Toonoc I get those as well. It sucks when you are online gaming in the middle and it throws you out cause of it.

TheSpecialist · 05-29-2003, 10:25 PM

I just downloaded that Adware 6, wholly crap it found 150 entries

Raven · 05-30-2003, 04:15 AM

gator is a bad one too always sneakin a popup in there - hey do ya wanna's....no i don't wanna ->you die ->gator.kill kill KILL ..sometimes in the early morning i do my own AOL scan for any art,reference,mention of AOL and i kill it all BA-BOOM DEAD!
that chit drives me crazy. plus i have most decidedly excorcized
all default >wavs that come with the 98se OS so if i want a freakin sound ->like the call of a Raven

i'll do it MYself!

NilsC · 05-30-2003, 07:45 AM

I just ran Adaware on my DMZ computer at home last night, over 1100 references to spyware, cookies, possible browser hijack attempt. I had 800 references to port scanning from 40 different IP ranges, some of them faked. 22 hacker/cracker attempts and 1 h/c that got in and trashed the files on the c:\ drive.

I used Norton Ghost to restore this old 486 to it's glory so she can defend my home network another day.

So the moral is, anyone with an highspeed internet connection should install some sort of firewall, turn off all unneeded network functions, and if you have to share drives do NOT use C:\ without a password as the share name.

IMHO hackers/crackers s%&*s, as bad as popups and adware, spyware.

Nils

Raven · 05-30-2003, 08:34 AM

ya can't even ping my box .... my firewall is so tight- tight ->TIGHT