MonitorWare Knowledge Base

[Ray Smith]

I've recently started to get grey-box pop-up messages
from 'Messenger Service' jsut appearing out of nowhere.

Most of these are from **** sites or sites selling
software to prevent these messages.

I've recently gone over to broadband. It may be a
conicidence - but I never got these messages before

Anyone else beig pestered this way? Any clues about
blocking them?

Thanks

[rgerhards]

Hi Ray,

there are two things: first off, it might be a *very* good idea to install a firewall. If you are under XP, you can activate the personal firewall. IMHO it's not a great thing, but it at least helps a bit.

Other than that, you can go to Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Services. There is a service called "Windows Messenger". It starts automatically with system startup. Set it to either manual start or disabled.

Importat: this service is *not* related to the MSN messenger. It is an old service providing for messenges like those you see. Originally, these messages were meant for (urgent) administrative messages.... until some "clever" spam guys explored them

Rainer

[bgagnon]

Hi Ray,

This look like spyware to me .You have probably installed a "Free" tool that monitor your net activities and send the information back to the compagny responsible for the spyware. Something like Gator or other. I recommand you install ad-aware: http://www.cnet.com/software/0-806181-8-7309404-1.html

HTH

[rgerhards]

I just found this link in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (it finally got some attention there ):

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;330904

HTH
Rainer