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"Getting Those Annoying PopUps?"

You know the ones? You don't even have to have a browser open, yet they just 'appear' from nowhere as a little grey box with text on your desktop?

The solution is here! And you don't have to fork out $25 for a fancy software package that does a little tweak to your settings (probably made by the same company that's sending you those damn popups...).

Windows Messenger services use NetBios, a standard protocol that enables communication among systems on a network. You can deactivate NetBios in Windows NT and Windows 2000 by a series of commands that block the NetBIOS ports (ports 135-139).

First, go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, and Services. Next, select Messenger from the list and right-click; then select Properties. Last, select the Stop button and then Startup Type and finally Disable.

Windows XP users wishing to turn off Windows Messenger service should go to Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance and select Administrative Tools.

Next, follow the same steps as you would with 2000 and select Messenger from the list. Right-click and select Properties. Select the Stop button, choose Startup Type, and then pick Disable.

The solution was provided by a topic on PCWorld's website. And it works too. It took me 3 months to find a solution, and I'm sooooo happy that I finally found one that's written in plain English for idiots like me that actually works, I thought I'd share it with you all :)

Nope, my desktop looks like this:
http://www.geocities.com/fantasymeisteruk/index.html

(HawkWynde was my ingame name in Legend of Mir for those that wonder. Interestingly, it's also my ingame name in most online RPG's nowadays, as is 'FM', purely because most online RPGs won't let me have a name as long as 'FantasyMeister', which is criminal in my view).

Was that person you FM?

I'm getting those Windows Messenger pop-up adverts now, even if I'm not signed on. The latest one said:

"Want to come and watch me get naughty in my own home? Then download the webcam here - www.blahblahblah.com - and then 'come' along to - www.dedadedadeda.com - at 7pm tonight."


Needless to say, I followed her instructions.

Ah, it's only an XP thing...

I had the popups just appearing randomly because of adware...

phi11ip wrote:
> If it's happening on the desktop without anything being loaded, you've
> got Adware/Spyware installed on your PC...

If it pops up in a Windows type box, then yes. This thread relates to the Windows Messenger popups (not MSN Messenger, totally different thing).

They look like this (screenshot taken by someone thinking they were hacked):

http://www.ragezone.com/imageupload/doihaveavirus.GIF

If it's happening on the desktop without anything being loaded, you've got Adware/Spyware installed on your PC...

Nothing to do with your settings, leave them alone!

Just download Adaware from www.lavasoft.de and let it scan your PC, it will then allow you to delete all the crap that you've had installed with all of the stuff that you've downloaded..

Use the backup thing before deleting it...

er-no wrote:
> Or... if anyone is fed up of crap pop-ups on their windows machine.
>
> You guessed my next line:
>
> Buy a Mac. ;)

This helps, but not always. When I go to Yahoo on the Mac, I always get their pop up window as well as their main page.

What about Linux - any built in pop up stopper?

Or use opera i dont trust those kind of software kyz.

Or... if anyone is fed up of crap pop-ups on their windows machine.

You guessed my next line:

Buy a Mac. ;)

www.popupstopper.com

Free download.

If the link doesn't work it must be .net

I got it and it works, mostly.