"Windows Messaging Service"...

[RPI-Fan]

How do I stop getting these "Windows Messaging Service" popups? I'm new to XP, so forgive me if this is a silly question somehow.

[HeavyReign]

The only way I've been able to get rid of them was by installing a firewall such as ZoneAlarm.

[JeeberD]

Crap, I saw how to stop them on Tech TV and did it right then. I have since forgotten the process. I'm sure someone else here will be able to help you though...

[mckerney]

This might work

Go to administrative tools in the control panel and choose services. Find 'messenger' on the list, right click and chose properties and change the 'startup type' to 'disabled'


Basicly right according to what HeavyReign found, and after looking in the control panel for about a minute, though I forgot to mention the stop part. Without doing it though it should be disabled the next time you start up your computer.

[Craptacular]

I have XP Pro, and I don't think I've seen any examples of what you're talking about. Of course, I pretty much always right-click on the Windows Messenger icon in the tray and disable it as soon as I log on.

[HeavyReign]

I did a quick search and found this:


Disabling the Messenger Service
You can disable the Messenger service if you want to although doing so may result in Windows not being able to alert you to some conditions. A list of circumstances when Windows will use the Messenger service to pop up informative windows isn't available right now but may include things like "print job complete", anti-virus, and event logger status messages. Also, "new mail" notifications may not be available in an Exchange/Outlook environment.

Windows 2000

Click Start->Programs->Administrative Tools->Services
Scroll down and highlight "Messenger"
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
Click the STOP button.
Select Disable in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

Windows XP

Click Start->Control Panel
Click Performance and Maintenance
Click Administrative Tools
Double click Services
Scroll down and highlight "Messenger"
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
Click the STOP button.
Select Disable in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK
You can verify the service



There is also more info here. (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q330904)

[mckerney]

This is actually different than windows messenger. It's designed to IT or whatnot can send message alerts that popup on the desktop, though it can be abused for other purposes.

[RPI-Fan]

Thanks for the tip mckerney!

Thanks to the others who offered up advice as well.

~rpi-fan

[mckerney]

Do I get a prize? :)



If contemplating what that prize should be, just remember that I actually figured this out on my own. Everyone else was either too confused or cheated. :D

[JeeberD]

Originally posted by mckerney
Do I get a prize? :)


I think he owes you a ham... :)

[ice4277]

I was getting this a lot, one of my friends told me to turn on the firewall built into WinXP, and that did the trick, I haven't gotten one since. Right-click on 'My Network Places' and click on 'Properties'. You will then see a couple icons. Right-click on one, select 'Properties', then select the 'Advanced' tab. Then click on the firewall option box. Hopefully that will do the trick!

[MizzouRah]

Clicking on the 'enable firewall' will do the trick, however if you use VPN for anything you can't enable the built in firewall.

Here's a way to do it that's a tad easier to do, but the same as what has been posted already. (Win XP)

Hit START, select RUN, and type: services.msc, click ok.

Now double click on the Messenger service and press STOP. From the Startup type list, select DISABLED to prevent messenger from loading automatically the next time Windows starts up.



Todd

[mrskippy]

Norton Internet Security will take care of it.

If you disable this feature and have certain AV packages installed, it may disable the program's ability to send notifications. That's why I never turned Messenger off and bought a firewall instead. Works good.

[MizzouRah]

By all means, a firewall does the trick, actually Windows XP's built in firewall does it just fine. Although NIS is probably the BEST firewall software out there.


Todd

[mrskippy]

Originally posted by MizzouRah
Although NIS is probably the BEST firewall software out there.


Todd

I used McAfee's for awhile and just didn't like it.

NIS includes NAV and it works really well.

It does a great job blocking spam and pop-ups to. It also blocks banner ads on Web pages.

You can go into NIS and tell it about trusted sites. That way if your favorite site uses cookies, pop-ups, banner ads, Java, etc., you won't miss out.

If you have NAV (or any Symantec product) already, you can get the upgrade price. I think after the rebate and all it was $39.95 or maybe even $19.95. And sometimes, Best Buy or CompUSA will have a freebie deal on it.

Well worth the money.