Tech help needed.

[BeachBuckeye]

Just got Windows XP and that damned "messenger" keeps popping up. Anyone know how to delete it?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. Pretty simple.

Open Messenger, go into Preferences, and uncheck Start Messenger With Windows (or similar-- I don't recall the exact wording).

If you also use Outlook, Messenger is tied into it, and there are settings within the Outlook Options you need to uncheck also.

[zbird]

2. Here's a link with instructions. Hope it helps.

http://www.updatexp.com/messenger_service_spam.html

[madfloridian]

3. Or disable it.

Go to Control Panel from the Start Menu, choose Add/Remove programs, then on the left choose Windows Components. Uncheck Windows Messenger.

[AnnabelLee]

4. What worked for me is this:

Go to Control Panel
Click on Administrative Tools
Click on Services
Scroll down to Messenger
Highlight Messenger
Click on Stop Service on the left

[DS1]

5. I'm surprised that worked

That "Messenger" is a completely different (service) one than the "windows messenger", it was probably something different that you did.

[AnnabelLee]

7. Well

whatever I did, it stopped those annoying gray boxes that pop up & say, "Isn't this annoying? You can stop this from happening for only $XXX":-)

[Az]

8. A tale of 2 messengers

There are two messengers. The one most people are familiar with is the MS Messenger used for instant messaging. This is not the one causing the problem.

The messenger at fault is a tool MS provided for admins to broadcast messages to entire systems or individual users. Messages such as "Log off now, we are rebooting the server". MS made this messaging service responsive to TCP/IP to make it easier to broadcast it. Unfortunately spammers discovered this lovely back door for spamming users. Thus all they have to do is set up a wardialer (a device that discovers active ports) to find active Win 2K/XP systems that it can spam and sends its message to them. You don't even have to be surfing at the time. If you have an active internet connection POP up comes the spam.

PS I hate spammers

[Ein]

6. one more way

Go to C:\Program Files\ and find the folder called messenger ... rename it to "dead messenger", then you can restore it if you ever want to.

[Az]

9. Wrong messenger

They will still get the spam. This is not MS Messenger but a service called messenger.