pop up windows 1

[shetlandbob]

Hi I've got windows XP on my home computer.

When I look at web sites that you know have no pop up windows (such as navigating through

http://www.bbc.co.uk

etc) occasionally I get a pop up window (generally the same one or similar)

Where as at work I never get the pop up windows, and I never used to get them at home?

I was wondering if something has been installed on my machine with out my knowledge? Anyone know anything about this?

Any ideas much appreciated

Cheers

P.S. I know you can get pop up blockers but it would be nice to know why i'm getting them in the first place

 

[bilebalar]

could be ad-ware. download a spyware program like spybot and run it.

 

[linney]

Try these.

Removing adware & spyware
faq608-4650

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement Appears

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330904

 

[DestinysDream]

Norton also has a free software firewall you can download. That would probably stop alot of it.

 

[shetlandbob]

thanks for the advice! I ran spybot (and it found a few!!) and everything seems to be operating as it was previously!!

 

[computerguy]

If the pop up windows appear to be XP windows, then some websites use code to activate the messenger service built into XP. Messenger service is usually used by the network admin to send messages between clients on the network. By default it is enabled. Under services, goto the messenger service and set the start up to manual, then stop the service. This should prevent websites from taking advantage of this service and sending you pop up messages.
Hope this helps.

 

[shetlandbob]

Ive run a lot of spybot and the like and it finds stuff and removes it, but the next time I log in they are all back??

Does anyone know if I unistalled Internet Explorer and then re -installed it would this work? Or would this not have any effect?

 

[bcastner]

shetlandbob,

Uninstalling IE is unlikely to help. A very careful use of faq608-4650 can help, there is a method to this madness.

Bill

 

[linney]

Perhaps a visit here will get you going in the right direction.

Removing adware & spyware
How to beat your advertising popups & other browser nasties
FAQ608-3482

Removing adware & spyware
Before Posting a Hi-jack log file - Best Practices
FAQ608-4650

Make sure your options in IE/ Tools/ Internet Options/ Advanced are correct.

Uncheck the boxes for "Install on Demand" for IE and Other programs (two boxes).

Try running temporarily with the third box "Enable Third Party Browser Extensions" unchecked and see how this goes.

"This specifies that you want to disable features you installed for use with Internet Explorer that may have been created by companies other than Microsoft.
If you encounter problems with Internet Explorer that you cannot resolve, you can use this option to help determine if third-party features are causing the problems without uninstalling the feature. You must restart Internet Explorer after turning this option on or off."


If that stops your errors, you will know where the trouble is.

This article and the program BHOcop might be useful to you.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,8168,00.asp