windows "Registry" problem

[JPnyc]

I bet my left kidney that's what it is. This "looks like an XP message box" is the part I glossed over the 1st time. Now I realize what you meant, and I've had it happen to me on win2k.

[kryptonic]

It worked....Thanks JP.

[mjk]

Another left kidney saved!

[IKnowNot]

Wait, I re-read it and I think I know what it is.

JPnyc:
was it your re-reading the original post, or reading nebulus200's post?

Seen this before with people that were still running the messenger service ...

[|3lack|ce]

Krypt - the popup you're seeing is from windows messenger. Go into Control Panel > administrative tools > services and disable 'messenger service' - no more bs popups from companies trying to spam you.

I'd also scan for spyware like is suggested earlier in the thread since most of the companies that spam with this technique usually are unscrupulous enough to stick some into their sites.

Hope that helped!
|ce

[edit] MEH! teach me not to read the whole thread before offering solutions! JPNyc had it right with his link. [/edit]

[nebulus200]

Glad you guys figured it out, I'm also wondering if I was trying to speak in a vacuum

Anyway, the reason I didn't suggest disabling the service, but rather filtering incoming traffic, is that if those messages are making it your system, then you've got bigger problems because god only knows what else is making it through your firewalls and what other risks you are under because of it...

With that being said, one of the first things I do when I build a Windows system is go through and disable a large portion of the 'default' running services, messenger included...under the principle that if a daemon isn't listening, it for the most part doesn't matter if its patched or not (not always true, but in general its sound advice, not to mention beneficial in that you are no longer wasting system resources on something that isn't being used). I'd strongly encourage you to research why that traffic was making it through to your system in the first place...

/neb

[JPnyc]

Another left kidney saved!

Sorry Neb, I did skip over the other posts.

[kryptonic]

Nebulus: Could you put together a quick list of the services I should disable?

[nebulus200]

*snicker* a quick search here and :
http://antionline.com/showthread.php...ndows+services

To save time, pasting the 2 of three sites HTRegZ mentioned:
http://www.codecavalier.com/blackvip...servicecfg.htm
http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm

I also recall seeing this on digg not to terribly long ago and a search over there came up with:
http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp...112&cat_id=584