# annoying pop up boxes - help please **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244 "2005-05-24T11:24:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/1 "2005-05-24T11:24:31Z")
On the computer I have Norton Internet security 2005 adaware spybot google toolbar i have scanned for viruses and removed them all, i have scanned using adaware and removed what it found, i have scanned with spybot, removed what it found and immunized. I have google toolbar, which I believe stops pop-ups. So why in the name of god do i get little boxes popping up telling my 47 critical errors have been detected in my registry, and i should hie myself to a site to pay for it fixing? Is my firewall not set up correctly? any help much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/2 "2005-05-24T11:47:06Z")
You didn’t identify your browser, so I’m going to stave off the Teeming Millions stock reply which is “You oughtta use [Firefox](http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-1.0.4&os=win&lang=en-US)” by saying this: “You oughtta use Firefox.” There, I said it. Also, Norton Internet Security is nice but in all the systems I’ve maintained for family and friends, “gremlins” and random failures late in the system’s life tend to coincide with Norton products. It plays poorly with Windows, and eventually your system will be worse off because of it. I’ve also never seen a benefit – no virus stopped, no malware that a less-invasive product didn’t catch first, no system restored that WinXP couldn’t do on its own. The Google toolbar can’t stop [some pop-ups](http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=138369) that have been designed specifically to counteract it. Again, Firefox can stop most of these. There are 3rd (4th? 5th?) party tools you can run that will more aggressively block pop-ups as well, but then you’re getting into interactions between three to five different pieces of software every time a “Open\_Window” command is sent by a webpage, and you may experience browser crashes or other instability. Try Firefox or Opera for a week, and see how nice it can be. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/3 "2005-05-24T11:51:12Z")
There are some pop-up boxes even the almighty Firefox can’t stop - such as those powered by Java or Flash. I still get them occasionally. It could be just the site, and there’s nothing wrong with your computer. I will strongly suggest getting a firewall too (I’m not sure if Norton Internet Security counts as a firewall). ZoneAlarm is not bad, and for my virus-detection purposes I uses AVG Free Edition. There are some sites which may download files to your computer without you having to click on anything - you just have to visit them. AVG can stop those. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/4 "2005-05-24T11:51:45Z")
addendum i’m running XP with IE ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/5 "2005-05-24T11:57:25Z")
> [@LostCause](#): > > There are some pop-up boxes even the almighty Firefox can’t stop - such as those powered by Java or Flash. I still get them occasionally. It could be just the site, and there’s nothing wrong with your computer. I don’t know about Java, but there is the FlashBlock extension for Firefox. That should convert every Flash-app into a little button for you to click on. It’s a little more elegant than the Proxomitron, which I use mostly for stopping Java applications like that. However, it takes time to get the bypass list set up for sites that the Proxomitron will just completely break. Mostly sites with a lot of graphics and frames and the like, such as Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/6 "2005-05-24T11:57:37Z")
You are still infected with spyware, so no browser, not even Firefox, will cure it now. [Download HijackThis](http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3155.html), scan your computer with ‘save a logfile’ enabled, then copy and paste your logfile into a new thread on the [SpywareInfo Malware Removal Forum](http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showforum=18). They can guide you through the removal process. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/7 "2005-05-24T12:02:25Z")
Install and run the Microsoft [AntiSpyware](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en&Hash=8T6PHSD) beta. It will find things that spybot and adaware miss. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/8 "2005-05-24T12:25:45Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Install and run the Microsoft [AntiSpyware](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en&Hash=8T6PHSD) beta. It will find things that spybot and adaware miss. Speaking of which, what’s your Adware edition? They have released a new edition, and also make sure you have the latest definition file. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/9 "2005-05-24T12:31:01Z")
I only downloaded my spybot and adaware in the last week, and let them both check for updates as part of the install, so i should be ok there. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/10 "2005-05-24T13:04:03Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Install and run the Microsoft [AntiSpyware](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en&Hash=8T6PHSD) beta. It will find things that spybot and adaware miss. Ditto. I was running three adware programs that wouldn’t overcome my problems. The MS beta cleaned my PC up first time. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/11 "2005-05-24T13:07:49Z")
Last time I ran search and destroy it deleted the only adware program I had paid for. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/12 "2005-05-24T13:08:10Z")
ANother vote for a firewall. I use Zone Alarm Pro and it has adblocking settings that, so far, have blocked everything any site has thrown at me. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/13 "2005-05-24T13:12:09Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > Last time I ran search and destroy it deleted the only adware program I had paid for. If your program is on [this list](http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm) (scroll down to **Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products** ), you didn’t want it anyway, as it causes more problems than it cures. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/14 "2005-05-24T13:17:54Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > ANother vote for a firewall. I use Zone Alarm Pro and it has adblocking settings that, so far, have blocked everything any site has thrown at me. Are you talking about another firewall in addition to XP’s built in one? Also, would a router do the job of a firewall? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/15 "2005-05-24T13:19:24Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Are you talking about another firewall in addition to XP’s built in one? > Also, would a router do the job of a firewall? I haven’t tried the XP firewall. I think running two firewalls would cause problems. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/16 "2005-05-24T13:45:20Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Are you talking about another firewall in addition to XP’s built in one? > Also, would a router do the job of a firewall? No, I am speaking of an additional one. A third-party firewall has some advantages, including ability to decide which programs to block, which ports to open and etc. A router, AFAIK, basicially ‘regulates’ the flow of data. For each ‘packet’ of data, it decides which computer or machine it is revelant for, and sends it there. Some routers may have built-in firewall, but I personally don’t think routers cover the job scope of a software firewall (I may be wrong; I am more of a software programmer than an network specialist). ---
**Author:** ![silk1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@silk1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silk1976)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/17 "2005-05-24T22:38:56Z")
> [@LostCause](#): > > No, I am speaking of an additional one. A third-party firewall has some advantages, including ability to decide which programs to block, which ports to open and etc. > > A router, AFAIK, basicially ‘regulates’ the flow of data. For each ‘packet’ of data, it decides which computer or machine it is revelant for, and sends it there. Some routers may have built-in firewall, but I personally don’t think routers cover the job scope of a software firewall (I may be wrong; I am more of a software programmer than an network specialist). Personally, I’d rather have hardware as a barrier between my pc and the internet, rather then software. Generally, routers that perform NAT’ing (network address translation) are configurable in that you can specify which ports of incoming traffic get sent to any particular machine behind the firewall. I’ve found them to be pretty reliable in terms of security. It just seems to me that there is more of a chance of someone hacking software rather then firmware. However, getting adware is completely independant of whether your using a router or a s/w firewall. In either case, IE is given the ability to communicate to a web site, and that web site installs software that results in pop ups. Do what a previous poster suggested - install HiJackThis, and post the results in a forum. You will then be given specific instructions on what to do to remove any adware you have on your system. At some point, I got tired of dealing with removing adware that I reinstalled my OS, created an image of it and left it on a FAT partition. Now if I get adware, instead of taking 1-2 hours to remove it, I reimage the drive in 20 minutes and I’m ready to go again 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/18 "2005-05-25T03:32:29Z")
> [@](#): > > Are you talking about another firewall in addition to XP’s built in one? > Also, would a router do the job of a firewall? - - - Warning: various biased opinions incoming: 1. MS’s XP firewall is crap, don’t use it. There’s lots of things it doesn’t ever tell you. 2. ZoneAlarm is one free firewall better than XP’s, because ZoneAlarm tells you _everything_ that tries to get in or out (XP’s does not), it will stop even OS system processes from getting network access (XP’s does not) and it always pops up a alert box if anything tries to disable it (XP’s does not). There are other good free firewalls, but ZoneAlarm is one of the big ones. 3. A router helps security in a couple ways, but you still might want something like ZoneAlarm. To put it simply: a rounter is best at protecting your computer from **incoming** random port probes from the internet, while something like ZoneAlarm is best at telling you which programs on your own computer are trying to get **outbound** internet access. Because if your computer gets infected, programs on it will try to connect _out_, and that is what you would want to know. A router would not tell you that. - Of course, a software firewall can also do a pretty good job of protecting you from incoming traffic as well–a hardware router is somewhat more secure, but how much more is difficult to say. I bought a router for sharing a cable connection, myself. Some people worry about the CPU and bandwidth loads that a software firewall imposes–on a phone line you won’t see any difference, but it _will_ slow down your cable or DSL speeds a bit. - And oh yea, don’t use IE for normal browsing, use it only for sites that require it and that you know are legitimate. ~ ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-pop-up-boxes-help-please/305244/19 "2005-05-25T06:46:43Z")
update. I downloaded the MS antispyware software mentioned above and ran it. The software recommended disabling my NetBios messaging (or something like that) which I complied to. I have been free of annoying messages ever since.