# Messenger Service Pop Up **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648 "2003-09-05T03:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/1 "2003-09-05T03:03:50Z")
On my new XP running computer I am getting a strange pop-up. A small box, not a browser window, with the name “Messenger Service” at the top. The text of the box says: Message from URGENT NOTICE to YOU on 9/4/2003 Did you know there is a easy one-clik way to stop this type of Pop-UP forever? For free information please visit [www.ENDADS.com](http://www.ENDADS.com) WTF is this damn thing, and how do I stop it without going to [ENDADS.com](http://ENDADS.com)? Thank you for your help. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/2 "2003-09-05T03:13:02Z")
I Googled “Disable Messenger Service,” and found a great many sites offering the following instructions: **Windows 2000** Click Start-\> Settings-\> Control Panel-\> Administrative Tools-\>Services Scroll down and highlight “Messenger” Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties. Click the STOP button. Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar Click OK **Windows XP Home** Click Start-\>Settings -\>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 or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar Click OK **Windows XP Professional** Click Start-\>Settings -\>Control Panel Click Administrative Tools Click Services Double click Services Scroll down and highlight “Messenger” Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties. Click the STOP button. Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar Click OK **Windows NT** Click Start -\>Control Panel Double Click Administrative Tools Select Services-\> Double-click on Messenger In the Messenger Properties window, select Stop, Then choose Disable as the Startup Type Click OK **Windows 98 & ME** Windows Messenger Service cannot be disabled ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/3 "2003-09-05T03:13:26Z")
Go to Start | Run, type msconfig in the box, and hit OK. Choose the Startup tab, unclick msmsgs. Reboot. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/4 "2003-09-05T03:16:40Z")
We’ve been through this before, repeatedly. Here’s the latest go-round: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=206759](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=206759). The second post (mine, as it happens) has your answer, but there’s more good info further down. Enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/5 "2003-09-05T03:26:49Z")
Ha! I beat you by [three weeks.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=202322) ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/6 "2003-09-05T03:44:59Z")
Sorry, **Q.E.D.** , but I beat you by [five months](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=168627)! ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/7 "2003-09-05T03:59:56Z")
And the earliest mention of it on these boards goes back almost [a year](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=140552)! ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/8 "2003-09-05T04:19:50Z")
Oh, yeah, well I knew about it when I was FOUR YEARS OLD! Ha! I’m just kidding, I was nine. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messenger-service-pop-up/199648/9 "2003-09-05T04:21:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\*And the earliest mention of it on these boards goes back almost [a year](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=140552)! \*\* And I’ve been here HOW long? Hmmm? 😛