# need help with a weird popup window (spam) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375 "2003-04-22T18:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/1 "2003-04-22T18:46:23Z")
ok, maybe someone out there can explain how to get rid of this one. For the last couple days I’ve had a pop up window appear randomly. It doesn’t seem to matter what site I’m at (as it has popped up when Ive been to various sites, including BBC and this one). Only thing that seems to be common to all is that it pops up when a new browser window is opened, but again not all the time. Its a full screen window with no visible menu and the only way to get rid of it is to alt-F4 it. Its one of those “Best Sites on the Internet” sites with links to a slew of other sites (I’ve never clicked the links so I’ve no idea where they go to). I’ve checked all IE settings, and even gone into the registry to see if anything was there (nothing obvious, but I wasn’t really sure where to search). Anyone have any idea where the heck to check to see what setting is triggering it? And more importantly, how to get rid of it? ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/2 "2003-04-22T19:04:28Z")
Nagware! Sounds to me like some of the forced software that comes with certian software (_cough_KaZaa_cough_). Try looking for something on your computer called ‘save’ or ‘save.exe’. ---
**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:** [April 22, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/3 "2003-04-22T19:08:38Z")
Ad-aware or Spybot will search your computer for spy/nag/scumware and get rid of it. Both are free. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/4 "2003-04-22T19:18:51Z")
When’s the last time you ran a search on your system for malware/spyware/scumware? Something like [Search and Destroy](http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,981130,00.asp) may well find something lurking on your PC that you weren’t aware of. It’s effective, free, and is my scum-buster of choice at home. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/5 "2003-04-22T19:27:26Z")
I might also add to the fine advice given above that you search your startup programs. It might be running in the background when you boot up the computer. ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/6 "2003-04-22T19:49:24Z")
checked start up (even went into regedit to check the run folders)tried ad-aware (no dice), don’t have kazaa installed (or any other such program for that matter). Nothing found when searched for save or save.exe That’s the freaky thing about it. For all intents and purposes its like those really annoying porno pop ups that come up on certain web sites. Except it’s not porn, and it happens randomly, and I’m not at any sites of ‘questionable repute’ as it were. I can only guess that it is loaded somewhere in IE options, but can’t find where (or even what it could be). Its really an annoying thing. Anyone who doesn’t know about alt-F4 would be unable to close the screen. Quite insidious. ---
**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:** [April 22, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/7 "2003-04-22T19:57:31Z")
It could also be something your ISP put on there. NetZero had that same annoying Best of the Net crap too. I’m glad I got rid of them a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/8 "2003-04-22T20:00:22Z")
Don’t see it as being the ISP (Sympatico) since it only happens on my comp. and its a high speed connection shared by several other people. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/9 "2003-04-22T20:04:40Z")
Do you think it is Java based because you can disable Jave in IE Options. It might be worth a test. ---
**Author:** ![Purplefloyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7cd45c/32.png) [@Purplefloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purplefloyd)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/10 "2003-04-22T21:09:41Z")
[http://www.spywareinfo.com/](http://www.spywareinfo.com/) This is the best site i know of for info about spyware and annoying ads on your comp. If you cant figure it out from the info on the site, i can guarantee that if you post a message on the board they will help you- great people, have solved many problems for me… ---
**Author:** ![a\_daft\_girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@a\_daft\_girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a_daft_girl)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/11 "2003-04-22T23:45:18Z")
Popup Stopper works pretty well. It’s made by Panicware, i believe? Put itself on your browser toolbar, tiny button, turn it off and on when you please. I havent seen a popup in weeks. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/12 "2003-04-23T01:24:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*It could also be something your ISP put on there. NetZero had that same annoying Best of the Net crap too. I’m glad I got rid of them a long time ago. \*\* Only NetZero’s free service has the annoying banners, popups, etc. The $10/month service is free of all that crap. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/13 "2003-04-23T01:38:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Purplefloyd \* > \*\*[http://www.spywareinfo.com/](http://www.spywareinfo.com/) > > This is the best site i know of for info about spyware and annoying ads on your comp. If you cant figure it out from the info on the site, i can guarantee that if you post a message on the board they will help you- great people, have solved many problems for me… \*\* Thanks for that link Purplefloyd. It looks like a nice informative site. rabbit they have an online spyware scanner there and you might try. [Link](http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php) ---
**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:** [April 23, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/14 "2003-04-23T01:44:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\*Only NetZero’s free service has the annoying banners, popups, etc. The $10/month service is free of all that crap. \*\* I know, I went that route for a while, until they decided my surfing habits used up too much time each month and denied me the option of using the premium service anymore. And they cut the free service to 10 hours per month. ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/15 "2003-04-23T02:16:40Z")
**Rabbit** If it’s any consolation, I’ve been getting the same thing and it’s driving me crazy. The things it’s advertising all seem to reasonably reputable - AMEX, private businesses - though I’ve never followed one of the links. I wouldn’t think it’s from your ISP because I’m getting it through my Australian ISP. However all the sites it advertises are from the US (including some pretty obscure things like police department auctions in particular cities), which makes me think I’ve picked it up while viewing a website. If I find a cure I’ll post it here. ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/16 "2003-04-28T17:03:21Z")
Hey Motog, finally found out what it was in case you’re interested. They’re called “Parasites” and you can get a quick online scan (although its not comprehensive) here [http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite](http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite) as well as instructions on removing it. Mine was a variant of Tinybar. Unfortunately it wasn’t exactly the same as what was described. (I found the registry keys no probs, but I was unable to find any of the html pages that were supposedly in the system folder). Hopefully I erased it nonetheless. Hope it helps for anyone else that has this insidious thing. ---
**Author:** ![xvxdarkknightxvx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/34f0e0/32.png) [@xvxdarkknightxvx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xvxdarkknightxvx)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/17 "2003-04-28T19:13:48Z")
As an aside, there’s a pop-up that is potentially already installed on everyone’s computer (assuming they have a Windows OS). It’s usually called Messenger Service and shows up in a grey box. It can pop-up any time as long as the computer is on the internet. What happens is various pop-up companies will send your computer a message through Windows’s Messenger Service. To disable it, just right click on My Computer, click Manage, and play around in there. I’d give you the specifics right now, but I’m on a Mac =P. Google “disable messenger service” if you need anything mroe specific than what I’ve given you. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-a-weird-popup-window-spam/170375/18 "2003-04-28T21:32:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xvxdarkknightxvx \* > \*\*As an aside, there’s a pop-up that is potentially already installed on everyone’s computer (assuming they have a Windows OS). It’s usually called Messenger Service and shows up in a grey box. It can pop-up any time as long as the computer is on the internet. What happens is various pop-up companies will send your computer a message through Windows’s Messenger Service. To disable it, just right click on My Computer, click Manage, and play around in there. I’d give you the specifics right now, but I’m on a Mac =P. Google “disable messenger service” if you need anything mroe specific than what I’ve given you. \*\* Though I don’t think this was what the OP is wondering about, I wanted to say a hearty “Thanks!” to **xvxdarknightxvx**. Ever since my wife and I got cable modem hookup we’ve been getting Messenger Service popups like this one. They’ve even broken into the middle of a game I was playing, which never fails to chap my ass. I’d been meaning to ask about it anyway, no maybe I won’t have to. So… thanks!