Windows Messenger - a frequent cause of popups - HUH?!

Hi all,

Several times in the forums I have seen advice similar to

(my bold).

I'll agree that it can be a nuisance and should be disabled if you don't use it because it starts each time you open Outlook Express, etc - but a cause of popups? How can this work if you aren't logged into the servers?

As a long-time user of this app., I think this is something of an urban legend, brought about by the common confusion of this and the Messenger service because of the poor naming by MS.

So, could someone please point me to some proof that it is indeed a 'frequent cause of popups' other than the aforementioned nuisance?

 

Thanks for the reply Halo,

It still reads like there is some confusion here; the link within my quoted text was http://www.majorgeeks.com/DisableRemove_Windows_Messenger_d2327.html and the originating page from Doug Knox http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_mess_disable.htm and this does disable Windows Messenger - it does not refer to the Messenger service.

I completely agree that Windows Messenger should be disabled if it's not needed and causes an annoyance.

Also that the Messenger service 'must' be disabled outside of a workplace network where it may be legitimately used and access to this service would be denied to the outside world by a firewall (I've had this service disabled since XP was in Beta).

Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger (now called Windows Live Messenger) are not the same thing even though they are used on the same network; they can and do, function perfectly well side-by-side, providing different login credentials are provided for each.



I think the boilerplate text used needs to be reworded to present a more accurate version, perhaps with a link to somewhere like http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/winmesspop.htm to explain the Messenger service 'problem'.

 

The confusion is still ongoing here I'm afraid http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showpost.php?p=1369698&postcount=3, perhaps if this thread had remained in the Lounge area for discussion and resolution, this issue may now have been put to bed, instead of it being relegated to the backwaters of the Software forum.

This really isn't a software problem ...

To those who insist on quoting things like "Windows Messenger is a frequent cause of popups", I ask "show me the proof, please".