Disable Network Messenger to stop popups in NT/2000/XP

[Richard Cranium]

December 2, 2002

From the Windows Registry Guide

The Messenger service is normally used to transmit net send and Alerter service messages between clients and servers.
Recently it has been employed by marketers for sending unsolicited advertising popups (SPAM) over the Internet. This tweak allows you to disable this service.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Change the value of "Start" to "4" to disable the Messenger service.

Restart Windows for the change to take effect.


Registry Settings
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Messenger]
Value Name: Start
Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value Data: (2 = automatic, 3 = enabled, 4 = disabled)

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/1228/


Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk.

[mickwish]

Better still - load XP SP1 and disable Messenger altogether!!

This key it automatically disabled when you do that - I checked!

Thanks Doc!

Cheers
Mick

[GroundZero3]

or you can go to control panel> administrator tools> services> looks for messanger> right click on it click properties then use the pull down menu to disable.

Jason