Messenger pop ups are generated by other users or bots using the messenger service, the messenger service should not be confused with MSN or Windows Live Messenger as these are two completely different applications.

The messenger service is generally disabled on most computers today due to annoying messenger popups , but there are instances where it can still found to be running.

These can include..
Computers that have not had Windows system updates installed.
It has been enabled for a reason such as sending messages to friends or colleagues.
Your pc has been infected by spyware or a virus and this has enabled the messenger service.

If this is the case disabling the messenger service will only be a short term fix as each time the computer is rebooted the service will be enabled again.

To send a message using the messenger service simply open a dos box, Start Menu-Run- CMD

Now type net send computer name “message”

The chances are the message will fail, but if not that means the messenger service is running.

To enable or disable the messenger service it’s quite simple. There are a number of ways of doing this.

The first way to enable or disable the service is to simply run services.msc from the run menu Or Right click on My Computer, select Manage, from the Computer Management window expand Services and Applications, select services.

Now from either of the above methods, double click on the Messenger service.

Under the General Tab you’ll see the startup type, check which option you’d like, don’t forget to also select which service status you’d like, or the changes will not take effect until the computer is next rebooted.

Even after disabling the messenger service if you continue to receive what appears to be messenger pop ups , then you’ll need to run a spyware scan right away and make sure your computer is using the latest operating system updates.

The messenger service started life as a neat little way to send messages to people without having to use full blown applications such as Windows Messenger or rather Windows Live Messenger now.

But as unscrupulous advertising bodies learned to use this service as an easy way to advertise it soon became more hassle to use than it was worth.

So now we are left with very little choice apart from using messaging applications such as Messenger live plus or Yahoo, AOL equivalents.

computer adviser messenger pop ups article