Virus or Adware

[shivkumar]

I am facing a unique problem. My PC runs on Windows XP with Symantec Client Edition, Microsoft Antispyware, Tuneup Utilities 2006 and Bazooka Scanner for Adware. But recently I have been getting messages like this:
*pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/k_shiv99/detail?.dir=2e6f&.dnm=df2e.jpg&.src=ph .
Can anyone help me identify this. Any suggestions for the solutions. Neither of any software has been able to detect any virus, adware or spyware. This message only bothers me only when I connect to internet. Is any spyware sitting in my PC and sending out informations.
If the image is not visible try the link
*pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/k_shiv99/detail?.dir=2e6f&.dnm=df2e.jpg&.src=ph

 

[swatkat]

It's just Messenger spam. This type of popups make use of Messenger Service in Windows.
This Messenger Service is NOT in any way related to Windows/MSN Messenger or any other messenger tools.

You can safely disable the Messenger Service. Go to Start > Run and type services.msc and press Enter key. In the Services window, navigate to "Messenger Service" and right-click it, and select "Properties". In the Property window, click Stop in the "Service Status" option box. After this, in the "Startup" option box, select Disabled from the dropdown menu. Click "Apply" and then "OK".

There's also a small tool called Shoot The Messenger, using which Messenger Service can be easily disabled.

 

[shivkumar]

Thanks Swatkat.
But i found the same issue being discussed elsewhere and I just had a look in my services
and what I replied on that topic I am just reposting for you
I totally agree with alib_i that it has nothing to do with Windows messenger. I have posted the similiar problem elsewere in discussion forum as I am also facing the same problem. I run my PC on WinXP home SP1 with Microsoft Antispyware, symantec Antivirus Client Edition and Bazooka Scanner adware. but none of them is able to find the problem.

But if I stop the messenger service, Remote Procedure Call service will stop and whic h in turn will stop a hell lot of services.
Background Intelligent transfer Service
COM+ Event System
COM+ System Application
Cryptographic Services
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Error Reporting Service
Help and Support
Human Interface Device Access
Indexing Services
IPSEC Services
Local disk Manager + 24 more services

That means most of the services of Windows XP will be unavailable

Guys got any alternative suggestions.

My PC is ibm laptop and the mouse I attach is reconised as Human interface device. plus other services may also be affected. Recently I formatted the HDD and reinstalled everything and thereafter the problem started. I doubt that this may be some remmanant spyware which couldn't be deleted during formatting.

 

[alib_i]

I guess you are talking abt Solution for XP thread.
I've answered your question in that thread too ...
Messenger service depends on RPC, not the other way. So switching off Messenger service wont hurt RPC in any way.

BTW, you can shed off your bold letters please and I think we can lock either of the 2 threads ..
plus .. wht is this thread doing in reviews section. ??

-----
alibi

 

[Kniwor]

sorry i have not read all the posts to this thread...

quick tip..

just shut down the messenger service..

 

[anandk]

this may also interest u.
how to make winxp more safer...
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23938&highlight=safer