I'm having this problem with pop-ups on my computer. I don't know what I have done to cause this, because I usually experience pop-ups when I am surfing the net. But now, even when I am not using the internet I get lots of them! I left friday evening to come back monday morning with 27 pop-ups!!! It almost crashed my computer and the internet wasn't even in use! Please help!

There must be some program that is running on your machine that is generating these ads.

Can you provide a list of the programs that you see in Start/Programs/Startup folder.

And what programs do you see in:

Click Start:
Click Run:
type in

msconfig

Click OK
Click the Startup tab

If you could provide us a list, we can look it over and try to determine which one might be causing this.

If you'd prefer to do the research yourself, this page can provide you the definitions of these startup applications:

Paul Collin's site

Dwight

Thanks for the help, here's my list:

dumprep 0
realplay
wkssb
wkdetect
limeshop
FSW
msmsgs
ypager
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Works

FSW
FSW.exe
Causes lots of pop-up windows to appear (Removing this one will certainly help). Look for it in the Add-Remove programs list. If it isn't there, just do a search for it and delete the file.

Additional Information

Limeshop: If you want to disable or remove Limeshop

How to disable LimeShop:
Whenever the LimeShop offer appears, you will see an "Edit Settings" link. If you click that link, a new window will open which allows you
to turn off LimeShop. Click "Disable LimeShop" to turn off your Shopping Window. You can re-enable LimeShop by right-clicking on any Web page, then selecting "LimeShop". Then, follow the link to enable LimeShop.

How to uninstall LimeShop:

Go to Start ->>> Settings ->>> Control Panel. Double click "Add/Remove Programs". Click "LimeShop", then remove.

More information about LimeShop

Miscellaneous information about the other items in the list:
dumprep 0 -k
or
dumprep 0 -u

Used in connection with memory dumps - you can disable these by right clicking on My Computer, selecting Properties and then the Advanced tab. Click on the Settings button in 'Startup and Recovery'. In the bottom pane -
under 'Write debugging information' - click on the down arrow and then select 'None' - OK your way out

Microsoft Works Portfolio
WksSb.exe

The Works Portfolio tool lets you collect and organize text and pictures from the Web or your favorite program. Can be prevented from starting from a
setting within Portfolio

Microsoft Works Update Detection
wkdetect.exe
Checks for updates to MS Works


MSMSGS
msmsgs.exe
MSN Messenger utility. If you don't use MSN Messenger, this can be annoying. Available via Start -> Programs Go to MS Messenger > Tools > Options >
Preferences and uncheck "Run this program when Windows starts"

Yahoo! Pager
or
ypager
ypager.exe
Yahoo! Messenger allows you to send instant messages. Using
Yahoo! Messenger, you can see when friends are online and chat back and forth with them, like having a real conversation.
Available via Start -> Programs

Dwight

To remove the fsw.exe, probably the best tool is Spybots:

http://ejrs.com/spybot/

SpyBot-S&D searches your hard drive for so-called spy- or adbots; little modules that are responsible for the ads many programs display. But many of these modules also transmit information about your surfing behaviour and more to the net.
If SpyBot-S&D finds such modules, it can remove them. In most cases, the host still runs fine after removing the bot.
For a list of 'supported' bots see the feature lists

http://spybot.info/index.php?lang=en&page=bots


Another feature of Spybot S&D is the removal of usage tracks, which makes it more complicated for unknown spybots to transmit useful data. The list of last visited websites, opened files, started programs, cookies, all that and more can be cleaned. Supported are the three major browsers Internet Explorer, Netscape Communicator and Opera.

Last but not least Spybot-S&D contains some routines to find and correct invalid entries into the registry.

The Spybot-S&D interface is so easy, that updates just require replacing a file of about 80k in size. Those updates are distributed by my software mailinglist, over this page and are also available from inside the programs update section.

You can download the spybots program from this link:

Spybots Download

This morning was horrible, I got here this morning to find 45 pop ups and everytime I tried to close them I ended up with more. ARGH!!!!!

Well after rebooting the computer.. I tried everything you said, Dwight, and I hope it works!!!!

Thanks a lot!!!

Or perhaps,

http://download.com.com/3000-2381-10138193.html?tag=lst-0-7

It says (Problems with Web Page might prevent it from displaying properly)! So U know its blocking the popup window! The only problem is that it blocks all popup windows and not just adds! So unless U disable it in the oiptions for it on the task bar U can't post here!

StopZilla was the best cuz it only worked on adds and it asked U if U wanted to accept or block! And it could always be deleted form the list so U have the option again to accept or block

I am happy to report that there have been no more pop-ups on my machine!!! Thanks!!!!!!!!

Because of MSCONFIG or the POP-UP BLOCKER!

ivnj