Shoot the Messenger

[Okie]

Poof I'm gone!!!!!

[enoskype]

Hi Okie,

 

It is a utility that disables the service of Windows Messenger. You can use it safely.

 

I am going to move your post to a new thread. Shoot the Messenger.

 

Cheers.

[So_sad]

Hi folks ;

 

If we're talking about XP, please read this article :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messenger_service

 

The "Messenger Service" is disabled by default if you have SP2 or SP3 installed, so no need for "Shoot the Messenger" from GRC. They should remove the application because no one needs it anymore.

 

If you have SP1, then the Service would be active by default but the XP firewall was turned on by default, so less need to worry about the possible exploits getting in. It was hell before SP1, or for users with SP1 who had turned off the XP firewall and didn't use another one.

 

And as we all know, anyone using XP in 2010 should have SP3 (or a fully updated SP2) because of all the flaws that have been corrected.

 

===

[So_sad]

Hi Okie ;

 

The DCOM vulnerability was patched in 2003 :

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-026.mspx

(click on the little "+" next to "Techincal Details" to get a better picture.

 

No need for that tool anymore.

 

===

[enoskype]

Well, So_Sad, the Messenger has been shot by the Shoot the Messenger in the very early days of XP, and it has been kept dead since then. :wink:

 

We have to give some credit to ItweakU Pro for those early days though.

 

Cheers.

[enoskype]

Hi Okie,

 

Are you testing So_Sad?:smile:

 

You know some of them are good.;-)

You should have put there the icon of IS360. :-P

 

 

Cheers.

[So_sad]

Hi guys ;

 

@Okie : Steve Gibson has been a trusted source for many over the years. His site, GRC.com, is a reference. Was a reference, I should say, because it hasn't been updated since the summer of 2008. ShieldsUP and LeakTest have been very popular tools of the trade. Steve has been a reliable "watchdog" for vulnerabilities in Windows systems (Messenger Service, RPC/DCOM, Plug n' Play, etc...).

 

@enoskype : TweakUI (Power Toys for Windows) is a great app for XP users ; I still have it on my XP systems. I have it on Win98 as well.

 

What is IS360 ? :mrgreen:

 

You all have a great day now :-D

[enoskype]

Right So_Sad, but I also ment ItweakU 4.19 Professional by PJF Data!!! (Since 98 days again.)

 

Perhaps, Okie can tell us what IS360 is.:mrgreen:

 

Cheers.

[JustDave]

Silly boys. ~P

 

Gibson's SpinRite is a pretty darned nifty piece of work too. I've used it to rescue two dead-dead drives. I wonder what he's been up to.

[enoskype]

Hi Dave,

 

Last SpinRite v 6.0 has been released on June 7, 2004.

FAQ page edited last on May 30, 2009.

Did you know that Steve started to use XP in 2006, until then he was using 2000. :-)

 

Cheers.

[JustDave]

Hi enoskype,

 

I know it's old, but if all you want to do is turn a screw then it doesn't matter if the screw driver you use is brand new or a hundred years old. ;-)

[itsmejjj]

i want to ask -is this your setting as of this capture?

 

no i better not show the cap .i do not know if its allowed..

2nd cap you took -----shot 00012 ----

if so .no one can see any thing that should be altered?

and the setting is fine?,well i would not be happy if it was.. not to me its not

i see 2 possible 3 i would change..

but then that is me..and probably its ok ..if one is not concerned using the service...

 

 

first of all ..i may i ask if its XP .and serpack 1-2 or 3

you are using?

 

 

itsmejjj

 

 

I know it's old, but if all you want to do is turn a screw then it doesn't matter if the screw driver you use is brand new or a hundred years old.

 

very well put .and not being a smart --very nice sentence,,,,

 

 

Okie did you remove the caps? if you did understand this.

 

so now we cant see what i was trying to point out..

[samr]

Hi Okie,

I did notice something strange in your list of services: AVG8 FREE.

I don't know if the service name 8 is a hold over in the newest version from the last version (I don't have it installed), but I believe the latest version is 9. You might want to check what version you are running and upgrade to the newest version if you are running 8.

samr.

 

http://f821.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1_176_AN1Uv9EAAX2pS0f98A1sgGJ09NQ&pid=6&fid=Fam%2520and%2520Friends&inline=1

[Melvin_Deal]

Actually several revisions of 9 free are available.

 

Here is the latest on Cnet: http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?part=dl-10044820&subj=dl&tag=button&cdlPid=11014801

 

Peace be to all!

[Melvin_Deal]

Hi So Sad!

 

Maybe he got married or something!!? GRC that is... (Ha):shock:

[itsmejjj]

2nd cap you took -----shot 00012 ----SORRY ,i mean the capture you pasted attachments..to your post .you showed your internal settings---i got it and was going to point to what i was thinking .or rather found-perhaps risky

 

now just to Clarify a few points..ok gibes small apps were made for XP--

there fore never redundant..i do not worry about this 1 tiny bit

 

reason--if the patches are in place-then the app you run will say you are safe--

 

very useful --in two ways .you can rein able them.if fore some reason this is what one wanted.

or disable..easy no errors..

 

this is mostly safety posting--no big deal-as you are fine..i saw a few services running in auto mode i would change .and asking if any one saw this..and looking for comments..

but the attached caps are now gone..and i think the post itself..

 

so i have killed my one as well --the cap i made..(pic)

sorry -things i posted look normal to me .but horrible to others..

 

 

i shall post in the other tread my settings --and you can check your one against my one .same OS you are using? just of interest..

 

itsmejjj

[Melvin_Deal]

Hi Okie!

 

Clean install may be just what the doctor ordered... especially if you've been doing over the top for a while!

 

Peace!

 

-Mel

[solbjerg]

Hi Okie

According to your screenshot you haven't unblocked the Install file.

Cheers

solbjerg

 

 

This happens every time I try to install AVG9 I'm going over the top. It doesn't say I have to do a clean install

[samr]

Hi Okie,

The only problem with using the old version is that soon it will probably stop updating. AVG usually doesn't support old versions for very long.

Avira is good, but I tried going back to it and the free version was having trouble updating. I would think that they should have fixed by now.

A word of warning: twice when I used revo uninstaller to remove AVG I had some problems. I think I would un-install just using the AVG uninstaller and after re-boot use a reg cleaner to clean up. Seemed to work best for me w/ AVG.

samr.

[solbjerg]

Hi samr - okie

I think the way to uninstall AVG and for that matter MSE with Revo is to

stop the antivirus program first and then uninstall. I have read about several having problems afterwards - after uninstalling those programs - in some instances fixed by updating the Windows Installer program to a later/newer version.

Cheers

solbjerg

 

 

Hi Okie,

The only problem with using the old version is that soon it will probably stop updating. AVG usually doesn't support old versions for very long.

Avira is good, but I tried going back to it and the free version was having trouble updating. I would think that they should have fixed by now.

A word of warning: twice when I used revo uninstaller to remove AVG I had some problems. I think I would un-install just using the AVG uninstaller and after re-boot use a reg cleaner to clean up. Seemed to work best for me w/ AVG.

samr.

[enoskype]

 

Here is Fred's Weblog of list of AV and AS Uninstallers. A very useful collection.

 

Cheers to you all. :grin:

 

Hi guys,

 

You can use the programs to uninstall many AV programs by the link in the above quote.

 

Cheers.

[enoskype]

Thanks for the feedback Okie.

 

And that was AVG's own official removal tool. :-o

 

Cheers.

[Melvin_Deal]

Aye!

 

Fred DeVries the wise!!

[wozofoz]

BlackViper ?

 

It looks like this list has come from Blackviper.com which is where I got my Service Configurations from.

By the way, after following the BlackViper recommendations, plus a few other tweaks, my NetBook went from 90 seconds StartUp to 60 seconds and is very snappy.

 

Go to BlackViper.com

In the section Popular Content select the Service Configurations for your OS

Click on the name of the Service for an explanation of why or why not you can Disable a Service, here is an example:

Uninterruptible Power Supply

 

Default Description:

Manages an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer.

 

Additional Information:

I have not found a need for this. My APC UPS that connects via USB using PowerChute Personal Edition 2.0 does not need this service to run. However, some APC UPS install a totally different service for communication. Some UPS connected via serial port may require this service to be running or maybe certain laptops.

 

..... or maybe certain laptops.

I don't know if my NetBook fits this category but I have decided to leave it on Manual just in case, it does sound important :wink:

 

All the best, woz of oz

[wozofoz]

Manual or Disable

 

Hi. I have one question. If I change them to manual, is that just as good as disable, or do they need to be disabled to gain speed??

 

It will depend on the Service as to whether you can change it to Manual or Disable.

Very basically:

Manual means Windows or an application can (in most cases) still start the Service if and when it is necessary

Disabled means it can't be started except if you go to Services and start it yourself

 

Again I stress that it depends on the Service and what it does and is needed for.

This is why I recommend reading through the BlackViper explanations for the Services, you will see that some Services cannot run unless another Service is enabled, if you Disable one then you Disable both.

This may not be a good thing.

 

Having said that, I have made all the XP changes suggested by the BlackViper "Safe" list except for 2 (Uninterruptible Power Supply and Windows Time) and have had no problems at all

My NetBook is very fast compared to others I have seen :smile:

 

All the best, woz of oz