Genealogy Chat

I know this is nothing to do with genealogy but its annoying I've just joined AOL and I keep getting popups does anyone know how to get rid? lots of the popups are about getting rid of them but can I trust them? I'm really enjoying searching for my family tree I've been doing it 3 months and you,ve all been so helpful, these popups are spoiling my enjoyment.thanks Meryl

Meryl, I use EMS Free Surfer mk II to kill popups. It's free and beeps everytime a pop up is killed and lists them all. Occasionally it kills a valid popup but you can add the URL to a safe list very easily. You can download it from here http://www.webattack(.)com/get/freesurfer(.)shtml If you can't get to this link, go to the Webattack website and click on Freeware and then Popup Blockers under the Browser Tool section. You'll see EMS Free Surfer listed there. Crista

There are a number of freeware programmes that will do that. And for spyware try Spybot.

Thanks crista and Brian, have downloaded crista's suggestion. Brian I know I'm thick but what is spyware? Meryl

Christa Just downloaded "Free Surfer" - now just waiting to see it in action. Thanks for the tip. The people on this site are a mine of information, and very generous. Thanks. PS Thanks for posting the question Meryl Sandra

Reading this post was a godsend! I couldn't get the orginal link given to work but successfully downloaded free surfer from: http://www.sonic.net/support/fs/

For people still geting pop ups when not using an internet browser I discovered the following at http://www(.)pcmag(.)com/article2/0,4149,990145,00(.)asp "Recently, I began to receive spam messages that simply pop up on my computer screen. After a little research, I discovered that this spamming technique uses Windows' built-in Messenger service, which sends messages in a broadcast across a network. The way to block these annoying messages is to disable the Messenger service. In Windows XP, you can do this through the Control Panel. Navigate to Administrative Tools | Services. Double-click on Messenger and click on Stop. Then set the Startup Type to Manual or Disable. Click on OK and the pop-up spam will be blocked. by Greg Meloche" This works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ruth

Meryl Spyware is a programme which you are likely to download unknowingly as an add-on to another programme. It sends back to its originator information on what sites you have visited and this is then used to decide what spam to send you based on your interests. It may also, and this is what I found annoying, change your home page to one of its own and bring this up whenever you try to go to a site for which the page cannot be found. HTH

Meryl, Thank you for asking the question. Christa and everyone else, Thank you for your responses. I have successfully downloaded Free Surfer and life is so much easier! Jill

Meryl Have you downloaded AOL8 yet, that has a pop up blocker but you have to enable it. There is a little block at the bottom of the web page for you to do that Margaret

Brian, which one do i choose ?I put spybot into search and hundreds of sites came up. I had problem yesterday trying to open a prog and another one came up instead , so I do need spybot. thanks meryl

I.ve downloaded freesurfer twice once yesterday and once tonight and still I get popoups what have I done wrong????? Help someone this is driving me MAD. Meryl

Meryl, You need to actually make sure Free Surfer is running. There should be an icon at the top of your browser with a blue cross. Click on that. Crista

I feel such a fool!!!! I'd downloaded but not installed! sorry! thanks Crista. Margaret, My computer is not suitable for AOL 8 unfortunatly. Thanks everyone for your help. Meryl

Its meryl again! I,m still getting popups must be doing something wrong somewhere HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Meryl Are they pop ups on websites or plain grey squares/rectangles with messages that can come up even when you're not using a web browser? If the latter, please see my earlier message - I thought I'd got it sussed by installing free surfer but this wasn't the case. There are two types of pop ups which need different fixes! Ruth

Hi Meryl, Are you seeing popup windows or the the popups that scroll across the screen within the web page? If Free Surfer is running you should see the blue cross icon at the bottom right in the taskbar. Crista

Meryl It's the Kolla one

Crista & Brian, I have an anti popup on my machine, but when I enable it I can't "open in new window" as apparently this is classed as a popup, do your versions do this? by they way I am running windows '98 Kim

Kim, I have no problems with "open in new window". I'm running XP though. Crista