How to turn off Windows Messenger Service

Should a pop up box appear on your screen with the words "Messenger Service" in the title bar such as the one below, chances are that you have Windows Messenger Services enabled.

However, the messenger service is not the problem, the real problem is the fact that you are not running a firewall, or if you are, you haven't blocked ports 137-139.

Disabling the messenger service will stop the popups, but if you have file and print sharing bound to your external TCP/IP connection, then you could also potentially be sharing your entire hard disk with the world since netBIOS uses ports 137-139.

A good firewall can be found at www.zonelabs.com

The small "ShootTheMessenger" Messenger service enabler/disabler will turn off the messenger.

http://grc.com/miscfiles/ShootTheMessenger.exe

To Prevent Browser PopUps: AdShield it's freeware http://www.adshield.org/

Disabling the Messenger Service
To remove the ability for anyone in the world to pop up messages on your computer, you can disable the Messenger service. Its easy to reverse at a later time if you wish to do so.
 

Windows 2000
Click Start-> Settings-> Control Panel-> Administrative Tools->Services
Scroll down and highlight "Messenger"
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
Click the STOP button.
Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

Windows XP Home
Click Start->Settings ->Control Panel
Click Performance and Maintenance
Click Administrative Tools
Double click Services Scroll
down and highlight "Messenger"
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
Click the STOP button.
Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

Windows XP Professional
Click Start->Settings ->Control Panel
Click Administrative Tools
Click Services
Double click Services Scroll
down and highlight "Messenger"
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
Click the STOP button.
Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

Windows NT
Click Start ->Control Panel
Double Click Administrative Tools
Select Services-> Double-click on Messenger
In the Messenger Properties window, select Stop,
Then choose Disable as the Startup Type
Click OK
Windows 98 & ME
Windows Messenger Service cannot be disabled