If dad really is getting INSTANT MESSAGES he doesn't want, then tell him to turn them off or set his IM software to disallow IMs from unwanted senders.

On the other hand...are you really talking about unwanted pop-up messages? I could be wrong but with that astoundingly small amount of information, my guess would be that dad's computer is infected with one or more virus/malware problems and there are literally thousands...no..tens of thousands of different problems which could cause this. I'll bet that dad never met a pop-up he didn't like and clicked on every one.

Everybody who has Windows has IE. What difference does that make?

Azinoh, first of all, thank you for your patient, caring answers. I am so glad you enjoy helping others. Seriously, you don't need to be a jerk about it and make mean assumptions about my father.

My dad said he gets the IM pop-up on the left side of his screen and that is what he doesn't want. My "astoundingly small amount of information" is all I know about his computer and situation. Sorry I live on the wrong coast to be able to be at his computer to tell you everything you need to know.

My dad clicks on NO pop-ups, he DOES know better he has a great AV, and I didn't know that everyone who has Windows has IE. I personally don't have/use IE, I have Firefox and I have Windows. Weird, huh. I was trying to give info that would help.

Man, going over this, I really don't care if you respond to this as I won't read the response, your answers to both my questions were just so astoundingly rude and accusatory. I bow to your superiority and will wait for answers from the members I enjoy hearing from.

What instant messenger does he use to message you ?
What version of windows does he use ?

these unwanted messages on what ??
Yahoo Messenger messages ?
Windows Live Messenger messages ?
AOL/AIM Messenger messages ?
Some other IM ?

People cant help you much at all unless youre more specific.
Maybe send your dad here, as he can supply more specific information that you know.

It's probably Windows Live Messenger that's bugging him. I know it does me. He wants to turn if off from starting up at start up. The way I do this is run msconfig and uncheck it in the startup list. If he's running Windows XP Click 'Start' then 'run' and type msconfig in the run box. When the msconfig window opens click on the 'Startup' tab and scroll down the list and find 'Windows Live Messenger' and click on the box in front to uncheck it then click 'Apply' then 'OK'. If he has Windows 7 Click 'Start' and type msconfig in the search box and follow the same procedure. After clicking apply and ok he will get a message telling him he will have to restart the computer for the change to take place. When it restarts turn off the message which will warn you about the startup menu being changed.

"I personally don't have/use IE, I have Firefox and I have Windows. "

If this is a true statement, I'd love to know which version of Windows you are using, what you did to get rid of IE (which you claim you don't have), and how you manage to keep Windows updated without it (that is...if you even do updates).

I've used Windows since 1993 (Windows v 3.1) and it's been my understanding...at least since Windows XP...that INTERNET EXPLORER is completely and thoroughly integrated into the operating system and that Windows won't function without it. I'm willing to bet that you still have IE, even if you don't know it or use it.

Please prove me wrong. I am eager to hear what you have to say. You had to have another browser in order to be able to download Firefox in the first place. If it wasn't INTERNET EXPLORER...what was it?

If you choose not to respond, that's fine by me. Just remember that poorly-framed questions usually don't result in great answers. It's unfortunate that you had to get angry before you provided even a little useful information.

After my previous post, I found by rereading your previous posts that you are using WIN XP and after doing a little googling I found out something interesting about XP. It was indeed possible to remove Internet Explorer from a computer running XP IF that machine HAS NOT been upgraded to Service Pack 3. If that is indeed your situation, then I stand corrected. However, if you have upgraded to SP3 then I think my statements still hold true.

If you really hated IE enough to get rid of it, then fine. If you haven't upgraded to Service Pack 3, then your version of Windows is already beyond it's end-of-life and you aren't getting updates at all. If you have upgraded to SP3, then you must still have Internet Explorer. Which is it?

Hi Mikie and Bob, thanks for the response.

Bob, I think you are right about the Windows Live Messenger. I remember having that but can't remember how to delete it, so I will email him your solution.

Mikie, he doesn't IM me, it is a pop-up that asks for him to sign in every time he is on the computer. I don't know the answer to any of your questions, I will ask and see if he knows. He is not very computer savvy, so I will see what I can get from him.

Thanks for your help!

from within live messenger he could do it this way too
open live messenger...go to the tools tab, click it, and go down to
"options", and when it opens select the "general tab", then "uncheck" where
it says " automatically run windows live messenger when i log onto windows.
click apply, then ok.

might check this too depending on exactly which messenger we are talking about.
How do I disable the Windows Messenger service?