Dear Fran, for Windows XP the "fix" is this:

1. Click on "Start", then "Control Panel", "Performance & Maintenance",
"Administrative Tools", and "Services".

2. This will open up the "Services" window. Scroll down the list of
services until you find "Messenger" and double click on Messenger.

3. In the Messenger Properties window, click on the "General" tab and next
to "Startup Type" select "Disabled". Then, Under Service Status
click Stop.

4. Click "OK".

There should be a very similar solution in Windows 2000 Pro.

Cheers,   =  Cheeta Gauba

At 06:26 AM 1/2/2004 -0500, Fran Bott wrote:
>Suddenly, just a few days ago, while on the Internet, I started to get
>these small windows popping up trying to coax me into going to another
>webpage. They are messinger windows - one tried to lead me to
>www.microsoftpatch.net (like I would really go) and various other
>places.It reminds  me of spyware, so I updated to the latest for SpyBot
>and ran it, but it found nothing. Seems like I have heard of this before.
>Anyone with any ideas?  This only happens while I am on the Internet - and
>it is very annoying.
>
>Win 2000 Pro
>Green Browser (IE based)
>
>Fran

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