I know there are some amazingly computer savy Dokugans, so I'm hoping one or more is around to help me out with some advice. Something has gotten into my computer. I ran Malware Bites to try to weed it out, and it did find and isolate what it classified as one item, and when I looked at it, it was maybe in four different places. I got rid of those, but Windows Messenger has appeared, saying that I have a message. I've never used Windows Messenger, and I don't think it's ever appeared on my monitor before. Now it seems to be occupying a place in that little menu lineup, you know at the bottom right of the screen? Of course, like Pandora's box, I have an irresistible urge to find out what the message is. I think that Windows Messenger is actually showing up as not enabled. Do you think this popping up is part of some virus? Is my every keystroke being sent out to some evil entity? I've been afraid to use my computer, I know, I'm sooooo neurotic!

I'm not all that computer savy but I think that might be a virius since as far as I know you need to download windows messenger. Although I recently got a new laptop with windows 8 on it, and windows messenger seems to come with it. Although I have no idea how to use that version of it. Anyway, I would suggest not touching the messenger until you know more, or try to uninstall it if possible and see where that gets you. I hope someone on here can help you.

I'm pretty sure that Windows Messenger is the culprit, because I've tried to run Malware Bites several times, and each time I run it, the Windows Messenger icon disappears. Malware Bytes seems to be not functioning properly though, because it's freezing up over and over. When I re-boot the computer, it comes back. Now I've given up on M.B., and I'm running ccleaner, but I don't know if ccleaner will find the virus. I don't know if it's designed to do that. After that, I guess I'll have to try to uninstall the messenger program, hopefully that doesn't open up the virus and let it loose... Thanks for your input, it helps to know I'm not alone out here!

My husband, in his ultimate computer-y wisdom, says to run an anti-virus, either malware bytes or something else, and write down the name of the virus when it finds it. Then you have to google that name and you'll find usually step by step instructions on how to get rid of it. It might be something you have to change in the registry, or something else. Some viruses have little programs people have made to get rid of that specific one. A lot of the new viruses are complex and show up as a program like you are seeing.

He also says you should have an anti-virus running constantly. We use the free version of Avast. It works great. I never have virus issues, unless I download things I shouldn't. Hope this helps!

I tried to unistall that program, but couldn't so I just re-started the computer the way it was at the beginning of the month. And now the virus is gone! HaHa! Now, thank S.M., I will go install Avast. Sigh, with so many big, big problems in the world, why are there people who like to create little hassles like this to distract... Wait, I think I have uncovered a conspiracy!

Restore points work too. Glad you found a way. I'm always afraid to poke around in the registry, which is why I make him do it!

Avast is great and it keeps itself updated. Here's wishing you a virus-free future!

If you're using the "recommended" settings for Windows Update, there's a chance that Messenger will be installed automatically in an update. I think it's included in the Live Desktop, or Bing Desktop, or whatever they're calling the thing now days. It's *possible* it's in the IE 10 install, which is a "critical" update on Windows 7 (Yeah... Web browser is critical... especially when they were not going to release it for Win 7 originally *sigh*)

-J

I've never had that problem. Then again, I've turned off every non-essential service on my computer. So I'm not sure about any of that.

As a side note, unless it's disabled, all windows since XP came with it as a preinstalled service. My mother runs XP Corporate Pro, and I had to disable the service because it kept sucking up the CPU. I've never seen a windows computer that didn't have it installed.

I know for a fact, that if I reformat my computer I'll have to disable it all over again.

Whew, all done fooling around, the computer did force an update on me, but after that there is still no sign of the "you have a message" thing popping up, or the icon in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, so hopefully, even if it did install windows messenger, it's not some kind of trojan horse virus thingy. And I like to weed out things on the computer, like weeding the garden, and every time I do it, my husband becomes all huffy-like. It's a disease. He and my boss are both like the hoarders of computer clutter, they could have a show on TLC where they get psychological counseling so they can bear to get rid of some of the trash from their computers.