POP-up stopping

[harry12]

It's been a while since this was aired, probably because dedicated surfers are using XP (which I understand has fixed this irritation).
My prolem is with Win98SE and IE5 and in particular Flash pop-up trying to convince me I want pink elephant drifting across my screen advertising some gunk. Wellm at this stage I'm saying "No" biut it's becomming quite annoying - almost every "click" fetches this pop-up. I really think there is something immoral to keep pestering in this way - a single "No" on visiting a web-site should be enough.

The problem occurs on a site that I need to use for reference material so I can't com[plain - (much!) - and they get their revenue from ads - the advertising agency is lazy and construct their ads with "Flash" - because they look better than a static "Buy this Jollop" (although if you don't want something, annoying the customer isn't the way to win them over)

I downloaded a free-trial Macromedia web-authoring package, but by the time I realised it was feature-disabled it had managed to sneak in the "flash" request ( it having been missing up until then). Even though I uninstalled the "trial" the Flash bits remain active -

I know there are downloads to stop pop-ups, but oddly I've tried two and they both fail to do the trick - so I';m windering if someone knows where the "Flash" pop-up is lurking, and what I need to do to remove it? Or rename it (Pox-on-my-PC.exe) - anything to eliminate it. Oddly this pop-up doesn't appear on other sites, but maybe Flash isn't universally popular, or it's been set-up particularly badly on my fav. site. How can I tell where the pop-up originates? - if it matters?

One of the "Stopper-progs" I downloaded wouldn't complete the install because it warned: Service Profiles needed to be reinstalled ( the msg seems to be from Microsoft system) - so I looked it up in Help - no, it's not there, silly me!
So as an alternative can anyone say what these profiles are, why do they need reinstating/repair and why the pc is perfectly OK as it is - - except for the "Flash" Pop-ups.
I also tried Microsoft.com pages and their solution is ...install XP with Service Pack 2 - not really a fix, is it.? I can reload Win98SE from Format and I;m sure that would restore the earlier status - it's just so annoying, doctor......I have this mole.....
Regards.

[vidster]

May i be so bold as to suggest using a different browser such as Mozilla Firefox or Opera 8. Both browsers are more secure than Internet Explorer and both browsers have built in pop up blockers

[Disk_Contented]

I swear by Maxthon. Everything you need without a load of silly plugins.
Opera is over complicated.

[mercman90]

A HOSTS file redirects domain names to different IP addresses. I use Mike's Ad Blocking Hosts file. This file blocks in-line ads, as well as ads that appear in pop-ups, but not the pop-up itself. I use FilterGate to block pop-ups. Also, most spyware programs, such as Spybot-Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware would catch something that causes these pop-ups. Hope one of the above works for you.

[Tokai]

You need to check what programs you have installed on your PC. I keep on telling people that nothing is free on the Internet, so called 'free downloads' invariably contain spyware, adware or worse. You have to ask yourself why people buy Popup blockers, Spyware & Adware Removers and of course regularly subscribe a fee to their favourite Anti-virus vendors. When other people get them free. And I haven't even mentioned the Spyware programs that promise to rid you of Spyware - only to deposit their own.

That said - there is a free program you can download called 'Hijack' - but be careful how you use it. It will aid you in identifying the offending elephant source I'll bet. The program itself also displays windows processes that the system needs, as well as your other protection like anti-virus cover etc. The first time you run it - you will be surprised what is actually lurking on your PC - and more importantly malicious processes like browser bars that seem to appear from nowhere, actually running on your PC. Care should be taken when removing entries relating to the so called 'free programs (it's the price you pay), as your actions may render the 'free program' inoperable.

[harry12]

[quote=Tokai]"...You need to check what programs you have installed on your PC. I keep on telling people that nothing is free on the Internet, so called 'free downloads' invariably contain spyware, adware or worse.
Thanks for the suggestion, Hijack (I'll see if Google can put an address to it)...."
I only half agree about "free" - There is so much available out there that vendors must suck you into their store - an example (the only one!) is ZoneAlarm - it's free (for private use) and it works without being a pest. They want to sell the "Pro-version" and why not? Yet because they are straight with the customer their name is all-but universally known.
It's only a pity they don't do a Linux version and make it compatible with the usual Firefox browser. No doubt the OpenSource is a problem, but it's a shame as I think of all vendors I trust ZA above all others.
I have another problem, just now so the pop-ups are taking a rest - I now visit another site that doesn't have their ads....thank goodness. It really means that any prog by Macromedia I will not trust - it was a "free" demo of Dreamweaver that provoked the Flash problem in the first place - at least that's what I believe and the way Flash is marketed (by pestering) is quite unacceptable IMHO. Every mouse-click produces their pop-up. I know it's a free program, but I don't want to help further their actions.
Thanks for your thoughts.H