Free Popup Blocker?

[-Ever-]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!! I wish I could ring the neck of every person who uses popups as advertisement! This is getting way out of controll. I get popups now when I'm not even on the internet. When I'm playing Diablo online, I'll get the same 5 popups in a row and it's just killing me here.
Can you guys recomend a good popup blocker? I have no idea how they work so just point me in the direction of the toughest shit out there!

[bdan]

pop-up stopper is widely used and free....its developed and available from panicware

[macmanmike6100]

if you're lucky enough to be on a Mac with Mac OS X, use Safari and, from the Safari menu, select "Block Pop-up Windows"...or press command-k

[sadistikdreams]

google toolbar.

google.com/ie

[ndulacd]

It sounds like you've got spyware or adware on your computer. Do you have file sharing programs such as Kazaa, Morpheus, Blubster, or most any others on your computer? Even other free programs such as Bonzi Buddy. They install spyware and adware which will cause pop-ups, even when you aren't viewing websites. You should look into uninstalling those programs and then running a program such as ad-aware to remove that crap.

Just remember, free programs from the internet are only free in the sense that you aren't paying money for them. You are paying by allowing them to put this junk on your machine.

Look for things in your add/remove programs menu such as Gator, WebHancer, Savenow, new.net, things like that. There are a ton of them. Get rid of them as well.

[-Ever-]

Originally posted by ndulacd
It sounds like you've got spyware or adware on your computer. Do you have file sharing programs such as Kazaa, Morpheus, Blubster, or most any others on your computer? Even other free programs such as Bonzi Buddy. They install spyware and adware which will cause pop-ups, even when you aren't viewing websites. You should look into uninstalling those programs and then running a program such as ad-aware to remove that crap.

Just remember, free programs from the internet are only free in the sense that you aren't paying money for them. You are paying by allowing them to put this junk on your machine.

Look for things in your add/remove programs menu such as Gator, WebHancer, Savenow, new.net, things like that. There are a ton of them. Get rid of them as well.

Funny thing is I've run ad-aware 5 times a day for the past week and every time, I wind up quarantining and deleting at least 30 new files! I'll go ahead and check out pop-up stopper for now....

[phleghmyphroat]

Get a HOSTS file (search on the net) or use Opera with its built in pop-up killer.

[-Ever-]

Still getting them. I'm running the free version of Pop-up stopper, just went through my programs list and deleted all suspicious things, went through program files folder and did the same, *and* ran ad-aware and deleted all the files. I just now got the same 5 popups that say "Counter" then turn into blank Internet Explorer windows..... FUK!!!!

[Edvard_Grieg]

Hunt around and try to find a copy of Proxomitron. It is by far the best as to use it you reconfigure it as an HTTP proxy so EVERYTHING has to go through it first. However, their site was hacked and I believe the author of the program decided he didn't want to keep updating it. I would google it though and it is probably mirrored on some other sites.

[SecretMethod70]

I don't mean to answer your question in a rude manner, but just use <a href="http://www.mozilla.org">Mozilla</a> or <a href="http://www.opera.com">Opera</a>. They both have pop-up stopping capabilities and will resist most spyware on the web.

Sorry for answering your question by just saying switch, but it seems you've already got a handle on the alternatives and, likely enough, they're not working.

[HeyAgain]

Originally posted by phleghmyphroat
Get a HOSTS file (search on the net) or use Opera with its built in pop-up killer.

Here is the host file that I use with additional sites that I added myself. Works great.

http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Are you currently running Ad-aware with the latest build, 181?

I know they have stopped updates for build 162 and 158.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/

Does it appear your homepage been hijacked with a different homepage than what you have set it to? If so, use HijackThis 1.95 to rid of this problem.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155

[-Ever-]

Thanks a lot guys. I'll go ahead and check out Proxomitron, then mozilla if it doesn't work, then opera.... Man it really pisses me off how some people advertise...

[maestro]

Originally posted by sadistikdreams
google toolbar.

google.com/ie

Never used it... but apparently it's real popular. 100% approval rating as of writing (http://download.com.com/3302-2378-10210781.html)

[bondagegirl]

HeyAgain- Thanks! I was having the same problems -ever- was and what you said about Ad-aware, about getting a new version. I thought I had the newest one because I had just gotten it a couple weeks ago... but I tried it anyways, and it's faster and just got 93 files that I didn't get before! Woo Hoo thanks again!!! 93 wtf?



Oh and you know what I've noticed? I really think a lot of crap ads come from Hotmail! when you open your account and go to the inbox, I swear some of the junk mail downloads crap onto your comp.

[crazycousinjim]

You could go ahead and install a firewall like zone alarm. It will check when another progam, other than the ones you stated as cool try to open a website. Might be worth checking. Another thing would be to include a list of any "suspicious" software you have used here on the list. Usually you pick up these nasty little "features" from file sharing programs and such.

[losthellhound]

The best way to block pop-ups in my opinion is with browser settings. I like Opera (even though it hates JAVA sometimes), and I can set no popups. Any popup killer software Ive seen either misbehaves, or is a trojan for loads of spyware

[-Ever-]

Like Bondagegirl said, the new build of Ad-Aware has been the most useful so far. I'm yet to get the same 5 popups-in-a-row that I was before!

[MontanaXVI]

ad-aware 6.x then update it from within the settings to get the newest def files, make sure you AV program is up to date along with a small program called swat-it from

http://swatit.org/download.html

it is a trojan scanner that might help you as well use panicware.com popup stopper also and you should be fine

go through you control panl and remove software you arent sure of , if its legit when you try and use the actual program youll know and should be able to easily reinstall if it was legit to begin with. if however you got a dell or gateway or something pre-built this might not be a good idea cause all the stuff they bloat them with you might not know what its for but it could control a dell component etc etc etc,

[dunkelhelmut]

Want to block pop-up ads?

Install Mozilla Phoenix browser. It blocks popups automatically amd it doesn't blow up your whole system when it dies (unlike IE)

[Slims]

I also use Mozilla, it works great. And it's free, and it has lots of other great features.

[LaZy]

this site has a good pop up blocker for windows messenger service pop ups.

http://www.guardwall.com/en/index.asp

just click the free messenger ad blocker. i was getting pop ups at random with no browser open. damn spyware.

[Arrow]

the google toolbar is nice

[hawkeye]

I use a four pronged attack.
POW! from http://www.analogx.com
SpyBot Search and Destroy from http://security.kolla.de/
AdAware 6 from http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
Spyware Blaster from http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html

These programs all do slightly different tasks, but with them all, you shouldn't have problems

EDIT: forgot to mention, all of these programs are freeware/donationware

[jmad]

all i have to say is use opera. I used to use IE, and would get popups from everything. So i d/led opera, killed IE, toggled the "no pop up" button, and bingo! pop ups were no more.

[tobasco]

another plug for mozilla/firebird

[Speed_Gibson]

[beating dead horse]
back in the dark old day used to use IE with some kind of blocker. Many moons ago I switched to Opera (6.03 to start with) and later I added the Moz clan to the group; still both use the Presto and Gecko based browsers now and I do not bother with popupstoppers or IE.
[/beating dead horse]

if you want to stick with IE, most of the "alternative" browsers that use the IE rendering engine can block popups , and many of them can at least approach the functionality of Opera or Moz in some respects.

[cliffxpro]

I've got a great HOSTS file, over 12,000 entries to date. I seldom get ads or popups. If anyone wants it, I'll post a link.

It's called Mozilla.

http://www.mozilla.org.

[egorey]

The new google toolbar's popup blocker is nice (and intelligent) and allows easy overrides to get the popus that you want.

[Camaro SS]

naviscope works pretty good

Yeah google toolbar 2.0 beta rocks the hizzouse for most pop-ups and i don't have to feel guilty about stealing Pop-Up Stopper Pro

[sakvee]

Just installed the google toolbar beta with add blocker. Fantasric little product, seems to work flawlessly. Two thumbs up!

[Subform]

Opera or Mozilla both have popupstoppers

[ssander9]

One question, when your browser is closed, does this pop-up come up as a web window or as a system message?

[BadForm]

Originally posted by -Ever-
Funny thing is I've run ad-aware 5 times a day for the past week and every time, I wind up quarantining and deleting at least 30 new files! I'll go ahead and check out pop-up stopper for now....

These might be cookies as they will reappear very fast. Disabling third party cookies in your browser settings will eliminate most of those.

[nulltype]

Mispost

[tweekman]

I use mozilla, google toolbar is also good. I think netscape has a built in blocker doesn't it?

[Pragma]

I use Avant Browser - it uses the IE engine (in fact, it's just IE with an overlay, any changes you make to favorites, recent websites, etc. in Avant Browser show up in IE), but it has a few modifications (automatic popup blocking, tabbed browsing, etc.

I really enjoy using it and highly recommend it. Just google for a link, I don't have one handy.

[-Ever-]

Thanks all. All of my problems have since subsided with the use of the new build of Ad-Aware... :sigh:

[MacGnG]

www.privoxy.org

local proxy, blocks popups, etc... also very useful for privacy aswell