Home › Forums › Archives › Instant Messaging › AIM Support › MASSIVE spam from AIM. help please.
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September 5, 2009 at 2:34 am #31032pinionMember
this screencap is an example of what has been happening to me at random intervals when using aim. i will open a new window or tab in firefox and, without warning, i will be spammed with at least a hundred popups. i have to open task manager and keep hitting “end task”, which ends up closing almost everything else i have open in the process.
i have no idea what’s causing this. i’m using an old version of aim and i have been for years; it’s never caused this problem. help is really appreciated because i’m getting tired of this.
September 5, 2009 at 4:13 pm #175688imported_Ven0mMemberWow. Do you have things like mail, import contacts and other things within AIM disabled? Also, are you running Windows Vista or 7 by chance? Maybe it’s trying to make you upgrade (or AIM’s trying to force upgrades on people).
September 5, 2009 at 7:09 pm #175692Doris KenneyParticipantAny time you talk pop-ups and spam my first question is have you run a scan for malware?
Please download Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware to your desktop.
- Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
- If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
- Once the program has loaded, select Perform quick scan, then click Scan.
- When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
- Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
- When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Please save it to a convenient location in case you need it for future reference.
Let me know if this makes any difference.
September 6, 2009 at 2:21 am #175695pinionMemberVen0m;241645 wrote:Wow. Do you have things like mail, import contacts and other things within AIM disabled? Also, are you running Windows Vista or 7 by chance? Maybe it’s trying to make you upgrade (or AIM’s trying to force upgrades on people).i will disable them and see if that helps. i am running XP.
also, patndoris, thanks for the malware program. here’s the log if you’re curious (it didn’t find anything):
Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware 1.40
Database version: 2747
Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 39/5/2009 7:15:42 PM
mbam-log-2009-09-05 (19-15-42).txtScan type: Quick Scan
Objects scanned: 84473
Time elapsed: 10 minute(s), 7 second(s)Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)Files Infected:
(No malicious items detected)September 6, 2009 at 2:35 am #175691Doris KenneyParticipantWell, it might have been easier if MBAM had found and removed something. However, it’s good that the report was squeaky clean!
OK, does this only happen in Firefox? What happens if you use IE? And what version of AIM are you using?
September 6, 2009 at 4:59 am #175696pinionMemberthe popups only happen in IE. i was trying to uninstall IE for that reason, but i can’t find it in the add/remove programs thing.
the version of AIM i’m using is 5.9.3844.
September 6, 2009 at 4:10 pm #175693Doris KenneyParticipantYou can’t remove IE completely. If you upgraded to IE8 after installing SP3 you can revert to IE7 but that’s it. If you try to fully remove it you are going to have problems.
Is there a particular reason you are running the older version of AIM? It is possible this could be related (but I’m not sure of that). Don’t upgrade just yet, but maybe you’ve been thinking there is something the old version does (or doesn’t do) that really doesn’t apply anymore and an upgrade might be something to at least consider.
September 6, 2009 at 4:23 pm #175697pinionMemberi think it may have to do with “AIM zones,” which is a window that keeps opening whenever i sign on. it didn’t used to appear. i don’t know how to disable it on 5.9; all i’ve seen disabling instructions for is version 6 and up.
also, i run the old version just for aesthetic reasons. if the spam continues, though, i’m definitely considering upgrading.
September 6, 2009 at 9:23 pm #175689Doris KenneyParticipantLet’s give this a try to disable that feature:
Go to Edit Options and then to Edit Preferences and choose Sign On/Off. Find the last check box called “Show AIM Today Window at Sign On” and make sure it is turned OFF.
That is supposed to work for the last version of 5.9. Let me know if it makes any difference or not.
September 6, 2009 at 9:41 pm #175694pinionMemberi have that “Show AIM Today Window at Sign On” box unchecked. no difference.
September 6, 2009 at 9:48 pm #175690Doris KenneyParticipantWell I’m afraid that was the only even possible way I could find to disable it – and if it didn’t work, I’m fresh out of suggestions.
You could upgrade and see if it helps. If it does not, you can get the old vesion 5.9 back (if you look thru the oldest listings) on Filehippo.You have to click on see more, and then go to page 6 of the history to find it, but you can get it back if an upgrade doesn’t solve the problem.
Let me know what you decide to do and if it helps.
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