Getting rid of pop ups through registry.

[lexi]

One of the posts on this board had a link for the Tweakxp web site (very helpful site). I found this tip about getting rid of "About" pop ups that I would like to try, but, I'm not sure about part of the instructions.

This is the link for the tip:
http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakxp/display.asp?id=651
Here is the tip: (This is for IE 4,5, and 6)
THE FIX:
You can kill ALL MS IE "about:" URLs permanently with this Registry hack.
Create a REG file in Notepad (save it as NOABOUT.REG for example), with these lines:

-----Begin copy & paste below-----
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ZoneMap\ProtocolDefaults]
"about"=dword:00000004
"about:"=dword:00000004
------End copy & paste above------

Then run NOABOUT.REG to merge this info into your Registry.
This will place all "about:" URLs into the MS IE Restricted Zone, which means they will not open anymore when using IE to surf the net.


The part I am having trouble understanding is his last paragraph..."Run NOABOUT.REG to merge"
Can anyone explain how to "run" it? Does this just mean paste it into the registry?

[jokerman]

just find your saved file ( NOABOUT.REG )and double click on it and it'll update your registry with the new settings

[Kubie]

I'm still doing something wrong, as usual.
I paste the lines to notepad. I ask it to save or save as? Makes no difference. when I doubleclick on it, it says I can't import to the registry because it is not in registry script.
Can you help?
Carl

[lexi]

it went right into the registry.

Hi Carlgif,
When I pasted the code on notepad in the save as window I typed exactly what
he said, NOABOUT.REG (I almost put a ".txt" after that but didn't) and then I closed the file. Then I went to My Documents where I saved it and double clicked on it there. Is it possible that if you save it using "save" instead of "save as", that it won't work?

I also wanted to thank you for answering my email about finding history in the registry folder. Can you believe that there wasn't any spyware in there yet? I don't have programs to get rid of them but since my Win XP is a new install maybe they haven't have time to get in there. At least now I know where to look for them. Thanks again. (Tina)

[bosco]

Originally posted by Carlgif I paste the lines to notepad. I ask it to save or save as? Makes no difference. when I doubleclick on it, it says I can't import to the registry because it is not in registry script. Carl

Im getting the same error.

[Kubie]

Tina,
You are very welcome!

bosco,
Well maybe there is something else to get this in the registry.
Can anybody help?
Carl

[oryx]

I too got the same error. However, when I changed Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 to the string REGEDIT4, then it worked. Version 5 must be the XP regedit? Anyway, I looked at an exported .reg file to see what the first line was that would work for my system. That's where the REGEDIT4 came from.

Now I need to see if this tweak does any good.

[Kubie]

oryx,
Looks like that may do the trick.
Thanks,
Carl

[Kubie]

Nope, can't get it that way either.
Carl

[bosco]

Yep, it worked for me.
I replaced Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 with
REGEDIT 4 I put a space inbetween regedit and 4. I don't know if it helped but it worked for me.
Thanks

[Kubie]

I'll try it with the space.
Carl

[Kubie]

Guess what?
I'm going to stay with popup stopper.
Carl


Same message as before.

[freemon]

[oryx]

I am sticking with popup stopper as well. I went to the original site where the tip was posted and read more carefully. It claims only to stop a specific kind of popup, an 'about' popup. There is no claim there that it would stop all popups.

If you want to enter this in your registry, it looks like the data for the first line will vary based on you OS. You may have to export a key from your registry to see what that is.

[lexi]

Hi Oryx,
This tip is for just "About" popups...if you read my post you will see that's exactly what I said the tip would do. Don't know why you thought I claimed it would stop ALL pop ups. Sorry if you misunderstood what I wrote.

[oryx]

You're right.
However 2 things
1. I focused on the title of your post and assumed this was some sort of replacement for 'popup stopper' which I use.
2. Not knowing exactly what an 'about popup' is, I was thinking wishfully that it was wide spread. Apparently it is not. Can you explain what it is? From the TweakXP, it sounds like some kind of spyware, however I am not sure about that.

[lexi]

About.com

I can't be sure because since I used the tip I haven't had another one of those particular popups.
I did notice at the top of the popups that the word "About" was on them. I used to get a lot of those pop ups and I was just glad to see a way to get rid of them. I do have bookmarks for several "about.com" sites so maybe that's why I was getting alot of them.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could get rid of all popsups that way?

[oryx]

I see.
I guess all my misconceptions were wishful thinking on my part.