Shoutbox

After installing Messenger Plus! 3.01.94 I get Lavasoft Ad-watch warnings EVERY TIME I restart or switch on my PC.

warning is as follows....

Registry modification detected
Root:HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Keyoftware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Value:msnmsgr
Data:
New Data:"C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background

Looks like MSN messenger is trying to add itself to the registery (auto-start).... as if MSN messenger has been run for the first time or is just newly installed.

I UN-installed Messenger Plus and the problem disappeared.

I am running MSN messenger 6.2.0137 on an XP system (all Microsoft updates and patches applied).

I have NOT applied any polygamy patches.

I rely on Ad-Aware and Ad-Watch to keep my system clean, disabling them or removing them is not an option.

I saw a few threads on this subject  named "Is this normal?".
No solution was offered.

I would like to use Messenger Plus but having Ad-Watch pop up with a registery change notification every time I start my PC is annoying (I like to keep everything clean).

If there is a solution please let me know and I will try installing Messenger Plus again.

Many Thanks

Thor

This is a perfectly normal and harmless setting.

Somehow I find it very dodgy that Lavasoft Ad-watch detecting this and wouldn't allow it

You've proberly selected that option in MSN Messenger:
"Tools > options > General > Automaticly run Messenger when I log on to Windows."

So untick it if you don't want it...

Yeah.. actually, this kind of "protection" is just stupid and kets you think that Adaware is more useful than it really is. There's nothign wrong in adding stuff in the Run key of Windows .

Thanks for the input CookieRevised....

Lavasoft Ad-watch monitors certain registery sections for any changes and notifies the user when an attempt to alter the registery is made.

This is a excellent tool  in resisting a wide range of adware, malware and trojans. If the change is legitimate then you can accept the change to the registery (for example when installing new software). If the change is unexpected or otherwise suspect you can choose to block the change to the registery.

I don't think there is anything dodgy about this.

The fact remains that WITHOUT Messenger Plus! there is NO problem...i.e. no attempted changes to the registery by MSN Messenger, no pop-ups from Ad-watch after startup/reboot.

After installing Messenger Plus this problem manifested itself. Messenger Plus must somhow change MSN Messenger in such a way that it is forced to add itself in the Registery again every time the PC is rebooted. Why is this Registery string being "modified" after every re-boot? After a complete and succesful installation and after running a new program the first time I would not expect this.

After uninstalling Messenger Plus! the problem is no longer present.

I prefer to have MSN Messenger start automatically when I start windows. I have always had it set this way and never had this problem before. Switching this setting off does not really solve the problem...only makes it go away .

I realise the registery change in itsself is harmless....it is just annoying having the warning window pop-up every time I start my PC.

I like what I have seen of Messenger Plus and would very much like to use this excellent addition to MSN messenger.  Any other ideas or suggestions would be most welcome.

Thor

The reason why your "ad-watcher" reports a change is because MSN Messenger is set to "run at win startup". Now, when you use Plus!, Plus! needs to be started BEFORE MSN Messenger in order to run and hook properly. Plus! ensures it is started up first by detecting and removing that key when MSN Messenger is closed. After that, Plus! will replace it by it's own key so that it can be started up first (and after that it automaticly runs MSN Messenger). Otherwise there is no way in knowning what will start up first, Plus! or Messenger. This proces is repeated every time you close MSN Messenger.


So either:
* Remove the setting in MSN Messenger "run at win startup"
* Remove Messenger Plus!
* Make your own small startup script which starts up Plus!, wait a few secs and then run MSN Messenger (and you can leave the "run at win startup" unticked in that way) and add a run-key value for the script <--- not officialy recommended and only to be used at own risk and if you have the knowledge...

Hello Patchou,

I agree that adding this entry into the Run Key of windows is quite harmless.

Why does MSN messenger with Messenger Plus! installed have to (re)do this EVERY TIME the computer is started though?

Some parts of Lavasofts Ad-Aware software are indeed more for "peace of mind". On a whole though I have found the software quite good at reducing infestations on my computer. The notifications from Ad-Watch have often alerted me to something suspect.

After being burnt a few time with very destructive malware I have been become much more cautious and have more "protective" software running. I think an increasing amount of people are becoming aware and doing the same.

I checked the settings of Ad-watch and it is not possible to exempt this particular Run Key from being monitored.

I realise this problem is more of an annoyance than anything else.  I suspect that it is not one that is not easily "fixed" though....?!

Thor

Thanks CookieRevised....

Will give it a try and see what happens.

Thor

quote:

---

Originally posted by ChatterBox
Some parts of Lavasofts Ad-Aware software are indeed more for "peace of mind". On a whole though I have found the software quite good at reducing infestations on my computer. The notifications from Ad-Watch have often alerted me to something suspect.

After being burnt a few time with very destructive malware I have been become much more cautious and have more "protective" software running. I think an increasing amount of people are becoming aware and doing the same.

I checked the settings of Ad-watch and it is not possible to exempt this particular Run Key from being monitored.

---

tbh, this is not a "piece of mind"-setting in Ad-watch, it's more a useless function... When you get the notice from Ad-watch, the "damage" is already done!!!!

The change is performed when MSN Messenger closes. And that is the time when it should be detected. Not when Windows starts up the next time, because by then the program from that run-key value is already started up. Imagine if this is a real adware/spyware program!

So, this detecting routine is very dodgy and rather useless. If you wanna monitor the run-key then use proper programs (like StartupMonitor, RegMon, AutoRuns) , not some anti-adware tool (wannabe-monitor tool) which isn't designed for it...

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised
The reason why your "ad-watcher" reports a change is because MSN Messenger is set to "run at win startup". Now, when you use Plus!, Plus! needs to be started BEFORE MSN Messenger in order to run and hook properly. Plus! ensures it is started up first by detecting and removing that key when MSN Messenger is closed. After that, Plus! will replace it by it's own key so that it can be started up first (and after that it automaticly runs MSN Messenger). Otherwise there is no way in knowning what will start up first, Plus! or Messenger. This proces is repeated every time you close MSN Messenger.


So either:
* Remove the setting in MSN Messenger "run at win startup"
* Remove Messenger Plus!
* Make your own small startup script which starts up Plus!, wait a few secs and then run MSN Messenger (and you can leave the "run at win startup" unticked in that way) and add a run-key value for the script <--- not officialy recommended and only to be used at own risk and if you have the knowledge...

---

Hi again CookieRevised,

I removed the MSN Messenger "run at win startup" setting and rebooted. MSN messenger did not run automatically after logging in. The hook must have worked like you said however because after starting MSN Messenger from the startmenu  the problem did not occur (no notification).

I am sorry to say I do not have the skills to write my own startup script to ensure the proper start order of Messenger Plus and MSN Messnger. I know there are some programs out there that help define startorder of programs after logging in with delays  if necessary.

Thanks for the tip on Ad-watch. I was not aware of the holes in its detection routine. Like you said it is just an extra add-on for Ad-Aware. I still like Ad-Aware itself though . Will try to find an alternative to Ad-Watch.

Thanks for you help,

Thor

quote:

---

tbh, this is not a "piece of mind"-setting in Ad-watch, it's more a useless function... When you get the notice from Ad-watch, the "damage" is already done!!!!

The change is performed when MSN Messenger closes. And that is the time when it should be detected. Not when Windows starts up the next time, because by then the program from that run-key value is already started up. Imagine if this is a real adware/spyware program!

So, this detecting routine is very dodgy and rather useless.

---

This is not true about ad-watch in the complete conversation (though the conversation dates back from June 2004 while it is now June 2006.

I also have this 'issue' with ad-watch (build 399 with ad-aware SE buil 1.06r1). Ad-watch DOES warn me about this registry change when I close msn messneger and not with windows startup. Hence, it warns at the correct moment - not dodgy at all.

Now to get rid of this - indeed anoying - warning, you can use the rule editor option from ad-watch:
* Open ad-watch
* Goto 'Tools > Rule Editor > New Rule'
* Enter a name for the rule (eg 'msn background'
* Enable the 'Ignore events if key matchec...' and enter the key from the warning (Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)
* Enable 'And value matches' and enter the value from the warning (msnmsgr)
* Click 'Exact match' then 'Add Rule'

From now on the warning is ignored.