Further on the problem with instant message popups....
This thing is activated the first time you logon to an MS Passport account, whether you ask it to or not (usually a Hotmail account). LarryE's method seems to kill it. But there are shareware programs in abundance that let you entirely remove MS Messenger from your system, a more permenant solution if you don't intend to use Messenger. Go to Yahoo, use search criteria "shareware remove ms messenger" and have a party.
As an aside to fellow tech heads, have you noticed over half the popups you get from this cute little addition to the XP OS are commercials for software to make it stop?
And as a private consultant, I ask you to keep this info to yourself. It's absolutely amazing how many small to midrange companies are willing to pay consultant fees to alleviate this problem......Shhhhh!