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irritating requests to conect to website

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9 replies

by wtcr 1 view

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I installed a children software program for my daughter - Sesame Street Toddlers by The Learning Company.
Now, each time I boot the computer, the modem dial up box comes in saying "A program is requesting information from www.brodcast.net".

I click on the cancel button but the box comes in every 5 seconds or so. This is very irritating. It doesn't help when I click on Connect. The box comes in again the next time I boot up.

The only alternative is to uninstall the whole program, but my daughter likes it.

There must be a hidden instruction somewhere. How do I find it and delete it off?

Regards
Sue

9 replies

by yatesee

Ok, i'm assuming you are using Win9x, WinMe or Win2k.

There are a couple of places that this could be, the most likely is in the Registy.
Be very careful here tho'! it could seriously mess up your system!

goto Start, Run, and type in REGEDIT.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

In there are a list of keys that are run on startup.
Look for one that is pointing to your sesame street installation directory, or something similar.
If there, select the value on the right hand side of REGEDIT, and press delete. Make sure it is the one tho'!

If it isnt in there, it could be in Scheduled Tasks. (Start\Programs\Accessories\System Tools\ in Win2k), i think its in My COmputer in Win9x and WinMe.

The last place it might be is in C:\Windows (or your windows installation directory) and look for a file called Win.INI.
open it with NOTEPAD, and if its there, it will be listed under RUN=, or LOAD=.
These are on the forst couple of lines or so, so you shouldnt have to delve to far.

I seriously recommend you try the last 2 solutions i've provided before trying the REGEDIT one, thats really for advanced users.

Hope this helps

Horiz

by jaytmoon

Hi Sue,
I'm not sure of your Windows Knowledge but I'll Give this a crack for you. This depends upon which Version of Windows you'r running, I'm hoping its Windows 98. Based on that assumption...
The dial out request could be residing in a start up file.
First try this: Click start button, then settings, then taskbar& startmenu. Open the Tab: Start Menu Programs. Click the Advanced button, then in the Folders column open the Programs icom (the Plus sign). Scroll down to the "Startup" Icon and click to open. Look in the Start Up listing (on right) for any item that resembles the program that is doing the dial out request (probably the name will be a dead giveaway)The icon should be a Shortcut (little arrow on bottom left, Delete the icon and close out the open windows. Restart your pc and see if the offending item appears. If not then your problem is solved. If it is still there then a more complex resolution is in order.
Good luck

by thechas

This is one of many "Adware" applications that some companies (Mattel) are using to track their customers.

I suggest that you install and run AdAware from Lavasoft. www.lavasoft.de
It does a very good job of detecting and removing this annoyingclass of software.

Chas

by wtcr

Thanks. This worked perfectly for me. The others are acceptable too.

by johngreer

Go into Control Panel.
Open the modems folder.
Click the connections tab.

Check "Never Dial a Connection".
Apply and restart computer.

Your dialer program will dial out when you tell it to and not automatically.

My kids were really annoyed too...

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