Comments on: fake error message on windows

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:31:49 +0000

@Patrick I’d suggest running a virus / malware check on your machine.

By: Patrick Audinet

Patrick Audinet — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:34:24 +0000

Dan, Thanks for that info. Any solutions?
pa

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:29:56 +0000

@Patrick I checked both sites and got no errors. Your machine might be infected with malware. Perhaps it’s messing with your DNS so you’re going to a different server.

The certificate on bankofthewest.com was created on 7/20/2008 and expires 9/17/2009

By: Patrick Audinet

Patrick Audinet — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:18:30 +0000

Got the following on two different websites. This occurred a few days after I lost login capability on IM. I switched from wireless to my router to hard wire but that’s closing the barn door a bit late. My wife’s computer is unaffected since she was already hard wired.
Sites: bankofthewest.com and donotcall.gov. error message (which looks phony to me) is:

Secure Connection Failed

http://www.bankofthewest.com uses an invalid security certificate.

The certificate will not be valid until 7/20/2008 5:00 PM.

(Error code: sec_error_expired_certificate)

* This could be a problem with the server’s configuration, or it could be someone trying to impersonate the server.

* If you have connected to this server successfully in the past, the error may be temporary, and you can try again later.

Or you can add an exception…

If there is anything you can tell me it would be appreciated.
Patrick

By: dan

dan — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:02:26 +0000

Dan: If you mean hiding your IP address by getting behind a firewall then yes, that should solve the problem. Is there a reason you don’t want to disable the service? I don’t know of many legitimate uses for it. In case you’re confusing it with instant messaging, it’s entirely different.

By: Dan Clarke

Dan Clarke — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:54:53 +0000

hey Dan
just a question… if this goes after my ip address than if i change it or use a hide ip prog will that help without disabling messanger?
thanks i think i will try any way and report back…

By: Darrell

Darrell — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:42:32 +0000

This site is the sh–!!!!I had the same problem with the ERROR MESSAGES.IT WOULD SAY-CRITICAL ERROR MESSAGE-REGISTRY IS DAMAGED AND CORRUPTED.I had it for a year and couldnt figure it out.I love all you people on here for helping me out.So if anybody is still having this same problem Ill post it on here to fix this Chinese Virus.In your Windows XP,Click start-click control panel-Click Administrative Tools-Click Services-Scroll down until you hit Messenger-Right click Messenger-Click Properties-Go to Start up type-Hit Disable and your free of all these annoying fake error pop ups.Merry Christmas.

By: Doomfrog

Doomfrog — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 05:29:58 +0000

just wanted to say thanks, i googled this pop-up error and found your site, just got a used computed and i thought it had some bugs left over form the priveus owner. thank again, saved me alot of stress and troulbe .

By: kyle

kyle — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 20:22:01 +0000

why oh why did i not find this page befour, i put up with these messages for to long!, even after reinstalling windows the second after connecting to the internet the messages started again. i turn off error reporting off though- control pannel/ system/ advanced, this did not work, today i did it the way you have said above though administrtive tools/ serveces and just in case it dident work i search google for an hour and find this page……well at least i now no it works peace

By: SRCE

SRCE — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 21:45:24 +0000

If “Messenger” HAS been DISABLED and pop-ups still appear then files have been stored on the pc which will bring it up alot. This is what you can do to find the problem:

1.Click on “Start”
2.Click on “Search”
3.Select “All files and folders”
4.Click “More advanced options” and chose to search hidden files
(possibly tape backup)
5.Click “Search” and look for:

sqm.DAT
sqm.00
sqm.01
(basically something like sqm,sgm,can’t recall the exact name)

6. Delete all of the files you find that match this discription
7. If you can’t find it try steps 1-4 entering “s”, “00″ or “sqm”
as part of the file name

8.Uninstalling “MSN messenger” and deleting the file may also fix the problem

Here are the paths I found these files in:

(Folder options were set to display hidden files)
1. file:///C:/
2. file:///C:/Documents and Settings/(User name e.g Phoebe)/Application Data/Microsoft/MSN MESSENGER(or)MESSENGER

I do apologize for being vague at some points, it has been awhile since I have had my encounter with this problem, I do hope this helps.