How Do I Stop Corel SPAM Everytime I Use the Program?

[tooloose_letrek]

I am a long time user of Corel products, both PSP (since version 7, which was before Corel acquired it) and CorelDraw and every time I use the PSP (and CorelDraw), as I close the program, I get a pop-up SPAM msg from Corel. How do I turn this off? The 'click if you do not want these offers" feature has been disabled. There has to be a way to stop this annoying SPAM. What triggers this? Is there something buried in the software, or is a Windows service running (which I can't find) that activates the SPAM message?

I certainly hope that Corel hasn't adopted a new policy of spamming the people who buy their products.

I have other photo editing software and don't NEED to be using PSP, I just like using it. If I don't get a resolution here, I just might go back to Photo Elements. (I also have Photo Shop and Lightroom on another computer, and Illustrator, too.)

[Forriner]

Try this for PSP: Help menu/Corel Guide/the tab with the gears, to the right of Messages tab. Uncheck options you don't want.

For what it's worth, getting angry here won't help. This is a user to user board, not Corel, even though it's hosted by Corel.

[LeviFiction]

Which version of PSP are you using? With PSPX6 the CorelGuide is no longer being used and the option to disable the messages that way has also been removed. I'm not saying it's impossible to turn off the messages in PSPX6.....just that I don't know how to do it.

You can also delete the messages folder, Corel will just remake it, but the current messages will be removed.

This knowledgebase article describes the Corel Guide method as well as removing the Messages folder

http://corel.force.com/index/articles/e ... source=kba

[pinobot]

Pretty disgusting to get spam from a program you pay for.
Shows lack of morality.

[drDubbelklick]

Try this for PSP: Help menu/Corel Guide/the tab with the gears, to the right of Messages tab. Uncheck options you don't want.

For what it's worth, getting angry here won't help. This is a user to user board, not Corel, even though it's hosted by Corel.

Hi, I also have problems with that, and I followed the instructions, found a menu alternative called Messages, clicked on it, found a dialog box where I could uncheck something about "keep me informed about product updates" and another box, which I also unchecked. It was something about automatic downloading of product updates.
That however, did not stop PaintShop X5 from displaying a dialog box, this time (and earlier) an empty one. The close button does not work either, so the only means of getting rid of it is through the task manager. The box does not appear every time, which is a good thing, but is does appear, which is a bit annoying, especially as you have to go to task manager to close the program.

There must be some registry setting that controls whether that popup should appear or not. Does anybody know of it?


Best regards,

Thomas
Sweden

[LeviFiction]

drDubbelklick, see the link I posted. It includes the requirement to delete the Messages folder hidden in your AppData folder. PSP may no longer download new messages, but that doesn't prevent it from trying things that it's already downloaded.

[drDubbelklick]

That seemed to do the trick. I started PSP X5 five times in a row without any popup box.

(I accidentally did things in the wrong order at first, then the program regenerated the Messages folder and the two checkboxes were both ticked. )

[tooloose_letrek]

I am using PSP X4 on this computer. I have X6 on another computer. I have been using PSP since v.7 (which is long before Corel picked it up.) Even though I have a few other photo editing programs. i have found that I can do most of my tasks with PSP. I followed the instructions posted here (Thanks!) and will have to run it for a few days to see if it works.

As for the comment telling me to not to get angry, where else can I turn? Corel is not an easy company to contact. And other users would be having this same problem, so this seemed the perfect forum for finding an answer. I've searched the internet and found nothing+. I reserve the right to get angry. Spamming me from the company I support (I have purchased PSP 7, 8. 9. 12. 14 and 16 (as memory serves me, anyway) and have been using CorelDraw as long, having purchased v.7-9. X2 and X5.) That I was unable to click on the button to stop the msgs, that it was disabled, is VERY frustrating.

Thanks for the help. I hope it works.

[drDubbelklick]

That seemed to do the trick. I started PSP X5 five times in a row without any popup box.

(I accidentally did things in the wrong order at first, then the program regenerated the Messages folder and the two checkboxes were both ticked. )

After a little use, the darn thing reappeared (once Corel had something to display in the box). I then ticked "Do not display again", but it still appears.

And the Messages folder is still back. I cannot repeat deleting the messages folder and unticking the two boxes (obviously in vain) everytime the dialog box appears, so does anyone know the registry setting to prevent it from appearing. It must be a 1 to set to a 0 somewhere, but I'm a bit reluctant to experiment, unless someone knows which setting it is. Corel's own solution is obviously not sufficient.

[tooloose_letrek]

I followed the procedure outlined in this forum and the COREL SPAM keeps coming.

I do apologize for posting this thread here as I realize the forum is about Paint Shop Pro. However, this is about PSP and I'm getting ready to go back to PhotoShop, so I think it is an important issue. Is contacting Corel directly the way to go? If so...how?

I found a few things on my computer that might be related.

CorelCreatorClient.exe

gDocCreatorClient.app

And in my Windows 7 services: CorelCreatorMessages

Are these PSP related? Keep in mind I also have CorelDraw and Corel Fusion installed on this computer.

WHY is the msg box that pops up with a check box that would end the SPAM disabled?

[mbrodeur]

I am running into the same issue where I went through the process and the "SPAM" didn't appear for a while. Then in the last day or so it reappeared. My issue is that whatever is happening the popup window only half loads and I can't close it. The only way for me to complete the close of the program is to CTL-ALT-DELETE and crash out the popup window. Really kind of chinsy for a product I purchased and told I didn't want to see the ad's. Now, I have to go through extra steps just to close the program. I've been using since version 5 (before Corel purchased).

[aarondc]

I joined this forum, and all the ugh that joining a forum entails, just to add my voice of disgust to this thread.

I paid for PSP, and have used it for years.

To get ads now, spamming my laptop, is revolting.

I have done research and found something earlier that sounded like it would work but cannot now find it again. But here is what I have done in an attempt to prevent being spammed by PSP, based on what I read:

Prelim:
1. Run PSP.
2. Start Task Manager
3. Check which user account PSP runs under (remember this user name, or write it down somewhere)
4. Close PSP

Prevention:
1. run appdata
2. go to Roaming --> Corel --> Messages
3. delete all folders inside the Messages folder (leave the Messages folder intact)
4. Right click on the Messages folder and select Properties
5. Select the Security tab
6. Select the user name you determined in the Prelim step above
7. Edit permissions for that user
8. Deny everything
9. Apply / Ok / Ok

I'm a software developer and can / have coded what they have coded in the PSP app for work projects. Deleting the messages folder as suggested above is fine, until PSP downloads new message content, where it will check for the existence of Messages folder and create it if it does not exist as part of the process of caching the message info locally.

By denying all access to the Messages folder for the user that the PSP app runs under, you prevent it from modifying that folder at all - including creating new folder / files inside it.

So PSP will see that the Messages folder exists, attempt to cache message info in it and fail.

Another way to do it would be to prevent PSP from accessing the Internet entirely. A local firewall would allow this, although the setup would be far more complicated than what I have outlined above.

PSP can circumvent the above, and I do not know for sure if it will work, but the theory is sound.

Hope this helps someone else who is as disgusted as I am at this unsolicited, annoying, disgusting user experience spam that has been laid on unsuspecting, yet loyal and paying customers of Corel.

Please let me know if you try this and more importantly, if it works.

[tobywallis]

Hi. It occurs to me that if PSP recreates the Messages folder it might be possible to stop this happening by leaving it in place but simply changing it to read only. I tried the following and so far it's worked, though too soon to check if new messages are added successfully:

1. Go to users > [username] > Application Data > Corel > Messages and delete everything in that folder.
2. Go up a level and right-click the Messages folder, select properties and check th Read-only box, then clisk OK
3. Do the same for the Corel folder.

I'll let you know how it goes...

===Toby===

[aarondc]

Hi. It occurs to me that if PSP recreates the Messages folder it might be possible to stop this happening by leaving it in place but simply changing it to read only. I tried the following and so far it's worked, though too soon to check if new messages are added successfully:

1. Go to users > [username] > Application Data > Corel > Messages and delete everything in that folder.
2. Go up a level and right-click the Messages folder, select properties and check th Read-only box, then clisk OK
3. Do the same for the Corel folder.

I'll let you know how it goes...

===Toby===

Wow, that's exactly what happens if you follow the instructions in my post.

[wombat100]

I did a search for this topic and found nothing, then BrianCee posted a reply and locked my topic, thank you BrianCee for the link and you were right to lock my topic.

I am having the same problem as you guys here, but I will try a couple of things suggested here, going to have a look now.