My new 7135 just came with a demo disk that tells the wonders of the new phone.

It also installs "Noptify.exe", which is spyware that will go out over the internet and report usage of the CD.

Check out http://www.spywareguide.com/spydet_655_noptify.html

for more info.

To remove:
Do a CTR-ALT-DEL to get taskman and delete the noptify process.

Then go to your temp directory, whether it be \windows\temp or \Documents and settings\...\temp\noptify.exe and delete the file. Note that I'm told that it is a hidden file.

Google has several responses to the search for noptify.exe

Good phone. Bad Verizon...

DHK

Are you sure the Kyo CD is the culprit? I recently reinstalled the 7135 software when I upgraded my hard drive (in late Jan) and saw no such spyware as a result of the installation. I regularly run Ad-Aware (usually weekly) and have not been hit with this "notify" spyware at all. At the same time, I have seen plenty of spyware dumped onto my computer through the shakey practices of less-than-reputable advertisers. Have Ad-Aware scan your CD to see if it finds the Notify.exe program.

Kupe

This is not the PROGRAM CD, but the DEMO CD that came with the phone. And if you do a google search you'll find a lot of "hits" about it, even the company it supposedly sends the info back to.

Can't be sure, but it did seem to start just this past weekend after I installed my phone and looked at the useless demo CD.

Do check out google.... Noptify.exe

And I've read that adaware won't find it... but Zonalarm sure did!

DHK

I'm partial to Spybot search & destroy. But whatever spyware/adware utility you use make sure you update it. I'm surprised Adaware didn't pick it up.
mg

I'm also partial to spybot... however neither spybot nor adaware latest versions picked it up...

DHK

Went to download Spybot and found promo for Cleanspace. Anyone tried it? Vouch for it?

The link in your post does not appear to work.

__________________
Dave

You're right... link seems to have died. Worked yesterday. You can search for "noptify.exe" on google, and 5th one down is this one. If link is still dead when you try, look at google's cached version...

DHK

Thanks for the post...

A letter to Verizon complaining seems in order.

__________________
Peter L.

I sent a vehement email of complaint and received the following (lengthy) reply. I plan to ask them why they don't tell us they are spying on us... DHK
=======
Thank you for contacting the Verizon Wireless website. We are sorry to learn that you are having difficulty with your wireless service. As part of our Worry Free Guarantee, your concern becomes our concern the first time you contact us. We are happy to assist you with your question.

Verizon Wireless is launching an initiative designed to simplify our customers' experience with their new device and service. Part of this initiative is an interactive Welcome CD ROM with audio and video that is included with many new wireless devices. The interactive CD ROM contains a device-specific interactive manual, benefits and advantages of Verizon Wireless service, and a link to www.verizonwireless.com.

To gauge the effectiveness of this CD ROM, the CD usage activity will be monitored while online to allow Verizon Wireless to collect anonymous information about usage. We do not track your personal information or activities on Websites outside of the CD or on www.verizonwireless.com. We aggregate this information and use it to evaluate and improve our communications. For more details, review our Privacy Statement at www.verizonwireless.com.

Some customers have noticed a file that is installed on their computer after viewing the CD ROM. This file will appear if the computer is not connected to the Internet when the CD ROM is viewed. The file is "noptify.exe" and is installed in a temp folder on the user's hard drive. This occurs only on PCs and not Macintosh machines.

Additional Information on the noptify.exe file:
7 The file only installs if the viewer opens the disk when their computer is off line.
7 No information about the viewer, their equipment, and/or software is collected.
7 The file implements an incremental counter so Verizon Wireless can collect data on where customers are going for information on the CD.
7 No information is collected or stored so nothing can be sold and shared. Once it reports the CD has been viewed off line, it deletes itself.
7 The file lasts about 20 reboots, then it deletes itself unless it has already done so.
7 If a customer has a firewall in place, it is likely they will see the program trying to contact the web via port 80. It is not uncommon for a firewall to see this type of thing.

Customers may manually delete the noptify.exe file the same way they would delete any file on their PC. Instructions to delete the file are as follows:
1. Locate it on your computer. (use "Search" function &/or Windows Explorer) 2. Highlight the file.
3. Press the delete key.

If a message appears that says "Access denied source file maybe in use," then:
1. Go into task manager (ctrl-alt-del) and click on the processes tab.
2. Select/highlight the "noptify.exe" file.
3. Click End Task/Process.
4. Delete the file as noted above.

If you have further questions or concerns, please contact us anytime through e-mail using the address of wirelessdata@verizonwireless.com. We appreciate your business and thank you for choosing Verizon Wireless.

Sincerely,

Kirk
Verizon Wireless
Wireless Data Technical Support
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Yep... the response isn't good enuf for me either.

Even if I accepted that it was OK to monitor my use of the CD in order to improve customer service, the file should self-destruct and de-install.

__________________
Peter L.