how to stop laptop from dialing

[substance12]

my gf's HP pavilion xt118 laptop keeps trying to dial up whenever it isn't connected to the internet. how do you stop this? thanks in advance!

 

[Lord Evermore]

Stop trying to use applications that need a connection to the Internet?

 

[redbeard1]

Instant messaging, weather bug, spyware, all can cause unwanted dialing.

 

[Wigwam]

recently bought a useed laptop and it did the same thing and whenever we WERE online this link-popup always came up.
ran ad-aware and there was a spyware dialler on boardwhich was easily removed.

other easy answer is to let zonealarm identify what it is so you can zap it [or at least permanently prohibit conecting if it is hard to zap]

 

[substance12]

I'll try running the spyware removers. The number it keeps on dialing is the earthlink dial up number, not some 900 number, so that makes me think it's not spyware. I was trying to look for an option that says, "do/do not automatically try to connect to internet"

 

[Lord Evermore]

In the Internet Options dialog, on the connections tab, are options for whether to dial a particular connection. If an application uses the default settings for Internet service (basically uses IE's settings) then it will honor this rule. If the application causing it just initiates a connection directly regardless of the Internet Options, then it won't prevent it. I assume you've checked whether there's anything running in the background or system tray like a weather updater or some crap like that.