Motive SmartBridge
The Motive SmartBridge background task is installed with Verizon Online’s software which is included with their residential DSL service. It has an autoupdate prompt which runs at startup. I disabled it on my computer simply because I don’t know exactly what it does. Since I don’t have a use for it and anything running uses up some memory, I’ll keep it that way. Read the comments to learn about removing verizon online support center.
I did the same thing as “Peet,” a few messages back. Zone Alarm is an excellent firewall program, and it’s free to download at zonelabs.com. SmartBridge kept popping up everytime I opened my browser, trying to update. I suspect it’s probably one of those programs that logs your internet surfing habits and sends a report back to some server. I also found this blog via google. Thanks to all for some very helpful info.
I have been reading all the comments on motive smartbridge.
Following the instructions you have given us I clicked on
start/run and typed msconfig. Nothing happened, although I’ve
used msconfig in the past. Any comment you have on this would
be appreciated. Thanks.
I just found the website of the manufacturer of SmartBridge. Here is exactly how they describe it’s function: “SmartBridge – This technology creates a bridge to the e-business application server or the user’s browser and gathers in-depth contextual information about the user and what they are doing. For instance, if a customer is purchasing an automobile and has a question about tire options, SmartBridge can delve into the application server and determine the exact field where the user experienced the problem and the dependencies surrounding it. AnswerWeb then uses the information to deliver highly targeted self-service solutions or a high-touch connection to an appropriate expert.” In other words, it is a very direct intrusion into your privacy. The program collects information about how and where you’re surfing, so that you can receive unsolicited spam. That’s enough for me to say “NO THANKS!”
I have had verizon dsl for 6 months. I just started receiving the Motive SmartBridge prompt upon start-up.
Thank you for your help. I am running ME and used the msconfig info to remove from startup. Thanks again!
Elliot, Thanks for the info….it worked. I found a Motive sub-folder in the Program Files directory. Can the Motive folder be deleted?
OH yes! THANK YOU, THANK YOU all for giving me the dope on this whack s–t, How dare Verizon to pull this kinda crap! I knew it! It probably says something about it in Verizons EULA that I clicked without reading as usual. I do remember UN-checking the boxes that asks if I want E-mails about blah blah blah …Nothing is sacred anymore. They’ll be printing ads on toilet paper soon enough (shhh, don’t tell no-one ‘k?)
OH, and has anyone actually clicked “YES” and had it go away or change anything at all? I clicked yes to see what would happen and got an “updating” message box that stayed there for like ten minutes and nothing happened.
What’s up with that? I’m running Win98se, and will now carry out the above proceedure(s) Thanks again, and consider this site bookmarked! Peace
Thanks for the info. I went to the folder where Motive SmartBridge is stored and removed the software completely uwint its uninstall feature. One less piece of crap running in the background degrading performance.
Thanks for putting this help on the Web — it worked perfectly and I won’t be nearly so annoyed every time I start up my computer.
I just went to “start-up” on the control panel and deleted “motive smart bridge” from the HKLM/run list.I hope that stops it.
My thanks! Running 2000Pro meant no MSConfig file. I found out aout this site via Google. Smartbridge was in my program Files under Verizon support. I was not able to delete the support center but the sub folder Smarbridge went up in
smoke! Thanks again.
Thanks for all the helpful comments, and for Google’s directing me to this blog. I also just started getting this message and worried that it might be something harmful. Don’t know why Verizon does this; most suspicious. I note that almost half of the postings have occurred in the last week, so something must have happened at Verizon’s end. Maybe they want info on our on-line shopping over the holidays. Good incentive to turn SmartBridge into OutBridge.
Interesting stuff. Thank you all for your comments. They’ve convinced me to also disable Motive SB from my (WinXP) Startup.
I’ve had Verizon DSL since early November and received my FIRST Motive SmartBridge Update notification today.
I became increasingly suspicious about it’s “motive” (pun intended) so I did a Google search and found this very informative blog (thanks Elliot).
Like most users, I’m sensitive to any programs that want to monitor my computer functions and consider them an invasion of privacy and it seems to me that Motive SB is a big eye in the sky that, if not for my benefit, I can do without.
Motive SmartBridge – begone!
Regards.
OOPS! (followup to my post above)….
I found a down-side to removing SmartBridge.
All seemed well until I went to check my email (Outlook Express).
But, my first indication that something was amiss was my email notifier (PopPeeper) was connecting to my two OE accounts but not to my verizon account.
In OE I received an ERROR on my [email protected] account. Seems OE was also unable to connect to this POP3 account.
I had to go to Startup and enable SmartBridge, reboot, and then OE was able to connect to the verizon server.
Anyone else experience this?
I didn’t experience that, but try moving away from OE. Try Thunderbird: http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/
Elliot – I asked a question above which hasn’t been answered so I’ll repeat it. To delete motive smartbridge I went to start/run/misconfig, clicked OK and nothing at all happened. Does anyone have any idea what I do now to disable motive
startup? Thank you for any help you can give. Shirley
My update showed up two days ago. Your advise took care of it. Found you on Google. Thank you.
I also have Verizon DSL and got the same popup a couple of days ago, Feb 8th, 2004. I’ve had Verizon for almost a year now and I have never had Motive SB to pop up until. The first time it popped up I closed it but the next day it popped up again and I installed it. I did not get any ill effects from it to knowledge. I think I’ll leave it alone for the time being.
Thanks for posting the info! I also have Win 2000Pro. Following Hermann’s advice to get rid of Verizon Support Center, I went to the start up folder and found it there. There was also an option in the start up folder to uninstall Verizon support. I did that, and it seems to have zapped Smartbridge as well.
Thanks for the useful information. I “ditto” the above comments about when MSB began showing up. My question is a bit different. After starting up, I have what I think is a whopping 49 processes running! Does anyone know how I can reduce this and what is safe to disable? I run WindowsXP Home Edition. Thanks! Happy holiday.
This is in furtherance of the last posted message. Is there any downside to disabling MSN Messenger? Thanks.
to keep it short, I will say “ditto” for this Verizon w/msn customer too. Great info here. Thanks,
Hi Alex, thanks so much for the helo with motivesb.exe.
thanks, I need you god bless help I have been on the phone with Dell for 2 months now with no help, every time my computer starts up i get the following three RUNDLL message, can you please help. The first message is:
1=Error loading C:\WINDOWS\System32\icdd7ee6.dll
2=Error Loading C:\WINDOWS\System32\iel2cde8.dll
3=Error Loading C:\WINDOWS\System32\lio1f948.dll
Thanks very, very much
I’ve had Verizon DSL since April or May (& I love it, I had cable for several years, no real complaints except the price & the cable modem needed to be re-booted an awful lot – so I switched with no problems. I find it to be fast, and have even found customer service more helpful than that of many tech vendors). MSB started to pop up a few days ago on my old Win 98 machine (I have a two machine network). After getting the pop up a few times, since I knew it was from Verizon, I let it update. Mistake! It slowed down my Internet connection so that it was almost unusable! I found your site on google, followed your directions and it worked like a charm! Thanks!
Thank you soooo much!
That motive smartbridge update notice was annoying and i wasn’t sure if it was something dangerous or what.
Your instructions were great. i ‘m putting your site in my favorites list!
Thanks. SmartBridge was driving me up the wall. I blocked it, as well as its sister program, via Zone Alarm.