5/28/2004 See ya later Windows Messenger

Question:

I just bought a new PC, and Windows Messenger automatically starts running every time I go online. I never use instant messengers, so how do I get rid of it?
--submitted by Jennifer B. of Fredericktown, OH

Answer:

If your new computer is running Windows XP Home or Pro edition, you can use the steps below. If you have SP1 installed, Windows added a new feature to the "Add or remove program" tool in the control panel called "Set program access and defaults." You can use this feature to remove Windows Messenger from the Start menu, the desktop, and other locations.

However, if you don't have Service Pack 1 installed, you can do the following, depending on whether you are running the Home or Pro version.

Pro version:
1. Click Start > Run, type gpedit.msc, then press Enter.
2. Double-click the following items to expand them:
Local Computer Policy
Computer Configuration
Administrative Templates
Windows Components
Windows Messenger
3. Double-click "Do not allow Windows Messenger to run" and click Enable.
4. Click OK, then quit the Group Policy snap-in.

For users running the Home edition:
1. Start Windows Messenger
2. Click Options on the Tools menu.
3. Click the Preferences tab, click to clear the "Run this program when Windows starts" check box, then click OK.

If you are using Outlook Express, you can also prevent users from manually running Windows Messenger by:
1. In Outlook Express, click Options on the Tool menu.
2. On the General tab, click to clear the "Automatically log on to Windows Messenger" check box.
2. Click OK.
To prevent Windows Messenger from signing in when you run Outlook:
1. In Outlook, click Options on the Tools menu.
2. On the Other tab, click to clear the "Enable instant messaging in Microsoft Outlook check box.
3. Click OK

--Submitted by Chuck B. of Spokane, WA

*********************HONORABLE MENTIONS*********************************

Answer submitted by: Chuck L.
I assume that your new computer came with Windows XP pre-installed, Jennifer, so the solution to your problem is simple. Click Start / Run and type in "gpedit.msc" (without the quotation marks) and click OK. This will bring up the Group Policy Editor.
In the left pane, expand Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components, then click on "Windows Messenger." In the right pane, right-click "Do not allow Windows Messenger to be run", click "Properties", click "Enabled" then click "OK". Do the same thing with the other option, "Do not automatically start Windows Messenger initially" - right-click, select "Properties", click "Enabled" then click "OK". Close the Group Policy Editor and re-start your machine. No more Windows! Messenger!
I should add that disabling Windows Messenger will oftentimes cause Outlook Express to take a long time to start-up, so if you use OE regularly as your e-mail client, you might just want to allow Windows Messenger to run on your system. To re-activate Windows Messenger, simply reverse the above procedure and choose either "Not Configured" or "Disabled" from the properties options.
Hope this helps, Jennifer!

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Answer submitted by: James W.

TURN OFF WINDOWS MESSENGER

Windows XP instant messaging service, Windows
Messenger, runs automatically at start.

To turn off Windows Messenger(not Messenger Service)right click
the icon in your Task Bar. Click Open> After Windows Messenger opens>
click Tools> Options> Preferences tab and remove check from box next
to "Run this program
when Windows starts."

You can also change the folder name if Windows Messenger starts with
Internet Explorer or Outlook Express. Click Start> All Programs>
Accessories> Windows Explorer. You are looking for the Messenger
folder, path C:\Program Files\Messenger. Right click
Messenger folder> select Rename> Change the name to Messengerstop. Be
sure Windows Messenger isn't running. You may have to Right Click the
Widows Messenger icon> click Tools> Options> Preferences and clear
check box next to "Run this program when Windows starts." if you
haven't done this yet. Reboot> Change the Messenger folder name to
Messsengerstop.

Or stop Windows Messenger by going to Windows Explorer, find
C:\Windows\Inf> locate the SYSOC.INF file. Open with Notepad> Find
the string "msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7" (without
the quotation marks). Replace it with,
"msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,7" (without the quotation
marks) You are removing the word "hide." Now, click Start> Control
Panel. Double click Add or Remove Programs> Click Add/Remove Windows
Components> Remove the check mark next to Windows Messenger.

One last tweak, Click Start> Run and then enter: "RunDll32
advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC Remove"
(without the quotation marks) Click Ok. (Note the spaces after
RunDll32 and INFSection)

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Answer submitted by: Pradeep B. of Hamriyah Free Zone, Sharjah United Arab Emirates

hello Jennifer,
it's a very simple way and you can easily do it.
1. Open windows messsenger
2. Click on TOOLS
3. Select OPTIONS
4. Now go to the tab GENERAL
5. Uncheck the option box of ALLOW AUTOMATIC SIGNIN WHEN CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET
6. You can also uncheck the box AUTOMATICALLY RUN MESSENGER WHEN I LOG ON TO WINDOWS, as you have mentioned that you never use instant messengers.
This will get rid of your problem of the messenger automatically starting to run everytime you go online as well as support your belief in not using Instant messengers.
Best of luck & have a good day
bye

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Answer submitted by: Scott

There are a number of different ways to disable or remove windows messenger from windows XP so here are 2 suggestions.

1. Got to Start then Run and enter the following and click ok:
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
(If you have installed Windows XP Service Pack 1 you will receive an error "Error unregistering the OCX 16422")

2. You can also remove Windows Messenger through Add/Remove Programs, however if you do not have SP1 installed it will be hidden from Add/Remove Programs.

If this is the case you first need to unhide it:
First locate sysoc.inf in your Windows or Windows\inf directory (ex. C:\Windows\Inf).
Open the file in notepad (right-click -- open with...) and look for the line:
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
Remove "hide" from this line leaving the commas before and after it.

Go to Start -- Settings -- Control Panel (Start -- Control Panel in XP view)
Go to Add/Remove Programs and select Add/Remove Windows Components.
Uncheck Windows Messenger at the end of the list.
Click Next
Click Finish.

Hope this helps,
Scott

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Answer submitted by: Paul

Hi Lee

The way I found to resolve windows instant messenger starting was to go into msconfig I found this to be really handy and easy to do to stop programs from starting when I boot up my pc.

The step by step guild I use is go to start menu then run type in msconfig press enter this will bring up the system configuration utility.

Click the start tab this will show you all the programs that start up when you start your computer with a check box next to each program if a box is ticked it will start so just click on the MsnMsgr check box to deselect it then press ok.

When you have finish you will be prompted to restart your pc after rebooting your pc the instant messenger should now no longer load on start up you will also get a message that you are using selective start up but just check this box so it does not come up on the next time you restart your pc.

take care

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Answer submitted by Chris F.

To stop windows messenger automatically starting when online
do the following...

1. First determine if it actually windows messenger or MSN messenger by opening up
the program from the taskbar when it starts up,then help>about.

2. Press the windows key(bottom left of the keyboard next to control), and type
msconfig then O.K, or alternatively start>run.

3. Go to the services tab and untick the service called Messenger.

4. Click on the STARTUP tab at the end and untick "msmsgs" (for windows messenger)
or "msnmsgr" (for MSN Messenger).

5. Then apply and when prompted click Restart.
Now messenger will not start unless you do it manually.

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Utilities recommended by Members

I came across a handy little tool called Startup Mechanic and it is a free program download from http://www.startupmechanic.com/

It allows you to disable MSN messenger and anything else you don't need when you first boot up your computer.

Enjoy it....................Rod

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To get rid of (or at least disable) that pesky Messenger service, I use that
old faithful free utility, Ad-Aware from Lavasoft. If you have installed
Ad-Aware, you can go to this page:

http://www.lavasoft.de/software/plugins/messenger.shtml

and download the plug-in to disable the service.

Mark P. Los Angeles, CA.

------------------------

As far as ridding yourself of Windows Messenger...Try
using "Shoot the Messenger" program which I found on
the ShieldsUp! website. This will very easily disable
Messenger.

C.B.
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I installed win patrol 7.0 and then wnet to service and disdabled messenger

Jim W.
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Windows Messenger Kill

Old Way
Start > Run- type- C:\WINDOWS\INF\SYSOC.INF Substitute your Windows directory if necessary (ie D: or C:. This will open a text file that maliciously hides some programs from the Add/Remove Programs folder. Find the line that starts with msmsgs= and edit the word hide out of it (Do NOT remove the commas). Save the file, open control Panel?s Add/Remove Programs and click on the Windows Components button. Scroll down and you will find Windows Messenger just waiting to be unchecked.

New Way
Run- type:

RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

You can just copy and paste, just make sure to get from R to e without the extra space that pops up at the end when you highlight.

Ill Advised Way
Aka- Merely disable Messenger >>> Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services. Find Messenger in the pull down DISABLE it. Then hit STOP then OK.

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