Windows XP Pro, suddenly I have Windows Messenger!

[Muse]

I've been running this installation of XP Pro for several months but suddenly on startup I get a screen wanting me to sign into Windows Messenger. I have never used it, don't do chat stuff, so I regard it as an annoyance. I went into Add/Remove Programs and found something pertaining to it and removed it. I stopped getting the screens but notice an icon next to my others at the bottom right of my taskbar involving Windows Messenger. Tooltip for it wants me to sign in. I can't find anything in Add/Remove Programs about Windows Messenger now. I opened the icon and it wanted me to sign in. There are various tabs and I went into preferences and unchecked having it launch at Windows start, an obvious first step in getting this out of my hair. What is it, how did it get there and how do I get rid of this thing?

 

[Rubycon]

Click on START, RUN and paste this in the box and hit enter.

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

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
Click on START, RUN and paste this in the box and hit enter.

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

Very cool. Thanks!

 

[VirtualLarry]

I've had this happen too, quite randomly, the MSN Messenger icon starts showing up in the system tray area for no good reason.

Maybe due to an MS update???

 

[Athena]

Windows Messenger and MSN (aka Live) Messenger are two completely different programs. Windows Messenger was built into Windows XP and can't actually be removed (just hidden), whereas MSN/Live Messenger is a separate add-on that must be installed by the user.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I've had this happen too, quite randomly, the MSN Messenger icon starts showing up in the system tray area for no good reason.

Maybe due to an MS update???

I suspect this did happen because I (perhaps foolishly) allowed an "automatic" update to occur a few days ago instead of "custom." I have no idea what was installed, but when I was asked to install Internet Explorer 8.0, I refused because I didn't have the time to mess with it. I use Firefox 98% of the time, anyway.

 

[Dahak]

Usually Windows messenger will start to pop up primary when you open up outlook express.

The windows live(msn) messenger will show up if you just select all the windows updates and not take off the Windows Live Essentials which is a recommended update

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: Athena
Windows Messenger and MSN (aka Live) Messenger are two completely different programs. Windows Messenger was built into Windows XP and can't actually be removed (just hidden), whereas MSN/Live Messenger is a separate add-on that must be installed by the user.

You can actually remove Windows messenger I believe. Find sysoc.inf and remove every instance of the word HIDE as follows:

http://www.mvps.org/ecvogel/kb/XP_remove_progs.htm

Then you can just proceed to Add/Remove Program and uninstall Windows built-in apps like MSN Explorer and Windows Messenger.

OP: are you using Outlook Express? If you find that Windows messenger prompt annoying, you can turn it off in Outlook Express so it won't pop whenever you launch OE.