[CelestialTeardrop]

I was cleaning up my computer today of certain programs I do not use, namely MSN and MSN messenger 6.x (6.2, I think). I had switched to comcast about 5 months ago, but for some reason never took the MSN program off of my comp even though I haven't been using it for a while.

After uninstalling MSN and MSN messenger, every time I start OE, the windows messenger icon appears next to the clock. This had previously happened with AOL Instant Messenger but I cleared the "Automatically log on to AOL Instant Messenger" option under "General" in Tools -> Options for OE. (On a side note, unchecking this option made no difference and AIM continue to start automatically until I unchecked the use AIM as default messenger box.)

Is there any way to stop Windows Messenger from appearing when OE starts?

Thank you.

Edited by CelestialTeardrop, 07 August 2005 - 03:41 PM.

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ok, if you have done the change in outlook and it still is coming up then you need to go into control panel, add/remove programs, windows componets and remove messenger from there.

[starjax]

ok, if you have done the change in outlook and it still is coming up then you need to go into control panel, add/remove programs, windows componets and remove messenger from there.

[CelestialTeardrop]

Hmm, the problem seems to be solved, though by an odd method. I went into AIM and set it as my default messenger service. Opened OE, and Window Messenger appeared again (even though under the Tools menu AOL was presented as the messenger for which options were available ). When I clicked on the options under AIM in the Tools menu, a window opened showing the Windows messenger options (which in fact was the messenger opened with OE at that time). I closed all open windows, went into AIM again, and unchecked the box that set is as default. Opened OE, neither messenger opened and there were no options for any messenger service in the Tools menu.

As for uninstalling, there is no add/remove button for Windows messenger in the control panel, although there was for MSN messenger (both were represented by similar icons - two green "buddies" one lighter the other darker, though the MSN version had a small white x in a red circle in the lower (I think left) corner or a butterfly when signed on, while the Windows version did not have this).

[CelestialTeardrop]

Ok, I thought the problem was solved, but it appears otherwise. Though not exactly a problem, I'm still curious about this: Whenever I use AIM, close it, and then go to OE, windows messenger opens again. (The only time it doesn't show up is between checking the use AIM as default messenger in the AIM options, click OK, and uncheck it again and starting AIM again.)

On the computer I'm using now, I first had MSN (which also included MSN messenger 6.2 besides the windows messenger that came preinstalled as part of Windows XP home edition) so I didn't need OE, then switched to comcast and used its web-based mail. Tired of signing in every time, I decided to give OE a try (all of the MSN software was still installed since I wasn't sure if I would need to switch back to MSN for certain reasons). I had never noticed any messenger icon appear in the system tray, neither windows messenger, MSN messenger, or AIM; although in the Tools menu in OE there had always been an "AOL Instant Messenger" section with options and sign on/off even though AIM was not selected as the default instant messenger.

Now that quite some time had passed and I'm pretty sure I won't be need the MSN software (and new versions are probably out by now anyway), I uninstalled the MSN browser and messenger.

It was after this that Windows messenger began appearing in the system tray, yet the Tools menu in OE still had options for AIM, which if clicked on opened the controls for Windows messenger. Does this happen usually?

Also, does OE always open a messenger program when it starts? I know there is an option for whether or not the messenger should sign the user in or not, but is there a way to not have any messenger program open at all?

And lastly, does Windows XP Home Edition come with any MSN internet software installed by default (MSN explorer or MSN messenger)?

Thanks in advance!

p.s.

Going into add/remove programs -> windows components -> Windows messenger only removes Windows messenger from the start menu.

Edited by CelestialTeardrop, 10 August 2005 - 02:27 PM.

[Murray S.]

Howdy:

Which messaging program are you referring to here - MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger are two separate programs??

Murray

[CelestialTeardrop]

Windows messenger; I had both MSN messenger and Windows messenger since I bought the computer up until recently, but the issue I'm referring to began showing after I had uninstalled MSN messenger (and explorer). The one showing up whenever I open OE now is Windows messenger.

My "p.s." in my previous post was in answer to this:

ok, if you have done the change in outlook and it still is coming up then you need to go into control panel, add/remove programs, windows componets and remove messenger from there.

[Murray S.]

How To Disable Windows Messenger Service

Murray

[CelestialTeardrop]

Click Start->Settings ->Control Panel
Click Performance and Maintenance
Click Administrative Tools
Double click Services
Scroll down and highlight "Messenger"
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
Click the STOP button.
Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

My settings were already "Disabled" for the startup type and "Stopped" for the service status when I followed the directions in the link.

I apologize for taking up your time with such a trivial matter.

[Murray S.]

Go to Start>Run and copy/paste the following command in there..

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

Make sure MSN Messenger is not running when you run this command as some files will be in use and you will most likely experience some error messages which could prevent MSN Messenger from being removed properly.

Murray

[CelestialTeardrop]

Thanks for the suggestion, but really it's not that big of a problem. And as I said earlier, though perhaps not clearly, I no longer have MSN messenger. The issue came up after I uninstalled MSN messenger and has to do with Windows messenger showing up in the system tray upon opening OE. I just wanted to see if this is how it's supposed to work on all systems (OE opening a messenger program).

Also, I know Windows messenger comes preinstalled on windows XP, but does MSN explorer and MSN messenger come preinstalled as well? Because in Start -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Windows components, MSN explorer is listed as one of the components. (I no longer remember if some version of MSN came preinstalled because I installed the latest version of the time the same day I started up the comp for the first time, so defaults are a little blurry).

[Murray S.]

Messenger comes installed but I don't think MSN Explorer does with a normal install..

Murray

[CelestialTeardrop]

So you get two instant messengers automatically (both windows and MSN)... Can the system be damaged if MSN messenger is removed, and only window messenger left in the system?

[Murray S.]

Nope.. Not at all.. I have both disabled on all my systems !!

Murray

[CelestialTeardrop]

Oh, ok, great. (I should have assumed that if MSN messenger was in the list of programs for Add/Remove programs, windows would not have allowed it to be removed so easily if it would damage the system.)

I think I sort of figured out what was causing the problems and overriding the settings that had disabled Windows messenger. I uninstalled AOL Instant Messenger and the Windows messenger icon no longer appears in the system tray when I open OE. Is it possible that there was something in MSN messenger that kept AOL Instant Messenger from taking over?