On my windows messenger all my contacts are now missing so I cannot see
status, etc. If I look in tools | options | privacy I can see them there and
they can IM me ... any ideas? , do you need more info?

Hello,

I don't know why this is happening exactly.
*You are using the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1?
*Do you use any add-ins, like Messenger Plus! or something?
*This may help you:
http://tinyurl.com/2va6st

Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:A3BCCA5B-0C3F-42E3-8629-(E-Mail Removed)...
> On my windows messenger all my contacts are now missing so I cannot see
> status, etc. If I look in tools | options | privacy I can see them there and
> they can IM me ... any ideas? , do you need more info?

Using Windows Messenger 4.7 as supplied with XP on new Tosh laptop. No addins.

"P. Di Stolfo" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I don't know why this is happening exactly.
> *You are using the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1?
> *Do you use any add-ins, like Messenger Plus! or something?
> *This may help you:
> http://tinyurl.com/2va6st
>
> Greetings,
> P. Di Stolfo
>
> "rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:A3BCCA5B-0C3F-42E3-8629-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > On my windows messenger all my contacts are now missing so I cannot see
> > status, etc. If I look in tools | options | privacy I can see them there and
> > they can IM me ... any ideas? , do you need more info?

Hello,

I'd recommend that you download and install Windows Live Messenger 8.1. It's a far more modern application and has more features than the old Windows Messenger.
http://get.live.com/messenger/overview

Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:0DCBF441-0FE3-48A5-ABE6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Using Windows Messenger 4.7 as supplied with XP on new Tosh laptop. No addins.
>
> "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I don't know why this is happening exactly.
>> *You are using the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1?
>> *Do you use any add-ins, like Messenger Plus! or something?
>> *This may help you:
>> http://tinyurl.com/2va6st
>>
>> Greetings,
>> P. Di Stolfo
>>

Will it just upgrade my 4.7 or could I go to v5? Don't want to have to
reconfigure as user cannot remember passwords, etc.

"P. Di Stolfo" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'd recommend that you download and install Windows Live Messenger 8.1.
> It's a far more modern application and has more features than the old
> Windows Messenger.
> http://get.live.com/messenger/overview
>
> Greetings,
> P. Di Stolfo
>
> "rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:0DCBF441-0FE3-48A5-ABE6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Using Windows Messenger 4.7 as supplied with XP on new Tosh laptop. No
> addins.
> >
> > "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
> >
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> I don't know why this is happening exactly.
> >> *You are using the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1?
> >> *Do you use any add-ins, like Messenger Plus! or something?
> >> *This may help you:
> >> http://tinyurl.com/2va6st
> >>
> >> Greetings,
> >> P. Di Stolfo
> >>
>

Hello,

if Windows Messenger 5.x meets your feature expectations, you could also use that and look if the errors you had will occur again.
Normally, Windows Messenger will stay installed on the XP machine after installing Windows Live Messenger. The contacts are stored on a server along with your Live/Hotmail passport, so you needn't worry about readding them all into the new version.
I don't know exactly about the specific settings, though. But I think setting them freshly won't take longer than three minutes.

Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:AD7513F0-07D2-4889-969B-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Will it just upgrade my 4.7 or could I go to v5? Don't want to have to
> reconfigure as user cannot remember passwords, etc.
>
> "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'd recommend that you download and install Windows Live Messenger 8.1.
>> It's a far more modern application and has more features than the old
>> Windows Messenger.
>> http://get.live.com/messenger/overview
>>
>> Greetings,
>> P. Di Stolfo
>>
>> "rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>> news:0DCBF441-0FE3-48A5-ABE6-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Using Windows Messenger 4.7 as supplied with XP on new Tosh laptop. No
>> addins.
>> >
>> > "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hello,
>> >>
>> >> I don't know why this is happening exactly.
>> >> *You are using the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1?
>> >> *Do you use any add-ins, like Messenger Plus! or something?
>> >> *This may help you:
>> >> http://tinyurl.com/2va6st
>> >>
>> >> Greetings,
>> >> P. Di Stolfo
>> >>
>>

Ok, final question. Where does Messenger store the contact info ... is it on
the PC or associated with the logon? If it is the latter then perhaps it is
something broken on the 'net.

I have upgraded to v5, service still works, contacts are visible in Tools |
Options | Privacy but not in the messenger panel.

Thank you for all your help.

"P. Di Stolfo" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> if Windows Messenger 5.x meets your feature expectations, you could also use that and look if the errors you had will occur again.
> Normally, Windows Messenger will stay installed on the XP machine after installing Windows Live Messenger. The contacts are stored on a server along with your Live/Hotmail passport, so you needn't worry about readding them all into the new version.
> I don't know exactly about the specific settings, though. But I think setting them freshly won't take longer than three minutes.
>
> Greetings,
> P. Di Stolfo
>
> "rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:AD7513F0-07D2-4889-969B-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Will it just upgrade my 4.7 or could I go to v5? Don't want to have to
> > reconfigure as user cannot remember passwords, etc.
> >
> > "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
> >
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> I'd recommend that you download and install Windows Live Messenger 8.1.
> >> It's a far more modern application and has more features than the old
> >> Windows Messenger.
> >> http://get.live.com/messenger/overview
> >>
> >> Greetings,
> >> P. Di Stolfo
> >>
> >> "rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> >> news:0DCBF441-0FE3-48A5-ABE6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> > Using Windows Messenger 4.7 as supplied with XP on new Tosh laptop. No
> >> addins.
> >> >
> >> > "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Hello,
> >> >>
> >> >> I don't know why this is happening exactly.
> >> >> *You are using the latest Windows Live Messenger 8.1?
> >> >> *Do you use any add-ins, like Messenger Plus! or something?
> >> >> *This may help you:
> >> >> http://tinyurl.com/2va6st
> >> >>
> >> >> Greetings,
> >> >> P. Di Stolfo
> >> >>
> >>

Hello,

the contacts that are shown with each logon (normally) are stored on a Server which you access using your login. I can only guess why the contacts' display it is broken when you are using it. I think it is not a server problem. To give it a last try, you could install Windows Live Messenger (http://get.live.com/messenger/overview) and try whether your contacts reappear. I cannot tell you with certain that that will solve your issue.

I hope I could be helpful.

Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"rw227" <(E-Mail Removed)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:CBA3B84F-774E-49E8-8BAB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ok, final question. Where does Messenger store the contact info ... is it on
> the PC or associated with the logon? If it is the latter then perhaps it is
> something broken on the 'net.
>
> I have upgraded to v5, service still works, contacts are visible in Tools |
> Options | Privacy but not in the messenger panel.
>
> Thank you for all your help.