disable messenger! ATTN: Jonathan Kay

[anon]

i have an incredibly irritating issue with MSN Messenger
v.7.5.0324 loading when I run Outlook Express or IE, but
only sometimes. I have gotten a registry file that adds a
"Hide Messenger" key to HKCU. And that will work -- for a
time. But then seemingly randomly, it will start loading
again. I have a very infrequent use for it & would rather
it not load until i want it too. So I run your registry
thing, log off & back on, & it works again -- for a time.
What's even weirder is that the key is still there
unchanged under that HCKU key.

i tried changing your file to add it to HKLM also, but
apparently that has no effect.

this is very frustrating. Any other ideas or a newer hack
that i'm missing? I got the one i'm using after Googling
for an answer and hitting upon your website. I run as a
restricted user, fwiw, so I run as admin to do the HKLM
version.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express]
"Hide Messenger"=dword:00000002

 

[John Jay Smith]

there is an option in outlook express that disables MSN integration

All you need it to learn the settings, no hacks are needed...

 

[psokolov]

What's even weirder is that the key is still there

unchanged under that HCKU key.

i tried changing your file to add it to HKLM also, but
apparently that has no effect.

Look here:
http://www.cezeo.com/tips-and-tricks/windows-messenger/

 

[anon]

Look here:

http://www.cezeo.com/tips-and-tricks/windows-messenger/

I do not have that option in my OE. I run XP sp2+all
patches, including
the optional OE ones.

 

[psokolov]

uninstall it.

 

[Larry]

Look here:
http://www.cezeo.com/tips-and-tricks/windows-messenger/

When I do the unhide in sysoc.inf, both Windows Messenger's startup
checkbox and Messenger, itself, appear on the Windows component list.

I'm allowed to remove the check mark from Messenger Startup, but NOT from
Messenger itself. XP shows a checkbox, but that check is locked.

Thanks for the help and pointer to the webpage. Any ideas to unlock that
box greatly appreciated. I don't want Messenger booting itself up and
doing God knows what that I see in Process Explorer from
www.sysinternals.com. Every so often it boots from svchost.exe under
Services and calls Billy for no known reason, here. Any idea what it's
snooping for?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings,

Actually this is outdated, you shouldn't be using sysoc.inf as you'll get what you're
getting.

If you want to kill Messenger entirely, click the Start button, then click Run and type in
(copy-paste if you like):
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

Then click OK.
Messenger will then be uninstalled. For more detailed instructions and screenshots, go to,
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/problem.aspx?ID=7

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Live Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2006 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[Larry]

Look here:
http://www.cezeo.com/tips-and-tricks/windows-messenger/

Never mind. I ran the cmd script and it seems to have deleted it. We'll
see if XP Magic makes it reappear again...(c;

It doesn't work from ADD/REMOVE Windows Components, though.

 

[Larry]

If you want to kill Messenger entirely, click the Start button, then
click Run and type in (copy-paste if you like):
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection
%windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

Thanks, looking at the mpc script, that's what it did....

Persistent little buggers, ain't they?.....(Larry The Cable Guy)

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi,

The Windows Components option will only kill the shortcut -- even if you do
the tricks with sysoc.inf, it won't work properly (as of SP2).

Should be gone for now -- optional software on Windows Update may suggest it
to you however, just make sure not to check to install it (or choose the
hide option) while on Windows Update.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Live Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2006 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[Larry]

Should be gone for now -- optional software on Windows Update may
suggest it to you however, just make sure not to check to install it
(or choose the hide option) while on Windows Update.

Speaking of update, why is it so necessary for WU to download new software
for the lock every few days? I keep getting it downloading Windows
Advantage to see if I'm lucky enough to have a paid-for copy of WinXP Pro
to my Emachines OEM version. Is Advantage that buggy?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Larry,

They've updated it a few times and it's just moved out of the "pilot" stage so there's a new
version. But trust me, I'm sick of it also.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2006 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--

 

[Larry]

They've updated it a few times and it's just moved out of the "pilot"
stage so there's a new version. But trust me, I'm sick of it also.

Thanks for your help getting rid of the Messenger virus.....

Larry

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Welcome.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Live Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2006 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--