msmsgs.exe (Messenger)

[V7iktor]

Why is it that the msmsgs.exe process must restart itself
every 2 minutes?
Even if I configure Windows Messenger NOT to run in the
backgroung and NOT to start when Windows starts AND
disable the service 'messenger' (services.msc) - msmsgs
is still running. If I manualy stop the process, it will
restart itself after the 2 minute interval.

What's my problem with all that?
Well, everytime it restarts itself I get a firewall entry:
"Windows Messenger is preparing to access the Internet
for the first time".
And that is along with a "huge" cpu usage increase (which
lasts just a second or less).

It will slow down games and so on (that's the main reason
why it IS a problem). And every two minutes too.

Now you may simply think that my system is messed up bad.
And that's what I thought too. UNTILL I found that the
exact same thing happens on my laptop, just on a smaller
scale (it has a faster cpu), but every two minutes also.
That laptop is running WinXP Home (while the desktop -
Pro). And it is also configured not to run Windows
Messanger. And it has the same firewall installed: Norton
Internet Security. So these systems don't have much in
common and I suspect that anyone running the messenger
service (and I probably NIS also has to be running - I
won't waste my time testing that though) will get the
increased cpu usage spikes every two minutes. (Just may
not notice it). Again it's a problem with Messenger or
NIS or both.

The way I fixed it is: stopped the msmsgs.exe process and
renamed the \Progam Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe to
something else. It will not run anymore, other way is to
uninstall the application. Two ways here:
type in console:
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection%windir%
\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
or
Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Windows
Components -> uncheck Windows Messenger
(the second one only for SP1)

I hope Windows Messenger is not getting in the way for
you.
Here's another solution BTW (www.redhat.com)

 

[Ramesh]

There is much more simpler methods to disable messenger from launching
itself.

Prevent Windows Messenger from Running on a Windows XP-Based Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302089

NOTE: Windows Messenger should not be confused with "Messenger Service"
[Services.msc]. Both are different.

--
Regards,
Ramesh
(e-mail address removed)


Why is it that the msmsgs.exe process must restart itself
every 2 minutes?
Even if I configure Windows Messenger NOT to run in the
backgroung and NOT to start when Windows starts AND
disable the service 'messenger' (services.msc) - msmsgs
is still running. If I manualy stop the process, it will
restart itself after the 2 minute interval.

What's my problem with all that?
Well, everytime it restarts itself I get a firewall entry:
"Windows Messenger is preparing to access the Internet
for the first time".
And that is along with a "huge" cpu usage increase (which
lasts just a second or less).

It will slow down games and so on (that's the main reason
why it IS a problem). And every two minutes too.

Now you may simply think that my system is messed up bad.
And that's what I thought too. UNTILL I found that the
exact same thing happens on my laptop, just on a smaller
scale (it has a faster cpu), but every two minutes also.
That laptop is running WinXP Home (while the desktop -
Pro). And it is also configured not to run Windows
Messanger. And it has the same firewall installed: Norton
Internet Security. So these systems don't have much in
common and I suspect that anyone running the messenger
service (and I probably NIS also has to be running - I
won't waste my time testing that though) will get the
increased cpu usage spikes every two minutes. (Just may
not notice it). Again it's a problem with Messenger or
NIS or both.

The way I fixed it is: stopped the msmsgs.exe process and
renamed the \Progam Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe to
something else. It will not run anymore, other way is to
uninstall the application. Two ways here:
type in console:
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection%windir%
\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
or
Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Windows
Components -> uncheck Windows Messenger
(the second one only for SP1)

I hope Windows Messenger is not getting in the way for
you.
Here's another solution BTW (www.redhat.com)

 

[Bill Moyer]

x-no-archive: yes

There is much more simpler methods to disable messenger from launching
itself.

Prevent Windows Messenger from Running on a Windows XP-Based Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302089

NOTE: Windows Messenger should not be confused with "Messenger
Service" [Services.msc]. Both are different.

You might think those "much more simpler" methods work, but a slowdown
*does* occur when Messenger "tries" to load, when certain Microsoft
sites are visited. The easiest solution is indeed to rename that damn
msmsgs.exe file.

 

[V7iktor]

-----Original Message-----

Same slowdown should obviously occur if the folder is renamed. I can't
understand the logic behind.

--
Regards,
Ramesh
(e-mail address removed)


x-no-archive: yes

There is much more simpler methods to disable messenger from launching
itself.

Prevent Windows Messenger from Running on a Windows XP- Based Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302089

NOTE: Windows Messenger should not be confused with "Messenger
Service" [Services.msc]. Both are different.

You might think those "much more simpler" methods work, but a slowdown
*does* occur when Messenger "tries" to load, when certain Microsoft
sites are visited. The easiest solution is indeed to rename that damn
msmsgs.exe file.

Reliable partitioning and imaging:

STOP 0x0000007F: THAT_WASNT_SUPPOSED_TO_HAPPEN



.

No need to understand it I guess, the fact is it does
eliminate the problem for good. (And that I am 100% sure
of).


The registry solution if of course much MUCH better (if
it works), only if I knew it, I would obviously try it.
But I havn't seen that one before.

Simply uninstalling doesn't solve the problem (as I
thought it would), seems the whole uninstallation
procedure does little more than delete the Messenger
start menu icon.

I am aware of the consequences of renaming the program.
Norton Windoctor already found 11 registry problems, but
if I chose to igonre them this won't be an issue.

Thank you for that link, when I calm down after trying to
fix it myself for much too long.

(Oh it's not the folder but the msmsgs.exe file, there is
a dll in that folder that also needs to be running so I
wouln't try renaming the folder).

 

[V7iktor]

Just wanted to add a small update.
My main problem which I wasn't aware of was that the
abnormal cpu usage was due to both my laptop (a network
machine) and the gateway (my desktop) running the
msmsgs.exe and doing whatever it is supposed to do. That
caused a double load on the gateway and that also
confused me since even if I disabled the Messenger on one
machine - the other would still cause load on the gateway.
It is possible because that 'extra'Messenger activity is
synchronised for whatever reason and the desktop had
trouble serving both the local mesenger and the network
mesenger.

Well that's it. A 'simple' regestry edit does the trick
as expected (prevents running msmsgs.exe).