Removing Messenger XP

[Joseph Hume]

Before service pack 2 you could remove the hide from
%systemroot%\inf\sysoc.inf and unistall the xp messenger. Since
'upgrading' to service pack 2 xp messenger has been reinstalled and I
can't quite seem to get rid of it...

Removing the hide from the sysoc.inf file produces two messenger icons
in add/remove windows components but it still won't uninstall...

Any Idea's or pointers?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings,

The sysoc.inf trick is unnecessary and rather pointless. If you really want to completely
disable Windows Messenger, you can simply uninstall it but by doing so, Application Sharing,
Whiteboard and Remote Assistance (within MSN Messenger) will no longer function.

If this is fine with you, just remove Windows Messenger again by closing down Messenger if
it's running (right click the messenger icon in the notification area/system tray and click
close). Then 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
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2005 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[Joseph Hume]

Fantastic. Why it couldn't be / isn't in the control panel add - remove
standard windows components is beyond me. Don't happen to have
something like that up your sleeve for media player and / or movie maker
as well???

 

[Gary Tsang]

Other components are dependent on Windows Messenger being on the computer
(see Jonathan's posting as he explains it rather well).

 

[Joseph Hume]

Gary

Reading his earlier reply to my post "Application Sharing,
Whiteboard and Remote Assistance (within MSN Messenger)" is
functionality I can well live without...

Other than that, what other components are dependent on windows
messenger being installed and operational on the host computer?

Joseph

 

[Gary Tsang]

Outlook 2003's Messenger contact display in the from field is one example.
Anything else that ties into Windows Messenger APIs.

 

[Joseph Hume]

That's a program that will never grace my computers. Anything else?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Joseph,

There aren't any others, or else I would've mentioned them
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2005 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[Guest]

If I full uninstall Windows Messenger, and then install MSN Messenger, will I
regain the application sharing, whiteboard and remote assistance?

Tim.

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings,

Nope, you must have Windows Messenger -installed- to use these features in MSN Messenger.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2005 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.