MSN Messenger Question

[Robert]

hi,

When I am on a Webcam with someone is it possible for the webcam
converstation (text and video) to be retreaved from the Hard Drive? Some
people say yes some say no I wanted to know what one is true

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Robert,

Well, Messenger allows the text in conversations to be saved, but only does so when you close
the window and have that option turned on. Neither text nor video is saved to the hard drive
when it's in progress and there is not an option to save video.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation

 

[Mick Murphy]

It is not saved, unless you want it to be; but it can betrieved.
Anything you view online can be retrieved from your hard drive.

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Mick,

I'm afraid this is incorrect and a common mistake. Messenger is not a web browser which
typically does depend on some temporary storage, although perhaps the latest modern browsers
with the new "porn [non history] mode" don't as I haven't checked. There is no requirement
for any application to require a hard drive.

Messenger receives text/audio/video and it is stored in RAM, then displayed or sent to the
monitor or audio device. It is never written to disk, except when told to. The only way it
could be stored to disk is if it is paged to the pagefile (aka virtual memory), and even then
would be difficult to impossible to retrieve anything of value. With regards to audio/video
calls, since it is immediately used and destroyed, it will never be sent to the pagefile.

The only things that do get stored to the hard drive in Messenger conversations are Voice
Clips (separate from the main voice and video feature) although they're automatically deleted
later. Display pictures, emoticons and winks are also stored in a temporary area to avoid
having them being transmitted again (like a web browser cache).

You don't even have to believe me; just fire up Process Monitor and watch Messenger as you
initiate calls or text. You will see no saving of file activity related to the conversation.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation