Vista RTM + Windows Live Messenger - ERROR 81000306

[David McGown]

I've installed Vista (Build 6000) and Windows Live Messenger (Build
8.0.0812) and cannot get Messenger to sign in. It gives the same error every
time - 81000306. This is a fresh & clean Vista install and the local
firewall is disabled but there is a firewall on our router. Since all of our
XP SP2 users have no problem with the same version of Messenger, I am
guessing that there is something different about the way Vista works with
our router. My IT guy is reluctant to change anything at this stage unless I
can make specific requests about what needs to change.

Any ideas what to change that might fix this? Is this a known
incompatibility with Vista and Messenger?

Thanks.

 

[Bill Frisbee]

David,

Can you be more specific with the error? Is there anything in the event log?

Bill F.

 

[Tom Porterfield]

I've installed Vista (Build 6000) and Windows Live Messenger (Build
8.0.0812) and cannot get Messenger to sign in. It gives the same error
every time - 81000306. This is a fresh & clean Vista install and the local
firewall is disabled but there is a firewall on our router. Since all of
our XP SP2 users have no problem with the same version of Messenger, I am
guessing that there is something different about the way Vista works with
our router. My IT guy is reluctant to change anything at this stage
unless I can make specific requests about what needs to change.

Any ideas what to change that might fix this? Is this a known
incompatibility with Vista and Messenger?

I am also unable to log into Live Messenger, but on XP SP2, so I would guess
that this is likely a problem with the service and not your Vista install.

 

[xfile]

Hi,

My two cents, try this newsgroup as well:
microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger

PS: Cross post this to the live messenger newsgroup.

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=22Sc=F8tt_Lovegrove_=5BScottIsAFoo]

Go to Start, run, then type "regedit"

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\microsoft\MSNMessenger\Policies

Delete the key "contacts.msn.com"

Then just restart Messenger. That should do the trick.

Scøtt
Live Messenger FAQs - http://wlm.scottisafool.co.uk/
Personal Blog - http://scottisafool.spaces.live.com/
Developer Blog - http://scottisafooldev.spaces.live.com/

 

[David McGown]

While that is possible, I doubt it. As I said, all of our XP users here in
the office are not experiencing problems. It's only me and the one other
Vista user that cannot sign in to Messenger.

 

[David McGown]

There's nothing in the event log that looks relevant to this.
The full error goes something like "We were unable to sign you in to Windows
Live Messenger, possibly because of a problem with the service of with your
internet connections. Please make sure you are connected to the Internet."
Then it gives the error code 81000306. Of course I am connected to the
Internet and when I use the Connection Troubleshooter in Messenger, it shows
that all test results passed. It makes no sense. Like I said, myself and the
one other guy in the office who are now on Vista are the only ones having
this problem here. The XP users are all signing in to Messenger with no
problem.

 

[David McGown]

Unfortunately, the Policies key doesn't exist in my registry. Thanks for the
suggestion though.

Go to Start, run, then type "regedit"

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\microsoft\MSNMessenger\Policies

Delete the key "contacts.msn.com"

Then just restart Messenger. That should do the trick.

Scøtt
Live Messenger FAQs - http://wlm.scottisafool.co.uk/
Personal Blog - http://scottisafool.spaces.live.com/
Developer Blog - http://scottisafooldev.spaces.live.com/

Hi,

My two cents, try this newsgroup as well:
microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger

PS: Cross post this to the live messenger newsgroup.

 

[David McGown]

I found the option to turn on the WLM logging feature. After one login
attempt I now have a log file that is 35KB. I can attach the whole file but
here's a few lines from around where the error code shows up:

[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService CreateReducedPolicy: policy -
lc=1033,id=507,tw=40,ru=http%3A%2F%2Fmessenger%2Emsn%2Ecom,ct=1164126509,kpp=1,kv=9,ver=2.1.6000.1,rn=sLheLC6U,tpf=1d9d535752bace3f218da4e4ebf293c5
[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService CreateReducedPolicy: This is a PPM
policy
[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService CreateReducedPolicy: reduced
policy - ?id=507&tw=40&kpp=1&kv=9&ver=2.1.6000.1&rn=sLheLC6U
[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService
CHotmailService::FireLocalStateChangeResult@01A30268BUGBUG: Whidbey link
progress, 0x0001)
[08:44:21.798] Zone_SDrive SDriveLifetime::OnLogonResult
(0x81000306)
[08:44:21.798] Zone_SDrive SDriveLifetime::OnServiceLogoff
[08:44:21.798] Zone_SDrive Buddy's not online - Cannot get root
paths

Does this kind of log info help?

 

[David McGown]

I found the procedure below in another group, and it solved my problem with
Vista and Live Messenger. Apparently Vista's "auto-tuning" networking
feature doesn't play nice with some routers. Not sure if it is a bug in
Vista, a bug in Messenger or a bug in the router firmware but anyway this
looks like a possible workaround that might help other people who have the
same problem.

Try this:
- Click start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd.exe when it appears under Applications
- Click Run As Administrator
- Type the following: netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
- Press enter
- Restart your computer

 

[xfile]

Hi,

Maybe you wish to know that your solution helped another user solved the
same problem.

Thanks for the sharing

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[DataBitz]

Hi David,
I found the procedure below in another group, and it solved my problem with
Vista and Live Messenger. Apparently Vista's "auto-tuning" networking
feature doesn't play nice with some routers. Not sure if it is a bug in
Vista, a bug in Messenger or a bug in the router firmware but anyway this
looks like a possible workaround that might help other people who have the
same problem. BTW I have a NetGear DG834

Try this:
- Click start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd.exe when it appears under Applications
- Click Run As Administrator
- Type the following: netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
- Press enter
- Restart your computer

To check autotuning is disabled repeat the above but type: netsh int tcp
show global

Unfortunately, the Policies key doesn't exist in my registry. Thanks for
the suggestion though.

Go to Start, run, then type "regedit"

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\microsoft\MSNMessenger\Policies

Delete the key "contacts.msn.com"

Then just restart Messenger. That should do the trick.

Scøtt
Live Messenger FAQs - http://wlm.scottisafool.co.uk/
Personal Blog - http://scottisafool.spaces.live.com/
Developer Blog - http://scottisafooldev.spaces.live.com/

Hi,

My two cents, try this newsgroup as well:
microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger

PS: Cross post this to the live messenger newsgroup.

I've installed Vista (Build 6000) and Windows Live Messenger (Build
8.0.0812) and cannot get Messenger to sign in. It gives the same error
every time - 81000306. This is a fresh & clean Vista install and the
local firewall is disabled but there is a firewall on our router. Since
all of our XP SP2 users have no problem with the same version of
Messenger, I am guessing that there is something different about the
way Vista works with our router. My IT guy is reluctant to change
anything at this stage unless I can make specific requests about what
needs to change.

Any ideas what to change that might fix this? Is this a known
incompatibility with Vista and Messenger?

Thanks.

 

[John - Ratty]

I found the procedure below in another group, and it solved my problem
with Vista and Live Messenger. Apparently Vista's "auto-tuning"
networking feature doesn't play nice with some routers. Not sure if it
is a bug in Vista, a bug in Messenger or a bug in the router firmware
but anyway this looks like a possible workaround that might help other
people who have the same problem.

Try this:
- Click start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd.exe when it appears under Applications
- Click Run As Administrator
- Type the following: netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
- Press enter
- Restart your computer

Thank you, Thank you, I've had the login problem for 2 weeks and
couldn't find how to cure it, the solution that you found works
perfectly... with the exception of an Epson scanner driver not available
yet it's the only problem I've had with Vista.

me is a happy bunny :-D

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Hi David,
I found the procedure below in another group, and it solved my problem with
Vista and Live Messenger. Apparently Vista's "auto-tuning" networking
feature doesn't play nice with some routers. Not sure if it is a bug in
Vista, a bug in Messenger or a bug in the router firmware but anyway this
looks like a possible workaround that might help other people who have the
same problem. BTW I have a NetGear DG834

Try this:
- Click start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd.exe when it appears under Applications
- Click Run As Administrator
- Type the following: netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
- Press enter
- Restart your computer

To check autotuning is disabled repeat the above but type: netsh int tcp
show global

I have the same problem, and a DG834 router. Entering this command fixed
the problem. However, my laptop also running vista never had a problem
connecting, even without this fix! Go figure!

 

[Judson Santiago]

I had the same problem with a Linksys WAG200 modem/router.
Entering this command fixed the problem.
Many thanks,

Judson

 

[SWWD]

"Requires Elevation" means you need to open the command prompt as an
administrator to perform the command.

To do this, click "Start", type "command" in the quick search box (or look
through "All Programs" for "Command Prompt"), right-click the "Command
Prompt" item that appears in the search results area and select "Run as an
administrator". Click "Continue" on the UAC prompt that comes up and then
the command prompt will open with full administrator rights. This will allow
you to perform the command to disable autotuning successfully.

Once you enter the command it should come up with simply "OK." and not the
message you received.

 

[Guest]

hi there,

It seems this problem is really spread.
this is a brand new HP Laptop running Vista (french).
WLM provide the same error @ logtime

when passing the netsh command line it fails with a weard message I cannot
figure what it means
===========================================
netsh interface tcp>set global autotuninglevel=disable

Échec de la commande Set global sur IPv4 L'opération demandée nécessite une
élévation.
==============================================

Sorry for the french , but it seems that the requested operation need to be
raised.
What ever this may means.

I cannot really understand that such a widly used utility as WLM do not work
right out the box !

 

[ls [sb]]

netsh interface tcp>set global autotuninglevel=disable

Échec de la commande Set global sur IPv4 L'opération demandée nécessite
une
élévation.
==============================================

Sorry for the french , but it seems that the requested operation need to
be
raised.
What ever this may means.

you need to run netsh from a command window that is elevated. simplest
method - open task manager, click show processes for all uses (and accept
the UAC prompt), then from taskmanger launch cmd from it's file->new menu.
Then try your netsh command.

--

 

[Guest]

Hi there, just tried your fix and it worked great. Microsoft realy need to
get their act together.
Regards

 

[Guest]

hi guys.. i have the same problem error 81000306.
when i run command prompt and type in: netsh int tcp set global
autotuninglevel=disabled it says 'set global command failed on IPv4 The
requested operation requires elevation'. what does that mean? my
autotuninglevel is now normal. is there any other way to disable it?
fyi: im running on windows vista and using a linksys wag2000 router.
thx all! :smile:

Then you right click on it and select the option "run as Administrator".
If you just run it as it is, you will get the fail you mentioned. Then
follow the above procedure and it should say "O.K." in the end. Hope I was
helpfull.