did you try booting into safe mode and renaming msmsgs.exe to msmsgsoff.exe it is in the directory c:/program files/messenger.

oops. my bad! Sorry for the link about Windows Messaging Service, please ignore it.

Right, I have Windows Messenger disabled on my system, MSN Messenger enabled and loading at startup, Outlook installed and in constant use, and no conflicts or returns from the dead whatsoever.

Here's how:


Open Windows Messenger. On Tools->Options->Preferences disable the 'Load at Startup' option. Close Messenger.
Open Outlook Express. On Tools->Options->General disable 'Automatically log on to Windows Messenger'
Close Windows Messenger again if it's running and logged in.
Reboot, making sure that neither Outlook Express nor Windows Messenger loads at startup.
Start MSN Messenger
Open up 'Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs -> Set Program access and defaults. Choose 'Custom' and ensure that 'Use my current Instant Messaging Program' is enabled.

That's how it's configured on my system, and there's no sign of the problems being reported here. Windows Messenger does NOT run at all, ever.


I'm using the version of Outlook included in MS Office XP, and only ever load Outlook Express to check settings and features. Outlook does not cause Windows Messenger to run. Starting OE does not cause problems.

There is also a Registry tweak which can permanently disable Windows Messenger, and people who use Windows Messenger 4.0 need to disable it using Group policies.

http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsX...messenger2.php

Wonderful, that should solve this one, Catweazle.

Windows Messenger is installed by default, and it doesn't appear in the Add/Remove Program applet in Control Panel. However, you can manually edit the SYSOC.INF file, which is located in the C:\WINDOWS [or your Windows XP directory]\INF folder by opening it with Notepad.

Under the [Components] heading, you'll find a various parameters for different Windows applets. Some of them contain the word "hide".
____________________________________________________

To remove Windows Messenger, find the line that reads

msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7

& edit it as follows:

msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,7

Save the file & close it. Then open the Add/Remove Program applet and click on Windows Components button. Now find Windows Messenger. Uncheck it and click Next to remove it from your system. Of course it doesn't remove it permanently, for you can add it back on if you so choose later.

*** The best way to remove msmsgs completely (and say bye-bye for good) is to run the following command:

RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
____________________________________________________

If you choose to use the msmsgs, be sure to download the "Shoot The Messenger" utility from GRC.com (http://grc.com/stm/shootthemessenger.htm ), which plugs the security hole that msmsgs is prone to having. :cheesy:

Good info.

For the record though, Shoot the Messenger has nothing to do with Microsoft (Windows) Messenger IM client, (msmsgs.exe), but rather has to do with the Windows Messenger Alerter service, which is a networking utility designed for admins to pop messages up on users desktop. Stop the Messenger keeps people from the Internet from hitting you with Alerter service spam messages by disabling the alerter service. Though it sounds similar, it is not the same as the Messenger instant messenger client, they are two totally different things.

well, ahemmm...

technically, yes. My point is that MS should have done something about those spammers in the first place instead of relegating their sloppy work to a third pary like ppl at grc (didn't they know that spammers were coming, just as they adamently think that Outlook has no business in spreading worms). :rolleyes: :cheesy:

Be that as it may, as I understand it, the alerter svc is a component of Windows instant messaging. The Windows Messenger client is what interacts with Exchange 2000 server for messaging tasks. By "Microsoft (Windows) Messenger IM client, (msmsgs.exe)" you seem to refer to MSN messenger.

Here is a brief synopse of the difference between the two (pirated off another webpage to save myself time & effort )

What's the difference between MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger?

MSN Messenger is an instant messaging client for Windows (and some other platforms), targetted at the home-user. It offers a lot of personalisation options (adding your own emoticons, backgrounds, etc) to customise your chatting experience and express yourself like you want.

Windows Messenger is another instant messaging client but runs only on the Windows XP platform and later, Windows 2000. This IM client is targetted at corporations and offers a more clean, pro look. Windows Messenger is more tightly integrated with applications such as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, or the Remote Assistance feature of Windows XP. It can connect to the Communications Service and Exchange Instant Messaging.

Either can be used to access the same .NET Messaging Service contacts, so if you're chatting with your friends and family, it doesn't matter which one you use and changing from one to the other is not a problem. You can even combine the use of both -only one will run automatically on startup- but not with the same .NET Passport.

Uh-oh, that's not all yet. On Windows 2000 and Windows XP there is a service, called "Messenger Service", often unfortunately referred to as "Windows Messenger", that is used to present what can best be called network messages to a machine's user. This is not an instant messaging application, but rather software that runs in the background, listening for incoming messages and popping up a very simple box containing the message when one arrives.

For example, in a corporate environment when you send a document to a network printer. The messenger service handles the pop-up message that the printer sends back when it has finished.

Unfortunately the Messenger Service has been exploited by spammers to pop-up unwanted advertising messages on unprotected machines on the internet. Microsoft has decided to remove it from future versions of Windows, but in the meantime you'll have to remove it yourself if you want to get rid of the annoying spam.



Hence my point: protect yourself from spammers by applying "shoot the messenger"

I'm pasting this from the Shoot the Messenger you used posted, you should read it more closely:

"Windows Messenger Service

The first thing to understand is that the Windows Messenger Service is completely different from, and not in any way related to, "MSN Messenger", "Windows Messenger", or any other well-known instant messaging system. Therefore, disabling the Windows Messenger service will have no effect upon your use of any other instant messaging applications. They will continue to work without trouble."

You should go run MSMSGS.EXE, you will see it is pretty much the same thing as MSN Messenger, and it hooks up to the same place. Windows Messenger Alerter Service has nothing to do with this.

Again, I state that Windows Messenger Alerter Service has NO relation whatsoever to the MSN and Windows Messenger instant messaging clients, and is completely unrelated to the topic here.

good lawd! who new i was going to post such a troublesome topic!! hehe

sorry for the delay in getting back... life got hectic!

i tried the first suggestion, and i could find the files, even tho they were running on my task manager. dont ask me. LOL im going to print out the posts and read over them again, and give it a go. ill post what a come up with LOL right now, im just confused. but thats my normal state. LOL

oh, and for the record, im female hehe :cheesy: no worries tho!

karki

Okay, to stop Window Messenger from running at Startup, you need to do the following steps:

1. Go to Start -> Run
2. Type in gpedit.msc
3. Go into User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Messenger
4. Set the values to "Enabled" (Windows Default is "Not Configured")

This will stop Windows Messenger from running at all, even at Startup.