in outlook express under tools make sure you have the automatically log on to windows messenger unticked and start up windows messenger and untick auto run messenger when windows starts and untick auto sign in and then if you are signed into msn messenger you shouldnt have any probs

Thanks...I am trying that now...making sure I do not log in automatically to Windows Messenger when I go online.

Thanks for all the advice...I used bits of each one and seem to have solved the problem! Then I realized it is all there is "Help" of MSN Messenger as below:

"Windows XP comes with Windows Messenger, which remains available even after MSN Messenger is installed on your computer. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger can run at the same time, but only one will start automatically. You can start the other program from your list of programs (in Windows, click the Start button, point to All Programs, and then click the program you want to start).
• In most cases, MSN Messenger will start automatically whenever you start Windows, unless you turn off this setting in your MSN Messenger options. However, if you have set up Windows Messenger for corporate instant messaging and to start automatically when you start Windows, then it will continue in this manner and MSN Messenger will not start automatically.
• You can be signed in to both MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger at the same time, but not with the same Microsoft .NET Passport account. For instance, you can sign in to MSN Messenger with your Passport and then sign in to Windows Messenger with a different Passport account or with your corporate instant messaging account.
• When both programs are running, you will see icons for each in your Windows taskbar (near your computer's clock). You can tell them apart by pointing to them with your mouse. When you point to an icon, a message appears telling you which program it is.
• If you are signed in to one Messenger program with your Passport and then sign in to the other one using the same account, you will be automatically signed out of the first program.
• Only Windows Messenger can connect to the Communications Service and Exchange Instant Messaging, which are used only in corporations.
• Some programs, such as Outlook, Outlook Express, and Remote Assistance, connect to Windows Messenger by default. When you are signed in to MSN Messenger, you may appear offline to people who connect to these programs and have you listed as a contact. "

Now I am trying to copy my contacts from one Hotmail account to the new one. Any ideas on this? Probably very easy but it does not come to me!

i am new to this so bear with me please.
My friend's has a strange problem wth MSN Messenger.
She is in Bangalore and has 2 ISPs Reliance and TataIndicom/VSNL.

Using Reliance she IS ABLE to log onto MSN Mesenger (this one connects using a LG 350E FWT phone with a built in modem).

But she IS UNABLE to connect using an ADSL broadband provided by TataIndicom.
I had to remove a whole lot of spyware because some ISP engineer had turned off all the firewalls while trying.

Windows Messenger works fine with both ISPs. It is only a problem with MSN Messenger. It is unable to connect. The Test Connection checks out fine. But Proxy test does not work which i think is ok as she is not using any proxy server.

I will try with a different router (she has a XAVI Technologies X7721r router given by TataIndicom).

Could there be a problem with the ISP ?

any help is appreciated.

Thanks