Member Avatar for bob_135

Hi,

My msn buddy icons are all screwed up. All buddies appear to be online even though they aren't. I have tried reinstalling, downgrading but no change. HELP!

Cheers,

Bob

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by EdisonCPP

Dani AI

Generated

Given ’s description and confirming the same symptom across machines and versions (and noting ’s TweakUI suggestion was tried), this looks like a presence-update problem that needs to be isolated rather than another reinstall/cache tweak. The following diagnostic path separates account/server issues from local/network/add-on problems and gives practical next steps.

  1. Separate account vs machine:

    • Sign in to the same MSN/Windows Messenger account from a different PC or the web messenger. If the wrong statuses follow the account, it’s likely server- or account-side. If the problem is only on the original PC, it’s local.

  2. Test with another account and a clean profile:

    • Sign in on the same PC with a different Messenger account or create a new Windows user account and sign in there. If a fresh account shows correct presence, the original contact list or account data is suspect.

  3. Check add‑ons, firewall/router and ports:

    • Exit any Messenger plug-ins (Messenger Plus!, IM helpers) and temporarily disable third‑party firewalls/AV to test. Presence uses a persistent connection (TCP 1863); firewalls, NAT devices, or router firmware that interrupt or proxy that connection can create stale or incorrect presence.

  4. Look for malware/host modifications:

    • Run updated AV and anti‑malware scans and inspect the Hosts file or IM‑related helpers that can hook the client and alter server traffic.

  5. If account/server suspected:

    • Use any web/online contact-management tools to export/clear the contact list, then reimport. If that is not possible, gather details (Messenger version, OS, networks tested, whether web messenger shows the same issue, and any add‑ons/firewalls used) and contact Microsoft support with that info.

These steps narrow the cause reliably and point to either a server-side contact/account corruption or a local/network/interference issue.

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Member Avatar for Zachery

weird problem, get tweakui from windows.com and run the first option in the repair section to see if that help

Member Avatar for EdisonCPP

Did you ever get this fixed? Mine at work and at home has been like this for awhile, through several versions of MSN. Each new upgrade I've hoped it's something they've addressed, but it's not. I've even completly uninstalled and reinstalled, and they're still messed up. Rebuilding system cashed icons doesn't fix it, from tweak or icon sizing in the display properties.

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Hi,

My msn buddy icons are all screwed up. All buddies appear to be online even though they aren't. I have tried reinstalling, downgrading but no change. HELP!

Cheers,

Bob

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