I want to remove messenger from my computer any ideas?

[Linda]

I get sick and tired of the constant messenger service
flashing on my computer when I am working, I want to
remove this program so that no longer happens, but is not
available in the add/remove area, where can I do this
at?? Also I want to eliminate MSN as my search engine
that comes up every time, I want Yahoo, where do I go to
get rid of MSN???? thanks Linda

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Linda,

Firstly, do these things "flashing" that are appearing have "Messenger Service" in their
titlebar? If so, what you're seeing is the Messenger service built-in to Windows, *not*
Windows Messenger (which are two different things) which spammers are exploiting -- this is
not Microsoft, nor can Microsoft control them anymore then they can control spam to your
e-mail inbox.

To get rid of these pop ups, you'll need to disable the "Messenger Service", click Start,
then Run, enter "services.msc"and click OK. Scroll down to "Messenger", select it,
right-click and then choose Properties. Under startup type, choose 'Disabled' and then
choose the 'Stop' button. After the service is stopped, click OK. Nothing in Windows or any
real third-party applications should be effected by this.

However, if that's not what you're referring to, you can simply remove Windows Messenger by
closing down Messenger if it's running (right click the messenger icon in the notification
area/system tray and click close). Then click the start button, then click Run and type in
(copy-paste if you like):

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

Then click OK.
Messenger will then be uninstalled. For more detailed instructions and screenshots, go to,
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/problem.aspx?ID=7

As for changing the default search engine, open up Internet Explorer, click the 'Search'
button, then in the 'Search' pane, choose "Change Preferences", then "Change Internet search
behavior", then choose the search engine of your choice and click OK.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com



"Linda" > wrote in message
...
> I get sick and tired of the constant messenger service
> flashing on my computer when I am working, I want to
> remove this program so that no longer happens, but is not
> available in the add/remove area, where can I do this
> at?? Also I want to eliminate MSN as my search engine
> that comes up every time, I want Yahoo, where do I go to
> get rid of MSN???? thanks Linda