Cannot uninstall Messenger 5.0

[Bill]

Jonathan:
I have been having a problem with MSN Messenger 6.1. I can uninstall it and
reinstall it with no problem. However, I still show 5.0 as installed. When
I try to remove it, I get an error message that says:"This feature you are
trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable". When I click
"OK", I get an error msg saying "Could not find file MsnMsgs.msi". I'm not
sure if 5.0 needs to be there for 6.1 to run or not.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks, Bill.

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Bill,

When you say Messenger 5.0, I assume you mean MSN Messenger 5.0 in this case? If so, no,
it's not required to be there to run MSN Messenger 6.x. When you uninstall MSN Messenger, it
will attempt to run the Microsoft Installer file for MSN Messenger (which is what MsnMsgs.msi
is) but most likely the version it's looking for was removed by the 6.1 setup (and it just
was never removed from the Add or Remove Programs list).

Instead, it's just an entry in the registry and is not going to cause any harm now or in the
future. If you really must remove it, click Start, then click Run and enter "regedit.exe"
and click OK. Then navigate (it's like Windows Explorer) to My
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall and click the
+ next to the Uninstall key (looks like a folder). You'll see a bunch of folders -- you'll
have to click each one, then look at the 'DisplayName' string in the right-hand pane. When
you find the one listed "MSN Messenger 5" as the DisplayName, click the Edit menu, then
Delete, confirm the operation and leave the registry editor. It should then be gone.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com


"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> Jonathan:
> I have been having a problem with MSN Messenger 6.1. I can uninstall it and
> reinstall it with no problem. However, I still show 5.0 as installed. When
> I try to remove it, I get an error message that says:"This feature you are
> trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable". When I click
> "OK", I get an error msg saying "Could not find file MsnMsgs.msi". I'm not
> sure if 5.0 needs to be there for 6.1 to run or not.
> Any advice would be appreciated.
> Thanks, Bill.
>
>

[Bill]

Thanks again Jonathan. I'll give it a try.
Bill

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Bill,

Let us know =).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks again Jonathan. I'll give it a try.
> Bill
>
>

[Bill]

Jonathan:
I gave it a whirl, but MSN Messenger was still listed when I go to
Add/Delete programs. I have both 5.0 and 6.1 there, but cannot get rid of
5.0.
I guess you're right that it doesn't make any difference, so I'll just leave
well enough alone.
Thanks again for the info.
Bill.