How to disable messenger

Is there a way to disable windows messenger. I get a pop
up requiring windows messenger update before I can do
anything else, yet it will not update no matter what I
do. I do not use messenger. How do I get rid of it?

[David]

What version of Windows are you using?

If you are using Windows XP, you should be able to un-install it via control
panel, add/remove programs/windows components.

I got rid of mine this way but had to completely un-install MSN Explorer and
MSN Messenger.

> wrote in message
...
> Is there a way to disable windows messenger. I get a pop
> up requiring windows messenger update before I can do
> anything else, yet it will not update no matter what I
> do. I do not use messenger. How do I get rid of it?

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings,

Firstly, remove your saved Passport login in Windows XP, so it can't automatically sign you
in to the service (you can readd this back in the future if you like), click the Start
Button, then click the Control Panel. Then, click User Accounts in the Control Panel. Select
your account name, and then on the left side of the screen, under Related Tasks, click
'Manage my Network Passwords'. In the window that opens, click the Passport.Net\* (Passport)
entry and click 'Remove'.

Then, do you have Norton Antivirus 2003 installed? Norton added a new "instant messaging
scanning" feature to Norton Antivirus 2003, which can conflict with Messenger and cause some
of this behavior. To stop it, open Norton Antivirus (Right-click on the Norton Antivirus icon
in the System Tray/Notification Area (by the clock), choose 'Open Norton Antivirus'), click
Options, then Instant Messenger then uncheck MSN Instant Messenger and click OK.

If the window is still open with the upgrade question, say No, it should now stop trying.

Then open up Windows Messenger (click Start, then All Programs, then Windows Messenger if you
can't find it), choose the Tools menu, then Options, then Preferences tab, uncheck 'Run this
Program when Windows starts' and click OK. Then right-click on its icon in the notification
area/system tray (by the clock) and click Exit. It shouldn't bother you again.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

> wrote in message
...
> Is there a way to disable windows messenger. I get a pop
> up requiring windows messenger update before I can do
> anything else, yet it will not update no matter what I
> do. I do not use messenger. How do I get rid of it?

[Jeff J.]

I'm having a similar problem. I want to upgrade and use
MSN Messenger 6 to use its enhanced features, and I want
to know if there's any way that I can tie MSN Messenger
to Outlook Express, etc. instead of Windows Messenger.
(So if one of them is starting up automatically, it'll be
MSN.)

Do you happen to know if there are any upgrades planned
to update/change Windows Messenger 4.7 to the
standards/features of MSN Messenger 6 any time soon? I
remember earlier this year when an update came out to
Windows Messenger that, I thought, ugraded it to MSN
Messenger (or maybe just gave the program MSN Messenger
functionalities).

I noticed above that you posted a link to a .reg file to
stop Windows Messenger from opening with Outlook Express.
I could go ahead and run that .reg file as a partial fix
to this problem, but I have a question: Will this disable
the run-with-OE behavior for my user alone, or for every
user on the computer? (Mine is an administrator account,
but not Owner.)

Thank you,
Jeff J.



>-----Original Message-----
>Greetings,
>
>Firstly, remove your saved Passport login in Windows XP,
so it can't automatically sign you
>in to the service (you can readd this back in the future
if you like), click the Start
>Button, then click the Control Panel. Then, click User
Accounts in the Control Panel. Select
>your account name, and then on the left side of the
screen, under Related Tasks, click
>'Manage my Network Passwords'. In the window that
opens, click the Passport.Net\* (Passport)
>entry and click 'Remove'.
>
>Then, do you have Norton Antivirus 2003 installed?
Norton added a new "instant messaging
>scanning" feature to Norton Antivirus 2003, which can
conflict with Messenger and cause some
>of this behavior. To stop it, open Norton Antivirus
(Right-click on the Norton Antivirus icon
>in the System Tray/Notification Area (by the clock),
choose 'Open Norton Antivirus'), click
>Options, then Instant Messenger then uncheck MSN Instant
Messenger and click OK.
>
>If the window is still open with the upgrade question,
say No, it should now stop trying.
>
>Then open up Windows Messenger (click Start, then All
Programs, then Windows Messenger if you
>can't find it), choose the Tools menu, then Options,
then Preferences tab, uncheck 'Run this
>Program when Windows starts' and click OK. Then right-
click on its icon in the notification
>area/system tray (by the clock) and click Exit. It
shouldn't bother you again.
>____________________________________________
>Jonathan Kay
>Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
>Associate Expert
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
>Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
>
> wrote in message
...
>> Is there a way to disable windows messenger. I get a
pop
>> up requiring windows messenger update before I can do
>> anything else, yet it will not update no matter what I
>> do. I do not use messenger. How do I get rid of it?
>
>
>.
>