I have fought Windows Messenger and I have prevailed!

The BBQ Pit
1

I FUCKING HATE WINDOWS MESSENGER!

I have NO clue how this piece of shitbubbling asswanking software got onto my computer. I certainly did NOT install it. It was not here when I got my computer, six months ago. It was not here 3 months ago. But one day, 6 or 8 weeks ago, I booted up my computer to find that fucking little target-shaped body in my taskbar. WTF?!?

I admit, I didn’t do anything for a few weeks. It sat there, and I’d occasionally give it the evil eye in the hopes that it would someday go away. I’d attempt to turn the fucker off - no go. It had its tenticles wrapped deeply into the OS. It was sitting there, just waiting to pop up and crash my machine. Or even worse - pepper me with advertising.

Two weeks ago, I decided to uninstall the fucker. I open “Add/Remove Programs”. No Windows Messenger. I search my start menu for an uninstall. No luck. I do a Web search. It seems that Microsoft has decreed that We Shall All Run Windows Messenger. They’ve jammed it up the WinXP OS’s ass as tightly as a Great Dane’s knotty dick gets stuck into a rat-felching chihuahua’s sphincter.

Nevertheless, I will prevail. One Web page states that Bill’s added a “remove” option to WinXP Service Pack 1. Although I’m doubtful that adding Yet More Wretched Bleeding Microsoft Code to my computer is going to help the problem, I go ahead and spend the 2 hours it takes to download and install SP1. Once I get this piece of anal leakage installed on my computer, I go once again to Add/Remove Programs and hopefully peer at the program listing. Windows Messenger is NOT there.

I admit defeat. Windows Messenger will stay on my computer. I am but a serf in the Microsoft oligarchy. I will do what Bill says.

Until this morning, that is.

I wake up to find an Instant Message up and alive on my computer. “Get hot travel deals!” it beckons. WTF? Some FUCK is sending me SPAM through IM! What next? “Increase the size of your Penis!”? “Get the hot X10 camera!” “Viagra WITHOUT a prescription!” I must reenter the fray.

The battle begins, once again. I will defeat this. I will prevail. I will remove Windows Messenger from my OS, even if it means moving to Linux. I search. I surf. I download. I read esoteric pdfs written in hushed tones and broken English. I find, on MS’s own Web site, descriptions of a strange ritual involving Add/Remove Programs and setting program access and defaults. I follow directions carefully. I reboot, to find the evil Messenger gone. But lo! When Outlook is started, the evil messenger reappears, beckoning me towards the sweet poppy fields of Microsoft’s warming embrace.

I sip my coffee. I gain strength from the Straight Dope. I return to the Knowlege Base, hoping beyond hope that I will stumble upon an answer, much like Gandalf, after much searching, stumbled upon the description of the One Ring in the depths of Gondor’s library. After much hair pulling and mumbled incantations, I find one offhand comment - a simple reference to the registry. One small registry entry later, I reboot my computer… to find Windows Messenger gone. I hesitantly start Outlook. It pauses. The hourglass flashes. With a groan and a pull, it succeeds at checking my email.

Windows Messenger has not returned.

I have prevailed! I have fought the good battle and won! I’ve gone head to head with Bill and come through victorious!

Now, if I only can get Outlook to stop prompting me for my password every 3 minutes…

2

You use Outlook => you get what you deserve.

I have a copy of Outlook Express on my drive. I manually delete it every so often because there is no way to uninstall. Two minutes later it has reappeared.

Bill has cast his awful wizardry and decreed a foot soldier of his minion Outlook army shall reside on my computer until the end of all time. Grey and undead, it stares at me from its dusty lair (C:\Program Files\Microsoft Outlook) with baleful sunken eyesockets. Daring me to try again.

3

Removing a simple registry entry will just make it not show up. (Like herpies!), it’s still there.

I used this, and it’s a permanent fix to get rid of MSN Messenger (This is for WinXP mind you.):

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

To do it, do this: Goto Start Button, then click Run, after that, paste the line above and click ok.

4

RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
FYI: That command is one line too.

5

For more tips and tricks for Win XP try, www.tweakxp.com

6

I ran into the same problem. I solved it by telling ZoneAlarm to keep it off the internet. I might just try your solution, though.

7

Note that MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger are two different programs.

Some useful links were provided in the thread Damn you Messinger Service on XP! (Someone help me!).

8

Until you defeat the dread Real Player, you are in the minor leagues. I have even championed Netscape and vanquished Explorer in my earlier days, but I’ve since embraced the dark side.

9

Messenger was easy.

Now if we’re talking the following dreaded items, that frequently ask ZoneAlarm to be allowed to access the internet:

Generic Host process for Win32 services
Common Client CC App
Process 744
MMC.exe
SentryStub.exe

Opening the Task Manager to what’s running is creepy too.

10

True Ino. Correct me if I’m wrong though.

MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger are basically the same. MSN messenger is Windows Messenger, but with a 5.0 version slapped on it. They just renamed Windows Messenger to MSN Messenger 5.0
Here in is where the confusion lies. People could get MSN Messenger and MSN Explorer mixed up.

MSN Explorer is the ISP service that connects you to the internet. It’s the messenger (the lame ass chat software) that people are getting pop-ups for. (Hey! To check out Microsoft’s lame ass excuse for Yahoo! Messenger, click here to sign up now!). Uh… Fuck that.

11

Are herpies harpies with herpes?

12

Sorry for resurrecting this thread, but I tried the line quoted above and I get a message “Error: the file %windir” could not be found" I am running windows XP, but the version is in Spanish language. Does anyone know what I could do?

13

There’s a % missing from that command. It should be %windir%.

14

Thank you SO much Number I am now Messanger-Free.

By the way, I think this is the first time something good comes out of the Pit, at least for me!

Thanks again.

15

When come back bring her-pies!
[sub]I’m sorry.[/sub]