# MSN Messenger **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-messenger/243488 "2004-05-04T17:04:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-messenger/243488/1 "2004-05-04T17:04:20Z")
This is a borderline pit thread, because it’s really starting to piss me off. But, I’ll keep it GQ-style. 🙂 I have MSN Messenger (and, I guess, Windows Messenger) installed because I use it about once a week for video chatting with people who don’t have Yahoo. Right, so, given that, I know how to start MSN Messenger when I want to, so I DON’T NEED the thing to start up everytime I boot into Windows. Not only that, but if I close the tray icon and remove its start up (“C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe” /background) from the registry, then somehow, within about 20 minutes, the tray icon is BACK, and so is the registry key. HOW do I keep MSN Messenger from loading itself everytime I close it? This is the same stuff that spyware tends to do, but you would think that M$ would be smarter than that and know when enough is enough. Right, so, how do I keep MSN Messenger from autoloading, then reloading when I close it and restoring its registry value? Thanks =) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-messenger/243488/2 "2004-05-04T17:15:12Z")
In the Buddy List window, click Tools \> Options \> General tab. Uncheck “Automatically run messenger when I log onto Windows” and “Allow automatic sign in when connected the the Internet”. Then click OK to save the changes. ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-messenger/243488/3 "2004-05-04T17:42:10Z")
You are my hero. Probably because you live in the same place I do. 😃 Next question-- since I only use MSN Messenger rarely, do I need the Program Files\Messenger folder and the stuff inside? That seems to be “Windows Messenger” stuff, and the MSN Messenger is in the Program Files\MSN Messenger folder. Do “Windows Messenger” and MSN Messenger rely on each other? Are they the same thing? Can I do without the former, which apparently installed when MSN did? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-messenger/243488/4 "2004-05-04T17:48:14Z")
> [@caphis](#): > > Next question-- since I only use MSN Messenger rarely, do I need the Program Files\Messenger folder and the stuff inside? > > Do “Windows Messenger” and MSN Messenger rely on each other? Are they the same thing? Can I do without the former, which apparently installed when MSN did? AFAIK, you can safely delete the Messenger folder. The one has nothing to do with the other. Windows Messenger and MSN are independant of one another, though they are built upon the same platform, and perform nearly identically. You can [disable Windows Messenger](http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/docs/messagepopup/) entirely, without affecting MSN. Naturally, that’s a UVA website. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-messenger/243488/5 "2004-05-04T17:52:13Z")
Incidentally, both IE and Outlook Express (and probably Outlook, as well) can be configured to start MSN Messenger when they are launched. If you use either of these and notice MSN starts when you launch them, let me know and I’ll tell you how to disable that. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-messenger/243488/6 "2004-05-04T17:58:58Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Incidentally, both IE and Outlook Express… Scratch that. IE won’t _start_ MSN at launch, but it may have a quicklaunch icon for it in the toolbar.