# Win XP question: How to get rid of MSN Messenger **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 3, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844 "2002-09-03T18:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/1 "2002-09-03T18:34:00Z")
Idon’t mind that it’s on the hard drive. But [shouting] I DON’T WANT THE DAMNED THING TO START EVERY TIME I START OUTLOOK EXPRESS [/shouting] If I ever use that type of program (seldom) I use ICQ, mostly becuase most of many friends have ICQ. No one - NO ONE - has MSN. Short of deleting the .exe-file on the HD, how do I stop it from starting, until I tell it to? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/2 "2002-09-03T18:50:24Z")
There is an options or preferences section in the MSN messenger applet that lets you turn off the option for it to start with windows boot up and stay resident in the background. I haven’t has adproblem with it tagging along with Outlook so there may be a different switch for this. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/3 "2002-09-03T19:01:58Z")
Open Windows Messenger, go to **Tools|Options|Preferences** and uncheck **Run this program when Windows starts**. Then open Outlook Express, go to **Tools|Options** and uncheck **Automatically log on to Windows Messenger**. That should get rid of it. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/4 "2002-09-03T19:18:55Z")
Oops, I was wrong. You have to do it [this way](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q302089&). ---
**Author:** ![jbird3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/aeb1de/32.png) [@jbird3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jbird3000)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/5 "2002-09-03T19:20:39Z")
Also uncheck “Allow this program to run in the background.” That way, when you close it if it ever comes up, it’s gooone. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/6 "2002-09-03T19:27:48Z")
These are only options for preventing Messenger from running at startup. If you want to completely uninstall the beast from your computer, copy and paste the following into your Run command box then hit OK: ```auto RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove ``` Reboot, and you’re completely Messenger free. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/7 "2002-09-03T20:55:29Z")
Thanx, hodge. I posted at another forum, got an answer and got rid of it, once and for all. All the options above wont get rid of it. The stupid icon still pops up in the system tray with a message “There is a new version…” I generally don’t have a prblem with MS products, but when they try to shove something down my throat, I budge. Had it come with the option “Do you want to use MSN messenger? Yes or No?” I’d be fine. I just rubs me the wrong way, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win-xp-question-how-to-get-rid-of-msn-messenger/126844/8 "2002-09-04T14:31:26Z")
I think the new XP Service Pack that MS is releasing to totally eliminate Internet Explorer is going to have an option to ditch messenger too.