MS Messenger..Leave Me Alone! Anyone, please help!

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10-23-2002, 08:53 PM
low-standards

MS Messenger..Leave Me Alone! Anyone, please help!

This problem only started last week for some unknown reason. By default I have MS Messenger NOT automatically start with Windows XP Pro. So as a result it didn't run and there was no icon in the system tray.

Then all of a sudden I'm online and a MS Messenger buddy pops up and greets me!?! What the hell? The program isn't even running!! There is NO icon in the system tray either. (Even the hidden ones). So the CTRL-ALT-DEL showed me that msmsgs is running in the background. Weird, since I never started it and I just booted up. Anyway, so I "end task" it and go on computing. Out of curiosity I checked again and sure enough it started itself up in the background but there is still NO system tray icon for it. What's going on? I check MS Messenger options and make sure the box is unchecked for automatically starting with windows. Then I go to the old MSCONFIG and check to see if it is configured to run at startup. There isn't even an entry for msmsgs in MSCONFIG. Only Zone Alarm Pro is in my startup folder. I'm about to uninstall the beast and go back to ICQ. An ideas folks?

thanks
10-23-2002, 09:13 PM
bbird123

I've read this a few other places, and it has worked for me. I didn't have problems like you, but this stopped it from popping up ever. Just rename the folder that the program is located in. I can't remember the name, but search for it, its not too hard to find. It won't run at start up, not with hotmail, only when you choose to run it.

Hope this helps
10-23-2002, 09:19 PM
Flip

Browse the settings in MS messenger's preferences and look for some sort of checkbox that says something like "startup when windows starts" and uncheck it.
10-23-2002, 09:42 PM
low-standards

thanks guys

I'll give that a shot. man i hope it works.
10-23-2002, 10:54 PM
john9684

Why dont you uninstall it? Use another service. That program is annoying, especially if its on XP. If you want to uninstall send me a PM and I'll tell you how to do it.
10-23-2002, 11:03 PM
Traffic

Go to the Run/MsConfig/Startup in Startup unchecked the box for the Messenger, reboot your computer and you don't see it any more unless you lunch it.
10-23-2002, 11:37 PM
low-standards

nice replies

thanks guys. expensive sushi, i thought about uninstalling it but all family uses the program. must be compatible. And Traffic, messenger isn't in MSCONFIG-STARTUP. That is the scary part! It IS however under the services tab which I unchecked and the status is "stopped." but is still in the background no matter what.

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I'm to the point of uninstalling and re-installing the beast.
10-23-2002, 11:42 PM
Nick_B

FYI, the services entry isn't the IM program MS Messenger. It's the windows messaging services. It's used for programs like "net send" to broadcast a message to your machine. It probably won't hurt to turn it off, but you aren't gaining anything.
10-24-2002, 12:08 AM
Isezumi

AKAIK Msn Messenger is an integrated component of Windows XP, kinda like Explorer, there is no TURNING IT OFF anymore.

If someone is sending you a "net send" message that is a different story you cant really disable that AFAIK I get them too occasionally, just another part of life being online.
10-24-2002, 12:22 AM
Adisharr

Much of the new SPAM is going to be sent addressed to random IP addresses using a form of NET SEND. Sucks but just disable it. I just started getting them.. bastards..
10-24-2002, 10:19 AM
Kernel Panic

This is one of several reasons why I would never directly expose a Windowz box to the Internet.
10-24-2002, 10:51 AM
clue_8402

Use Group Policy Editor

Start up group policy editor(Start->Run->gpedit.msc), and go to User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Windows Components->Windows Messenger.

The top choice is "Do not allow Windows Messenger to be run". Right click it and hit properties. Then check the box that says "Enabled". Now it wont even run at all.

-Clue
10-24-2002, 11:39 AM
low-standards

Damnit!

thanks but ummm...didn't work. The damn msmsgs still runs in the background. I can "end task" it right now and in a few moments it will start itself back up.

Well, I guess that is just about everythign folks just short of re-installing. Thanks to all so much for trying to help such an easily annoyed person!!! (That's why I love this board)
10-24-2002, 06:22 PM
Brahma

If you want to get rid of MSmessenger for good, just do this:

in run, paste the following

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

Press ENTER
Restart Windows
MSMessenger is completly removed
10-24-2002, 08:18 PM
punkrawk

Quote:

Originally posted by Brahma
If you want to get rid of MSmessenger for good, just do this:

in run, paste the following

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

Press ENTER
Restart Windows
MSMessenger is completly removed

how safe is it to do that?
10-24-2002, 08:38 PM
Brahma

Quote:

Originally posted by punkrawk

how safe is it to do that?

100% perfectly safe. I've used this command line many times over and it works like magic. Posted it months ago and many others here used it as well.

here's that thread
http://www.sharkyforums.com/showthre...hreadid=124765
10-24-2002, 09:28 PM
punkrawk

thanks a lot man it works great now... now if i could only kill quicktime and its insidious "upgrade now to pro" ad.... (btw, im not kidding, if u know how to axe it let me know. i keep taking it out of msconfig but its not doing the trick. thanks) :D