How to kill the Messenger "safely"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert C
  • Start date Start date
R

Robert C

Ha....found it....i think this is the perfect spot to ask this burning
question I have:

Win XP Home...
How can I stop "Windows Messenger" (msmsgs.exe)
from getting auto-launched ALL of the time ?

I really don't use it...unless it's performing some background functions
that I do use/need but just not aware......

It's like that robot in the "Terminator"......
<loop>
I'd kill it in Task Manager, minutes later it's there again......
<end loop>

It's not a "absolutely required" piece for XP to function, is it ?
Why then does MS insists on running it w/o asking the user then ????

Thanks
Robert
 
Take a look at Doug Knox's Website at this link for detailed instructions on
how to disable your Windows Messenger.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_messenger_remove.htm

When you do this your Windows Messenger won't show up in your taskbar
anymore

However if you want to completely remove/uninstall Windows Messenger from
Windows XP can be found at this website made by Jonathan Kay.
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/problem.aspx?ID=7

Follow the steps and the pictures that the website has and you shouldn't
have anymore problems. Uninstalling Windows Messenger can disable some of
the messenger features such as Whiteboard Sharing, and others on MSN
Messenger if you're using that.
 
Greetings Robert,

Firstly, do you happen to have Norton Antivirus 2003 installed? Norton added a new "instant
messaging scanning" feature to Norton Antivirus 2003, which can conflict with Messenger and
display 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.

Then you can start up Windows Messenger manually (click Start, then All Programs, then
Windows Messenger, click the Tools menu, then Preferences, uncheck 'Run this program when
Windows starts' and click OK. Then right-click in the Windows Messenger icon in the
notification area/system tray and click Exit.

Finally, if you're an Outlook Express user, close Outlook Express, then download and run this
..reg file:
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/downloads/stopmessenger_oe.reg
to prevent Windows Messenger from starting.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
 
The first one is uninstalling it completely which as you said you probably
don't want to do it.

The second is disabling it so that it won't run in windows.
It's not playing hide and it really isn't running nor will it run in the
background of Windows
 
The thing I like about this reg edit is that it *disconnects* OE and
Messenger, allowing Messenger to be run AND exited with no interference
from OE or complaints about OE being dependent on it.

Lee
 
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