How to remove Windows Messenger?

  • Thread starter Thread starter James
  • Start date Start date
J

James

Does anyone know how to remove Windows Messenger from my
computer? I have Windows XP Professional and I want the
program gone, gone, gone...but can't figure out how to
remove it. It does not appear in the list to "Add or
Remove Programs". Please help! Thanks, James
 
Hi,

In order to permanantly remove the Windows Messenger in Windows XP, follow
these steps:

1. Open Notepad.
2. Click File, Open and then select the "C:\WINDOWS\inf\sysoc.inf" file.
3. Search for the following entry in the file:

msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7

4. Make the following changes to the file:

msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,7

5. Save the file and close the Notepad application.
6. Now click Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs and then Add/Remove
Windows Components.
7. Scroll down to the bottom and you'll can see the Windows Messenger
listing. Uncheck It.
8. Click Next and then OK.

This will Uninstall the Windows Messenger utility.
 
Greetings James,

You can completely remove Windows Messenger (4.7) but if you do, you will be preventing
Remote Assistance, Whiteboard, and Application Sharing from working. Instead you might want
to simply disable Windows Messenger by opening it up (double-click the Messenger icon),
choose the Tools menu, then Options, then Preferences tab, uncheck 'Run this program when
Windows starts' and click OK.

However, assuming you don't use this functionality that would be disabled by removing
Messenger, you can simply remove it by closing down Messenger if it's running (right click
the messenger icon in the notification area/system tray and click close). Then click the
start button, then click Run and type in (copy-paste if you like):
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

Then click OK.
Messenger will then be uninstalled. For more detailed instructions and screenshots, go to,
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/problem.aspx?ID=7
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
 
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