Greetings Steve,
The software is still there, and running if you're seeing these. To disable Windows
Messenger, open up the main Windows Messenger window (click the Start button, then All
Programs, then Windows Messenger if you can't find it), click Tools, Options, Preferences tab
and uncheck 'Run Windows Messenger when Windows starts'. You can then right-click the Windows
Messenger icon in the notification area/system tray (by the clock) and click Exit.
If you've already disabled it, do you have Norton Antivirus 2003 installed? Norton added a
new "instant messaging scanning" feature to Norton Antivirus 2003, which can conflict with
Messenger and cause it to automatically run and refuse to close. 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.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Windows MVP, Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources -
http://messenger.jonathankay.com