msn messenger

Tom Foolery · 31 Jan 2007 at 22:49

A while ago i found a tool on the net that removed this piece of software from XP, my partner persuaded me to reinstall it for her so i did. Now that shes not using it any more i would like to remove it from my machine again. I cannot for the life of me find the same tool again, ive tried editing the regisrty but to no avail! can anyone help????

ns400r · 31 Jan 2007 at 22:58

Use add/remove programs or,
Just Google for 'remove MSN'.

Tom Foolery · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:01

Im afraid add/remove doesnt work-i tried googling but all i could find was the instructions to try with the registry editor. It also said that it might not work with sp2--it didnt on mine!

Rincewind · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:06

add/remove programs, then on the left, it says add/remove windows components, click that. that's for windows messenger, for windows LIVE messenger, or the new MSN, look around W in the add/remove programs list

Tom Foolery · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:16

The only W in the add/removes is for messenger though-not MSN unless im not seeing the right picture! :confused:

Tom Foolery · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:43

Ive got it sorted now thanks!!

Rincewind · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:49

may i ask how? might be useful for others in a similar situation

ns400r · 31 Jan 2007 at 23:56

For the crappy Messenger version that comes bundled with XP there is no need to even open regedit.

Open a command prompt by clicking Start/Run, then typing "command" and clicking OK.

Uninstall MSN Messenger by typing "rundll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %systemRoot%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove"

Uninstall the leftover installation information file by typing "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection BLC.Remove 128 %systemRoot%\INF\msmsgs.inf"

Allow MSN Messenger to be displayed in the Add/Remove Windows Components dialog in the future (if it pops up again!) by typing "notepad.exe %systemRoot%\INF\sysoc.inf" and deleting the word "hide" from the line that starts with "msmsgs=".

It MAY be possible to skip to this step directly and perform the uninstallation directly from the Add/Remove Windows Components dialog, but that method MAY leave unwanted components and has not been thoroughly tested.

Reboot!

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