Uninstalling Windows Live Messenger

[TW]Fox · 17 Dec 2008 at 21:53

Hi guys,

Just renistalled Vista and downloaded latest Windows Live Messenger. My god it's utterly awful - version 2009. Terrible. How do I get rid of the damn thing so I can install version 2008? It doesnt appear in add/remove programs.

mrk · 17 Dec 2008 at 21:58

In add remove it's called "Windows Live Essentials"

Alternatively just wait a little while whilst A-Patch gets updated then you won't get the guff any more in v9.

Kobrakai · 17 Dec 2008 at 21:59

Whats wrong with it? seems fine to me...

[TW]Fox · 17 Dec 2008 at 22:03

I just dont like it.

So I've borked everything up by manually removing it by typing msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C} in the run box.

Now it wont install any version of Windows Live - it says 'Catastrophic Failure'. How dramatic!

mrk · 17 Dec 2008 at 22:04

It was a catastrophic thing to do though before checking back here for replies on how to properly remove it

Now tell me you didn't disable System restore because if you didn't then just restore back to a day when everything was fine before you installed it.

[TW]Fox · 17 Dec 2008 at 22:05

System restore time

mrk · 17 Dec 2008 at 22:06

A feature people here often disable because it takes up "precious HDD space" ends up saving you a reinstall

[TW]Fox · 17 Dec 2008 at 22:21

I've restored back to before I realised 2009 ever existed. Great.

So now I try and install 2008. The Windows Live Installer comes up but says 'Sorry, we couldn't install these programs' and then says 'Not installed' beside Sign-in assistant and Messenger.

GRRR.

Why is there no standalone redist for this?

Kerplunk · 17 Dec 2008 at 22:38

Odd how it didnt appear in Add/Remove programs.

should have been as said, Windows Live Essentials

Did you backup your registry before you tried the manual remove?