Uninstall MSN Messenger for Windows XP, Part 2.5

My last attempt to show how to remove MSN Messenger from Windows XP appeared to worked fine for me, but I received emails from folks who have MSN Messenger popping up in their face *still* whenever AOL is loaded or whenever there is an update.

Death to MSN Messenger -- for good.

Jeff R. sent me his thoughts and a final solution to remove MSN Messenger from the Windows Registry:

" It appears that your previous article is confusing Windows Messenger with MSN Messenger*. These are both separate programs. Windows Messenger is the one that installs with Windows XP.

* The "Windows Messenger" and the MSN Messenger icon look the same in the Add / Remove Programs under Control Panel.

When MSN Messenger is double clicked, simply un-checking the box next to “Run This Program at Startup” does NOT prevent it from loading with Windows -- it just loads without the user interface.

In fact, you will still see a box pop up when Messenger finds a newer version available, which will show you that it was still running in the background!

If you REALLY want to MSN Messenger once and for all, just do the following registry edit:

• Click on Start and select Run.
   
• Type Regedit in the text box and click OK or press the Enter key.
   
• Click on the Plus Sign next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
   
• Now click on the plus next to Software, then Policies, and finally on Microsoft. With Microsoft Folder highlighted, click on Edit on the menu bar at the top of the Registry Editor window and select New, then Key.
   
• Type "Messenger" (without the quotes) and press the Enter key.
   
• With Messenger selected (highlighted) click Edit again, and click New and then Key. Type "Client" (again without quotes) and click OK. The Client key should nest below the Messenger key.
   
• With the Client key highlighted, click Edit again and this time click DWORD value.
   
• Type "PreventRun" (no quotes) for this value and press the Enter key. A new item will appear on the right side of the screen with the name PreventRun and the type REG_WORD. Right-click PreventRun and select Modify from the context menu.
   
• In the Value Data field in the box that opens, change the existing "0" to a "1' (again, no quotes) and click OK.
   
• Now close the Registry Editor by clicking on the X in the upper right corner of the Registry Editor window.
   
• Restart the computer for the changes to take effect.

This solution came from the “Lessons” section of www.jefflevy.com.

- Jeff R. "