Microsoft Messenger Removal
One of the most sought after
tweaks at the moment is the ability to remove Windows Messenger from
Windows XP installations. I do want to clear up one misconception
before the methods are presented. In none of the cases below is
Messenger actually 'removed' from the system. You can hide it,
prevent it from starting, disguise it, and fool the system into
thinking it's not available - but it isn't removed. It's still on
the computer and a part of the operating system.
Messenger Service Popup Advertising
The latest trend
is using the messenger 'service' to send pop up advertising
spam to unprotected computers. It's
important to note that these messages have no relation to MSN
or Microsoft Messenger. Messenger service is used via
the 'net send' command to send messages between networked
computers. Directions on how to prevent this type of spamming
are located
here. |
Official Microsoft
Messenger Removal Methods
How to Prevent Windows
Messenger from Running on a Windows XP-Based Computer
Microsoft issued
Knowledge Base Article Q302089
on Jan 30, 2002 that details methods to prevent Windows Messenger
4.0, 4.5 and 4.6 from running on Windows XP Home and Windows XP
Professional. Messenger is installed by default in XP Home and
Professional.
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On September 9, 2002 Microsoft released Service Pack 1 (SP1) for
Windows XP. As part of an agreement with the Department of
Justice, certain items termed middleware may be hidden by using
the Add/Remove Windows Components section of the Add/Remove
Programs section of Control Panel. Microsoft messenger is one of
the middleware components affected by this change. In addition,
a new section of Add/Remove Programs called Set Program Access
and Defaults allows users to specify a different default
messenger utility . Setting a different default messenger
program will also hide Microsoft Messenger. |
Use Group Policy Editor to
Alter Messenger Behavior / XP Pro Version
Two methods of dealing with
Messenger are available via Group Policy Editor (GPE) which can be
started with the gpedit.msc command in the Run dialog. Identical
settings are available for either Computer Configuration or User
Configuration. If you want the policy to be computer wide, use
Computer Configuration and all users will be equally affected. To
set individual user policy, use the User Configuration section.
Under Local Computer Policy,
navigate to Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows
Messenger in whatever section you previously determined was
appropriate. There will be two settings in the right window pane.
Double click the appropriate
setting to open the box where changes may be implemented. Close GPE
and reboot.
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Disabling Messenger via GPE Slowed Outlook 2002 To A Crawl
Since I don't use
Messenger, I opted to disable it with GPE using the "Do not
allow Windows Messenger to be run" option under Computer
Configuration. Just by chance, I happened to open Outlook
immediately after completing the tweak and the splash screen
took forever to disappear. Normally, Outlook is very fast on
this box. I knew nothing else had been changed so I suspected
disabling Messenger was related to the slowdown.
Sure enough, the
setting in Outlook for "Enable Instant Messaging in Microsoft
Outlook" was checked. Outlook was trying to start Messenger
and having it disallowed in GPE was causing a huge slowdown.
Removing the checkmark from the "Enable Instant Messaging in
Microsoft Outlook" option returned Outlook to its normally
snappy response. I suspect this same scenario may play out in
other applications that have the ability to access Messenger
automatically. Just something to keep in mind if you
experience an unexpected slowdown. |
Unofficial Windows
Messenger Removal - Method I
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Note: If SP1 is installed this tip is
pointless. Use Add/Remove Programs to remove Messenger
To add Messenger
to the Add/Remove Programs feature accessible via Control
Panel
Navigate to C:\Windows\inf
(If your Windows directory is different, substitute the
proper drive letter)
Open sysoc.inf
Find the line that reads
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
Change it to read
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7
Windows Messenger
will now appear in Add/Remove Windows Components section of
Add/Remove Programs accessible through Control Panel.
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Unofficial Windows
Messenger Removal - Method II
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Click [Start] [Run] and in the [Open:]
box type or copy/paste the following command
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
Click [OK]
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Unofficial Windows
Messenger Removal - Method III
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This is my favorite method for fooling Windows XP into not being
able to launch Messenger. The default location for Windows
Messenger is C:\Program Files\Messenger. When XP wants to fire
up Messenger it will try and access the files at the default
location. To prevent Messenger from loading, just rename the
Messenger folder to something new; MessengerDisabled has worked
for me. If you want to use Messenger at some point down the
road, simply rename the folder to Messenger and you're back in
business. |
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