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.

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.

  • Do not allow Windows Messenger to be run.

  • Do not automatically start Windows messenger initially.

Double click the appropriate setting to open the box where changes may be implemented. Close GPE and reboot.

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


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.

Unofficial Windows Messenger Removal - Method II


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]

Unofficial Windows Messenger Removal - Method III

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 busines

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