start up

[Tom Cornwall]

I know this is probably very simple, but....
can anyone tell me how to stop things like 'communcator' or 'windows messenger' automatically opening each tim I switch the PC on?
ie where do I find the settings menu for these things so I can tick or untick the relevant box
thanks in anticip
tom

[blueivy]

I know this is probably very simple, but....
can anyone tell me how to stop things like 'communcator' or 'windows messenger' automatically opening each tim I switch the PC on?
ie where do I find the settings menu for these things so I can tick or untick the relevant box
thanks in anticip
tom

For Messenger go into Tools->Options and on the General Page there is an option to Automatically run Messenger whenever I log onto Windows. Untick it. That's for the new Windows Live Messenger

As you can't uninstall Messenger (at least I've never found a way to do it reliably) I go into the Program Files folder and remove all of the files that I can, reboot and remove the rest. It's not the recommended or a neat way to do it (as it leaves all it's junk still in the registry) but it is the last resort!

Communicator will be the same (ie. check the options).

UPDATE: Found this very useful page with some more information (including a proper command line to uninstall Messenger - your mileage may vary though)

[Stumurf]

to remove messenger...

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL
click on the processes tab at the top of the new screen
In the list below it select MSMSGS.exe and right click on the entry and selet "end process tree"

you can now exit taskmanager, (the new window that appeared)

Open "my computer" and then open "C:" and then open "Program files" and then delete the "Messenger" folder (not to be confused with msn messenger, as this is a different and far better program, if you have installed it)

If you dont clean your registry as blueivy mentions, you may end up with error messages when you first turn on your PC.

A nice free and easy to use registry cleaner is CCleaner and can be found at http://www.filehippo.com/download/56...f0a9/download/

This will clean out the unused registry entries left by programs you dont use anymore. and are no longer on your computer.

If you dont want extra programs i can tell you the two files you can delete out of your registry to stop windows trying to run messenger but you have to be confident, as using the manual registry editor can be dangerous to your computer if you do not know EXACTLY what you are doing.

and just so others can verify i will be informing how to remove the following two files. and will be publicly posting the step by step guide.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run
(the file mentioning MSMSGS.exe)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Run
(the file mentioning MSMSGS.exe, if any, as some setup's wont have it here)

Removing these files will make sure windows never attempts to run the messenger file ever again.

Blueivy is right, inside the program (communicator), using the menu bar usually under the "options" or "preferences" there should be an option realating to running the program when you log on or windows starts.

Also, check what programs are here...

Click the "START" button
Click The "All Programs" or "Programs" entry (depending on how your start menu is set to work)
Click the "Startup" entry

All the listed programs here will automatically load when you start windows and log in. By deleting the files (dont worry they are just shortcuts to the programs, not the "actual" programs themselves) you may be able to stop the programs from automatically running.

I say may, because some programs will automatically then put the shortcut back into the startup folder the next tme you startup the computer. So first of all check inside the program itself to hopefully stop it automatically running.

Good luck.

[blueivy]

to remove messenger...

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL
click on the processes tab at the top of the new screen
In the list below it select MSMSGS.exe and right click on the entry and selet "end process tree"

you can now exit taskmanager, (the new window that appeared)

Open "my computer" and then open "C:" and then open "Program files" and then delete the "Messenger" folder (not to be confused with msn messenger, as this is a different and far better program, if you have installed it)

Hi Stumurf,

Messenger and MSN Messenger are the same program which reside in the Messenger folder. There is also a Messenger service but that's something entirely different (and should generally be turned off anyway).

Stopping the task from task manager and then deleting the folder also doesn't work. There is one (maybe two) DLL's that Windows loads at startup that are still loaded even when the Messenger task has been killed. You need to go into the folder and delete all the files you can. Reboot and then go back in and delete the rest.

As you said though the registry entries also need to be removed to be safe. CC Cleaner may do it. Having said that I've removed Messenger (now Windows Live Messenger) many times this way and it's never caused me any problems.

[Stumurf]

Hi Stumurf,

Messenger and MSN Messenger are the same program which reside in the Messenger folder. There is also a Messenger service but that's something entirely different (and should generally be turned off anyway).

To my knowledge there is Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger, but they are not the same program, MSN Messenger, (now Windows Live Messenger) is installed in a seperate folder called MSN Mesenger not in the Messenger folder. if there is a third i stand corrected and apologise.

Stopping the task from task manager and then deleting the folder also doesn't work. There is one (maybe two) DLL's that Windows loads at startup that are still loaded even when the Messenger task has been killed. You need to go into the folder and delete all the files you can. Reboot and then go back in and delete the rest.

It does for me, every time (and its a lot,) its standard practise for me to remove windows messenger from every machine i profile and setup, and thats exactly how i do it. Are you mistaking "end task" and "end process tree"?

Its also good houskeeping to remove Windows Messenger by Running the add & Remove Programs Program in control panel, then select Add And Remove Windows Components from the menu on the left, and then unchecking the option for windows to install Windows Messenger. but once the registry has been doctored, windows (in my cases) has never reinstalled the messenger program.

[blueivy]

To my knowledge there is Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger, but they are not the same program, MSN Messenger, (now Windows Live Messenger) is installed in a seperate folder called MSN Mesenger not in the Messenger folder. if there is a third i stand corrected and apologise.

To my mind there is Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger, Windows Live Messenger which are all essentially the same program.

Windows Messenger is installed by default when you install XP. It's currently at version 4.7 on my system and sits in the C:\Program Files\Messenger folder. MSN Messenger is another version of Messenger which has now been replaced by Windows Live Messenger.

So you are right. I was getting my Messengers confused as I was under the impression that Windows Live Messenger replaced MSN Messenger which replaced Messenger (if you see what I mean). MSN Messenger didn't replace Messenger ...

There is a fourth called the Messenger service or Windows Messenger service that allows LAN machines to send messages to each other using the 'net send' command.

It does for me, every time (and its a lot,) its standard practise for me to remove windows messenger from every machine i profile and setup, and thats exactly how i do it. Are you mistaking "end task" and "end process tree"?

Either one should kill it, and the task is killed. However it still seems to hold onto those DLL's. It's not a big issue. As I said after the reboot you can delete them.

Its also good houskeeping to remove Windows Messenger by Running the add & Remove Programs Program in control panel, then select Add And Remove Windows Components from the menu on the left, and then unchecking the option for windows to install Windows Messenger. but once the registry has been doctored, windows (in my cases) has never reinstalled the messenger program.

Agreed. The original Windows Messenger service is now redundant. Outlook used to try and hang onto it but the newer versions let you use Windows Live Messenger instead.

All these Messenger version have now made my head hurt ...

[Stumurf]

at the risk of strangling a dead horse and seeming arguementative, which is what i hope is not how i am coming across... i just want to point out the difference between "end task" and "end process tree".

"End task" does what it says, it just ends the selected task, where as "end process tree" not only ends the program but will also stop the use of any subsequently linked programs, by stopping the use of the DLL's, this is why i can delete the folder without the restart.

I do hope that users of task manager who read this will not start to exclusively use the "end proces tree" command, because this in itself can cause problems depending on what programs or processes you want to end.

I was just trying to give you a quick tried and tested method of removing windows messenger. i am sorry for all the nit picking its caused, i just worry i have frustrated a few members.... and i am just trying to be helpful.

[blueivy]

at the risk of strangling a dead horse and seeming arguementative,

I certainly am starting to sound argumentative so this is my last post on this!

I do hope that users of task manager who read this will not start to exclusively use the "end proces tree" command, because this in itself can cause problems depending on what programs or processes you want to end.

That's exactly why I never mentioned it. It's a dangerous option to take and even though there is a warning about using it, some people may go ahead with it anyway.

Using End Task can also cause problems, by and large, not anywhere near as severe as End Process Tree.

That's why I suggested killing the task and deleting the files you can, rebooting and deleting the rest. It's a lot safer and doesn't give people the idea that this command is the saviour if they can't delete some files.

You can probably get away with using End Process Tree on a new machine you've just built. As you said you've always done that in the past. The machines you've built will have Windows XP and with a few minor differences in components, will be the same as one I build, Tom builds or anybody else builds.

However Tom's machine isn't a new build (as he has Communicator on there too so chance are he's used it). Microsoft's idea behind Windows Messenger (the one that came with Windows - not to be confused with the other three it shares the same names with!) was to have it integrate with a lot of other applications and become a communication centre (of sorts) with Outlook primarily. However there may be a thousand other applications out there that also share that same vision and use Messenger whether they are from Microsoft or not.

So what I am trying to say in a VERY long winded way is that while the method of killing the process tree will work for a brand new machine every time (as they will always have the same software on there), it may not be applicable for Tom's (as he doesn't have a new build) and that's why I didn't suggest it.

There .. it's all out

I was just trying to give you a quick tried and tested method of removing windows messenger. i am sorry for all the nit picking its caused, i just worry i have frustrated a few members.... and i am just trying to be helpful.

From a personal point of view I'd rather somebody 'nit picked' (I would rather say clarifying) than mean I get something wrong and cause problems for somebody else. I've already given myself a headache with the number of Messenger versions and what replaces what. I've never sat down and looked at it before so I'm both glad and not glad I did!

Have said everything I did earlier, I actually went ahead and ran Windows Messenger (the original one) - I just rebuilt my PC a few weeks ago and Messenger is still on there. Anyway, I killed the task and deleted the files ... and ... it worked. ed if I know why it works this one time and never has in the past. Maybe because I installed Windows Live Messenger (which I use for a lot of customer communication) it released those Outlook/other app hooks from the original Messenger and therefore allows the files to be deleted.

Oh well!