I had some links on removing Windows Messenger but they went dead.

I suggest using Google Search & typing in, Removing Windows Messenger to find more information.
That's how I got the information on this page.

Visit some search results & read about shutting Windows Messenger off or deleting it before reading the rest of this page, please.

Visit This Microsoft Page for info on Windows Messenger.

Visit This Microsoft Page for info about MSN Messenger & Windows Messenger.

I use screenshots to help understand the methods used.

With Windows XP Pro you can click on Start/Run & type in Gpedit.msc & disable Messenger from the Group Policy window.

See the screenshots:

See Gpedit.msc Screenshot

See Screenshot 1

See Screenshot 2

On 10-24-02 Windows Update had a Critical Update on Windows Messenger.
I installed it.
Since I had Messenger disabled it didn't restart Messenger.
It just added it to my Startup menu.
I used:

RegCleaner---Click Here

To remove it from my Startup programs.

This program is available zipped up on my IndexPage in case the link above goes dead.

When you open RegCleaner you will see a tab called Startup.
Click on it & find Messenger there & check the box beside it & click the Remove button to remove the new Messenger thing from your Startup menu.

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Windows Messenger is found in the Add/Remove Windows Components in the Add/Remove Programs tool in control Panel.

Take the check out of the box beside it & click Next & follow any prompts to disable it too.

To prevent a long delay when opening the Outlook Express "Read Mail" option from the toolbar Outlook Express icon, if you have the Contacts pane (your address book window) enabled after disabling or removing MSN Messenger:

Click on Start

Choose "Run"

Type in REGEDIT

Go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express

Right click in the right pane and from, "New", select DWORD value.

Give it the name Hide Messenger

Double click this new entry and set the value to 2.

Or right click on it & choose, "Modify".

See DWORD Screenshot

There is a "Disable Hotmail" thing there too, but since I don't use Hotmail as my server I didn't fool with it.

See Finding The sysoc.inf File Screenshot

See Editing The sysoc.inf Screenshot

I redid my sysoc.inf file & made a new DWORD & Messenger went away.

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