Microsoft Messenger won't work with Windows XP SP2?

When I install Microsoft Messenger I can use it once.The next day when I boot up my computer I can't get in. Hotmail works ok, but I have installed messenger many times with the same result. I am running WindowsXP with SP2.

Dave's Answer:

Is it possible that you also have MSN Messenger installed? It's worth pointing out that the two are not exactly the same and this may be the root of your problem. What you could try to do is to get rid of one of them, to resolve any conflicts that may be occurring between the two. Here's what you need to do.

Go to Start --> All programs --> Control panel --> Add remove programs

Select the add/remove windows components (third down in the left hand column).

Where it says "components" scroll down to the bottom and deselect the Windows Messenger check box.

Click Next wait for it to finish click finish and your done.

This will stop Windows Messenger from automatically running when you boot Windows XP.

You may then want to try reinstalling MSN Messenger, just to be sure. Go to add remove programs as before and remove any existing versions of MSN Messenger (in the main central column this time).

Then go to the MSN messenger site (http://messenger.msn.com), download the latest version of MSN messenger and install.

Hopefully that should do the trick.

Thanks to Ed Ellis for his assistance.

Categorized: Windows PC Help (Article 3983, Written by Dave Taylor)
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Comments

How do you install microsoft messenger on a windows xp computer??

Posted by: a cook at July 14, 2007 11:15 AM

hello my msn is not workin i installed msn windows live messenger about 4 weeks ago and then i went on it one night and it said troubleshoot so i clicked on troubleshoot and it said some thing about hostfiles? so i clicked repire and this is what it said "" your hosts file contains msn related entries which may interfere with name resolution."" so how do i resolve this problem ??

Posted by: naomi at September 18, 2007 1:12 PM

I have Windows XP 2002, SP2 on a 32Bit

I've ve tried installing Windows Live for an eternity but everytime i do, the program wont run. So i uninstall and try reinstalling, i even tried deleting the Windows Messenger, but it didnt work.
I install it from the website, then i do everything i have to do, it gives me the installation complete message, but then when i go to click it, the little icon shows on my Toolbar (but nothing the sign in window doesnt open) so i go over to click on it, and as soon as my mouse goes over it, it dissapears (as if i had right clicked on it and slelected "Exit")
What could be the cause for this?

Your help is much appreciated,
Thank you!

Posted by: fiorella at November 29, 2007 5:29 PM

try running a registry cleaner to fix the problem.

Posted by: andysacks at November 22, 2008 10:32 AM

hi there ...
last week i 'upgraded' my MSN messenger to Windows live messenger (forgetting I'd been here, done this before). Yesterday. all of a sudden, my MSN explorer won't work (error message: i dont have msn messenger currently installed, blah blah blah...). But I do / did have it. So i decided 2 uninstall the windows live messenger (do u know how impossible that is?) and return 2 my good ol' trustworthy, hasslefree MSN messenger. However, even tho' I've deleted n uninstalled WLM, I keep getting told i cant download the older version 'cuz i have the newer version on my pc ... which I also can't find anywhere. My add/remove programs list doesn't show MSN or Windows Live messenger at all either. So i heard about "uninstall strings' thru "Run>regedit" 'n did that. I finally got rid of WLM.
So I tried 2 install MSN messenger 7.5 (again) 'n got an error saying "2 continue I MUST install the newer version ... I don't want it ... so I tried 2 install msn messenger 7.0 'n once again received error #1603 'n a notice that a newer version is already installed ... uninstall it 1st...i've been going in circles for hours ... pleez help.
Thanx,
Kat C

Posted by: KAT at April 24, 2009 9:19 PM

Hi, can you please help.
I have XP sp3, the problem I have is with windows live messenger. I am unable to install, it gets to 99% then rolls back and tells me live messenger is not compatible with older windows versions prior to XP, yet Iḿ running XP!. Have tried to uninstall msn messenger version 4.7 but to no avail.

hope you can help.
Thanks
Nick

Posted by: Nick at March 12, 2010 4:59 AM

unable to uninstall Messenger 2009 after using"ZAPMESSENGER"program !Refuse to load a earlier version like Msn Messenger 8.5 and keep asking to remove first the new version from my system.Have manually deleted all the files some empty folder refuse to be deleted?Do you have a solution?

Posted by: Pierrette Vanderryken at May 19, 2010 10:33 AM

Time to buy a Mac and forget microsoft exists

Posted by: Tom at August 18, 2010 12:09 PM

my msn won't work anymore because it says that i need to upgrade it. so, i clicked on the option to upgrade from windows live messenger to whatever is a step higher than that. now it's telling me the problem is because i'm not with wondows 7... but i don't want windows 7, i just want to keep windows xp and have msn. is there any way that's possible?

Posted by: Katie at February 8, 2011 9:21 PM

i had windows live messenger a month ago and it was working fine. somehow the program got deleted and when i try to install windows live messenger. it says it already exists.there is no icon, n there is nothing in file and folders with msnmsgr when i search for it. i tried uninstalling. well nothing works.

Posted by: kishore at March 9, 2011 8:16 AM

am trying to install itunes but it keep telling me it should have windows xp sp2 new version

Posted by: evans at July 15, 2011 9:45 AM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

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