What's going on here, Windows Messenger disabled but still get IM contact...

I just build a new system with XP Pro as the OS, and I also have SP1 installed. I have both Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger installed. Both are disabled from starting up along with the PC at boot (verified). A couple times while online one of the contacts on the list will IM me when Windows Messenger is not enabled or seen in the system tray. This happened again last night while on the Windows Update site. I have Windows ICF enabled on this one system.

I'm curious as to how this is happening. The system in only 2 days old and works great. Anyone got any clues? This has only occurred with WM and not MSNM.

I dont mean to intrude on your thread, but this has happened to me once as well. I have MSN to not startup and only one time this has happened I got was browsing the web and all the sudden I get an IM from someone on my list...I almost never use MSN messanger (Have not been on it in almost a year at that point) so I thought it was very odd that this happened. This has not happened since then to me though.
The only thing I can think is that I accidently click the MSN icon that is built into the top interface of the Internet Explorer. However it does seem like instead that the program was just running in the background....??? I guess when you find an answer I will be interested in it as well.

Fuelm@n--Maybe you know all this, but maybe it will help.

There are three different programs.
Messenger Service, MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger.
The differences are more or less explained in the third paragraph here
http://messenger.msn.com/Help/Issues.aspx
As you can see, Messenger Service is a well-known provider of spam pop-ups, although that was not what it was supposed to do.
http://www.lavahelp.com/articles/v6/03/05/0302.html
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=330904
A quote from the second article says "The Messenger Service is not related to your Web browser, e-mail program, Windows Messenger, or MSN Messenger." Source of Messenger Service
http://www.grc.com/stm/shootthemessenger.htm
Maybe Messenger Service is what is causing your popup messages.
There are Messenger Service removal tools for all WinOS's except Win98. Among which
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_messenger_remove.htm

MSN Messenger, is a legitimate MS supplied messenger service.
http://messenger.msn.com
Any one can get MSN Messenger, and it can be uninstalled from Control Panel|Add/Remove Programs.

As you have seen from the first reference, Windows Messenger is not the same as MSN Messenger.
Comparison of these from MSN Messenger Help
http://messenger.msn.com/Help/
In Outlook Express Tools|Options|General tab, you can opt to have Windows Messenger not run at boot.

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Originally posted by Welshjim
Fuelm@n--Maybe you know all this, but maybe it will help.

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Thanks, but I already knew the difference in the 3 and it was Windows Messenger and no other. Also I'm 200% positive that I didn't accidentally enabled it... just curious. Thanks again!

Looks like I may have found the cause. In Task Manager, and under the Processes tab one of the entries is "msmsgs.exe" and is associated with Windows Messenger and or MSN Messenger. Now I have to figure out how to disable it from starting. I don't see it listed under Services and there are no visible signs that WM or MSNM is enabled. Any clues????

Go to Add/Remove and then Add/Remove Windows Components and scroll down and take the check out of Windows Messenger if it is checked. If that does not work then rename the Messenger folder to MessengerOld and reboot, and you won't be bothered by Windows Messenger any more, if you want it back you can always rename it back.

Outlook Express will try to launch Windows Messenger. There's a setting in OE to tell it not to.

Its listed under msconfig, try unchecking it there, see if it comes back again or not on reboot.

Cheers

Hi!

I've had the same problem and it was so persistent I just renamed the Windows Messenger folder so that any paths to it were wrong!

Best wishes,

Andrew

Suppose you could not enable it to get online if you have a Firewall program????

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Originally posted by G0th52
Suppose you could not enable it to get online if you have a Firewall program????

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Yep but the program itself would still open and be even more annoying when it complains that it can't connected :)

I traced "msmsgs.exe" back to the Messenger folder in the Program Files folder. Have no idea why it's starting up when I have those options disabled, guess I'll have to rename the Messenger folder in hopes it'll disable it from starting... Thanks