Windows Messenger

You need to see the configurations of your firewall and check if you blocked the IP:port of MSN...

Go to control panel, then add or remove programs, from there add or remove windows components. Now you can remove messanger. This will work if you are running Windows Xp and you have downloaded SP 1 under critical updates

Windows Messenger
I don't have a "Windows Components" in the Add/Remove list. There are many Windows updates listed, but that's all.

At least I don't get the Messenger appearing every time I start up the computer . . . I should be thankful for small mercies, I guess.

Tomkitten, there's a bit of confusion over "Messenger". You should take a look at these MSKB (Microsoft Knowledge Base) articles:

Disable Messenger

Spamming with Messenger

WinXP Firewall



If your your personal messaging client, the one you use for chat w/freinds, etc, such as MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Trillian, ICQ, or AIM (yuck ) is not functioning properly due to a setting in your third party (non-MS) firewall, consult the firewall's "Help" documentation for the How To info you need.

Oh, and when it comes to free advice, take it with care; sometimes the product is worth what you paid for it, sometimes the ultimate cost is far more than the price, and sometimes its valuable. Consider the vendor's track record, always feel free to seek confirmation, clarification, and other opinions, and never take any action you don't know how to reverse on the basis of free advice

Windows Messenger
Timberlandko - the Messenger that's troubling me is not, I'm quite sure, the personal communication kind. But in any case it's just a minor nuisance, having to remove the notice that my firewall is blocking Messenger every time I log on to the Internet and/or email.

As to your advice about advice - yes, be careful, consider the source, etc. That's one reason I turn to a2k - I trust you, monger, craven, etc.