Getting rid of windows messenger

To remove windows messenger:

Click Start......Run....then type:



To remove MSN Messenger simply go to control panel, add/remove programs and select MSN Messenger to remove it.

Easy, reversible solution: GRC's Shoot The Messenger

Also, both Ad-Aware SE and Spybot S&D allow easy, mouse-click switching on and off of the Windows Messenger Service.

BTW - MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger are unrelated. Apps such as MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Trillian (and clones), ICQ, and AIM are in-and-of-themselves legitimate and should be neither cause for concern nor source of problem. The major issue is careless, insecure use of such applications.

There are plenty of rogue messaging clients out there, perhaps the most notorious, and insidious, of which is MessengerPlus!, a critter that can be a real project to evict once its taken up residence on your machine and invited its freinds to join the party. My advice is to research any app before you download and install it; use your favorite websearch engine - type in the app's name, then the word "remove", and see what comes up. If there are lots and lots of hits from security/privacy websites and forums, the app likely is not something you really want.

Keeping control of your machine is your responsibility, and begins with Safe Hex

There is another Windows Messenger that isn't one such as AIM or MSN. It's a virtually useless service that is abused by certain adwares to spam people offline. It's only good use is for people on networks. To stop it, go to Command Prompt (go to run and type in cmd), then type in



To disable it, go to Control Panel ->Administrative tools -> Services

Find messenger and change it to "Disabled".

thanks everyone for your help ive now got rid of it