Systray Invaded by Messenger Icon

Ever since I clicked on what turned out to be a link to a newsgroup, at which time Outlook Express opened (I closed it immediately), whenever I start my system a Windows Messenger icon appears in my notification area and chides me for not being logged in (I right-clicked it and exited Messenger until I used my startup-stopper and stopped "MSMSGS" from auto-starting and running in the background). Everything else is fine, AVG and Spybot have run since then and found nothing, and I just want to make Messenger go away.

Well... I don't use Messenger, and I don't use Outlook Express; OE is in my "Internet Options|Programs" as my newsgroups reader because I do not have another one (that was what I was maybe-looking for when I found I had been taken to a newsgroup; I haven't used usenet for some years, but...). I use a sort-of version of hotmail (with "@msn.com" not "@hotmail ") that leaves everything on their server.

I have not removed any Windows components, OE or Messenger (or MSN Explorer, whatever that is), because I don't want to fix what isn't broke and risk Windows' displeasure (little glitches? I dunno). But as long as I'm asking how to get rid of Messenger, I'll ask about other components. Here is my "Add/ Remove Programs |Win components" window, showing only the items that have check-marks in their boxes.

-I use IE6, will keep it till I get around to getting IE7
-I don't even know what MSN Explorer is; can I get rid of it, or not bother?
-I presume that Networking Services is shaded because I am not on a LAN and use my ethernet card only to get to the internet.
-I don't want Outlook Express; I never use it.
-I presume Update Root Certificates is advisable if not necessary to keep.
-I don't use Windows Media Player unless it's involved in showing the video clips on various news sites; in fact, I haven't re-installed my old, small, bugless version of Winamp yet. Do I need Media Player? Since I figured out how to keep its innumerable context-menu items from appearing, it does not bother me at all.
-I don't want Messenger since it has been bothering me. To me, IM is a good way to get viruses and such.

So, can I just remove Messenger by unchecking its box in "Add/ Remove Programs | Win components" ? Or should I just continue to block it from starting and running by itself? What about the others?

If it's safe and prudent to remove some of these components, please give me really explicit instructions, as I am
rather paranoid about doing something that could disrupt Windows' nice-and-smooth operation.

 

How to prevent Windows Messenger from running on a Windows XP-based computer

How to Remove Windows Messenger on Windows XP

 

You can also open Outlook Express and go to tools and options and disable the automatic logon to Windows Messenger. If still having problems, open Windows Messenger, go to preferences and untick the box Start with Windows.

Now, if all of the options you've been given still don't satisfy your needs, Steve Gibson wrote a little Utility called Shoot the Messenger. Once installed, you can tick Windows Messenger on or off at will.

 

D_Spider,

If you decide to try Rockster's "Shoot the Messenger" suggestion, here's a link.

• Gibson Research Corporation: Shoot the Messenger

I downloaded and ran this utility years ago to disable Windows Messenger Service in my computer and it did/does not negatively affect my computer's performance.


EDIT: BTW, if I recall correctly, Shoot the Messenger is a stand-alone utility (does not install). One can simply run it to use it.

 

Thank you!. I just ran GPEdit and prohibited Messenger from running (and undid my startups-stopper). Will post back with the results.

Edit: GPEDit seems to have fixed it. Messenger's icon didn't show up in the system tray after reboot. (But I'm copying all your other suggestions, in case there's a re-infestation.)

 

Windows Messenger Service is different than Windows Messenger, or am I having a moment?

 

Yes, the Messenger Service is a different animal than Windows Messenger. Messenger Service was intended for internal messaging on a network, and is disabled by default with SP2. Windows Messenger is an Instant Messenger program, very much akin to MSN messenger. The sometimes handy feature built-in to Windows Messenger is Remote Assistance.

Rockster's prescription for disabling via Preferences>untick 'Start with Windows' does keep it from starting at logon, and I go one step further and untick 'Allow to run in background'.

 

My moment was a good moment then.c