Problems with MSN Messenger
 

Hey everyone,

I'm having some problems with my Live Messenger program. This started happening recently. I would boot up my computer, Messenger would be open (technically), but there is no window. So its running in the task manager but there is no actual program opening. This is driving me crazy. I've tried uninstalling it, I've tried doing a spyware/virus scan, I've tried opening it directly from the source, nothing works. I've looked around online and can't really find anything so you guys are my last hope. I really hope at least one of you can help me because Trillium and aMSN all drive me nuts.

Thanks in advance!

Specs:

Windows XP SP2
Athlon 2400+
2g ram

Thanks again everyone

do you by any chance have dual monitors or had dual monitors? if for some reason it's open outside the main screen, it could be active but hidden.

if it's not even in the task tray, then you might have a bigger problem. try in safe mode, try removing msn from your startup and open it yourself when your computer is completely booted up. check your anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, etc... see if any of those is blocking anything. it might be good to dissable EVERYTHING you can and then try to open msn. give us some update if you get it working!

No dual monitors, and even if I did, I'm logged in on a crappy online msn service so wouldn't that log me out if it was booting up somewhere else?

Also one more thing I should mention, I uninstalled the msn add-ons I had (msnplus).

Keep the ideas coming everyone, much appreciated! :)

did you try in safe mode? usually in there, all the startup software is disabled so you can start it yourself. see if that works dude!

Its been a while, remind me how to do start mode? Isn't it something like F8 in the startup or something?

restart computer, press F8 a bunch of times. you got it. pick windows XP with networking that way you can try if msn works on the net.

Make sure you have all the latest updates, check microsoft or windows update. Disable messenger from starting when your computer starts. Many different spyware programs have this option, spybot, windows defender, etc, etc. Then start the app after everything else loads.

did that, didn't work :(

Does Windows Live Messenger show up in the add/remove programs list in the control panel?

download http://www.mlin.net/files/StartupCPL_EXE.zip
its a wonderful program that list all programs that are executing on startup, search through and find the offending program and uncheck it.

diblert:
same thing as [ run > msconfig > startup tab. ]

yeah same diff, i just like the more organized layout.

well after trying it, it does work better for me atleast. thanks for the link! :)

Church: any luck? so even in safe mode it didn't work when you tried opening it? hmm.

I suggest installing and scanning your computer with these programs.

So I just copped out and created a new user account on my computer. For some reason it works in other accounts, just not the one I normally use.

Sounds like it could be a local profile issue then.

If you are able to, log on to your computer as administrator and go to C:\documents and settings\, make a copy of the folder there that has your name on it, call it like backup of yourname, anything so that your name is not at the beginning of the file. Then go inside and delete everything in it, you might have to turn on hidden files/folders as well (tools -> folder options -> view tab, scroll down to find show hidden files and folders). Ultimately, you want to have an empty folder.

You might have to restart before logging on as administrator if you've logged in as that account previously, some of the files remain in use even after you've logged off.

If you use the welcome screen, press ctrl alt del twice to get it to show the classic login screen and you'll be able to log in as administrator there (sometimes it shows up on the xp login screen anyway).

After you've done that, give the computer a bounce and log back on as your original account, it will rebuild your profile, which means a lot of your settings and preferences (especially in terms of layout and appearance) will be reset, but i wouldn't mind betting it'll fix it.

Be advised, this might cause some issues with your computer, if you have xp pro it should be all good, but i imagine xp home would be much the same. If you do strike problems, such as a warning box when you try to log on about a missing profile, see if you can continue anyway. If it happens again on your next logon, then you might have to restore the backup you made of the folder, just remove it entirely and rename the backup to what it was called.

How long has it been since you re-installed windows?