Vista - Windows Live Messenger Will Not Run

The following refers to a Dell Dimension 2400 desktop running Windows XP
Professional with SP2. It has McAfee VirusScan Plus, Windows Firewall and no
other security software.

I originally installed MSN Messenger 4.5 years ago and it updated itself
periodically until it became Windows Live Messenger. I cannot remember
which version was installed when my computer was infected about one month ago
with a root kit that brought about a Blue Screen of Death. When I was able
to boot Windows XP again, the only programs that did not function were the
messengers (Yahoo, Google, AIM) and Windows Live), but running a file that
restored the missing .dll files fixed the problem for all the other messenger
programs but not for Windows Live Messenger.

I have since uninstalled and installed every version of Windows Live
Messenger available, and although they all install, none of them will run.
(Trying to install the old 5.1 version of MSN Messenger does not work because
it requires upgrading to the latest version of Windows Live Messenger, which
defeats the purpose.) When I click on the Windows Live Messenger icon to
open it, almost immediately a message appears stating: "Windows Live
Messenger has encountered a problem and needs to close. Please tell
Microsoft about this problem. We have created an error report that you can
send to help us improve Windows Live Messenger." The version currently
installed is 8.5.

Any suggestions are welcome, just please be aware that I have very little
knowledge or experience with the operating system.

Thank you.



Windows Messenger (different from Windows Live Messenger) is installed and
works fine but it is not capable of sending alerts when I receive email in my
Hotmail inbox, therefore the need to have the Windows Live Messenger
working.

Greetings,

If it were up to me, I'd probably highly suggest you do a repair Windows install, although
that might not be an option from the Dell media.

One thing I can recommend you do right now is install MSN Messenger 7.0, which is completely
compatible on Windows XP, will not require you to upgrade to Live Messenger and contains the
alerts functionality you're looking for. You can find this here:
http://microsoft.com/downloads/detai...4-9505f47bed45

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--


"Azaléia" <Azalia@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3430D971-8F65-4494-B019-5E9356F61E9C@xxxxxx

Mr. Kay,

Thank you so very much for your recommendation, it worked perfectly. I just
clicked on the link you sent me and the MSN Messenger was installed and
running in 5 minutes. And just as you stated, it alerts me when mail arrives
in my Hotmail inbox.

On your suggestion that I do a repair Windows install, I think that it might
have already been done when my computer would not boot up and a repair
mode/process was used to make it boot from the Windows XP installation CD,
instead of from the hard drive. It was the repairs that this lengthy
procedure made that allowed my computer to boot up from its hard drive
afterward. I know for certain that a full Windows XP reinstallation did not
occur. If you have further suggestions on this topic, please let me know.

Thank you, again, for your most valuable help.

Hi,

You're very welcome. I have to admit I don't have much experience with these more recent OEM
installs to be able to advise. However, if it's working, I suggest not messing with it any
further.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--



"Azaléia" <Azalia@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:728D7EF9-C64C-498F-9B5C-B884456BCD3B@xxxxxx

In the 12+ hours that I have had the MSN Messenger installed, I have noticed
that it provides visual alerts, a small pop-up screen, but no sound alerts.
Windows Live Messenger gives both a visual and a sound alert at the same
time. The sound alert is indispensable to me as I am frequently near but not
at the computer, so I am able to hear the sound alert, but not see the visual
alert. Do you know if the MSN Messenger provides sound alerts? At this
point I do not know if my MSN Messenger is malfunctioning by not giving sound
alerts or if it just does not have sound alerts.

If it turns out that the MSN Messenger does not have sound alerts, is there
anything else you can suggest I can try to make the Windows Live Messenger
run after it is installed?

Thank you.

Hi,

All versions of Messenger have the "sounds alert", you can customize it by clicking the Tools
menu, then Options, then Alerts and Sounds. You may want to click the Sounds button there
and make sure that under Program Events, the MSN Messenger events are actually set to valid
sounds.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--


"Azaléia" <Azalia@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:40DC2F92-998B-4338-8E55-B3FA4E3D3AFF@xxxxxx

In following the instructions you provided, I found the following.

In Program Events, MSN Messenger appears but there are no sound files under
it. In the Sounds area, all buttons/options are grayed out and
non-functional.

In Program Events, Windows Messenger appears with the following sound files
(speaker icon next to each) under it: Contact OnLine, New Alert, New Mail,
New Message. When I select any of the sound files, the Sounds area, which
appears grayed out for MSN Messenger, becomes functional with all
buttons/options available.

Are the sound files that appear under Windows Messenger also supposed to
appear under MSN Messenger, and it is because they are absent that no sound
alerts are produced? Is there a way to fix it?

Thank you.

Hi,

Yes that explains why it's not working.

When Messenger 7.0 starts, it adds it's "scheme" to the sounds list if it doesn't exist, but
doesn't add any events. This is why it's showing up there, but grayed out.

This should be a simple fix. Just shut down Messenger and close the Sounds Control Panel
applet if it's open, then download and run the following .reg file:
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/dow...sgr7sounds.reg

After that start Messenger up again and you should have sounds as per normal.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--


"Azaléia" <Azalia@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:C61E9322-803F-4956-BED1-E8443562F8CC@xxxxxx

SUCCESS!

An email arrived in my Hotmail inbox within 5 minutes after I followed the
instructions you provided, so the MSN Messenger was tested right away. It
produced both a visual and a sound alert at the same time, just as it is
supposed to do. (I was thrilled to hear that alert sound!)

Thank you so very much for all of your help that made it possible for me to
use MSN Messenger once again.

Hi,

Excellent, glad to hear it

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--


"Azaléia" <Azalia@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:F6827494-7EBB-4792-9A6B-4DA2ADA55708@xxxxxx