Vista - Windows Live Messenger & Other Errors

I have WLM 8.5 installed, I'm running Vista Ultimate 32.
WLM used to work just fine but for some reason now it wont.

If I sign in using the version that loaded at start up then it works for a
few mins then freezes up.

If I try opening another copy after that one has frozen, or disabling the
start up one and trying to open a copy then it loads the msnmsgr.exe in task
manager but nothing ever shows up on screen to let me log in..

I tried running the repair thing from control panel but it gets as far as
'gather required etc' and shutting down outlook then nothing happens.

Any ideas?

update #1: I uninstalled WLM, restarted, and tried to reinstall. When I try
to reinstall it says 'upgrading..' then says 'the older version of WLM could
not be removed'
agh this is really annoying.

(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...stallerror.jpg)

it probably has something to do with the fact the control panel still thinks
there is a copy of WLM from 16/3/07, when I try to remove that version I get
the error:

(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...tallerror2.jpg)

update #2: I've tried closing all open programs, disabling firewall & AV and
I still cant get it to install

update #3: I think there might be a larger issue, I just tried to open
windows media player and it does the same as msn did, exe shows up in task
manager but no window appears. Also when I tried to open event viewer it says
"service unavailable verify that the service is running", when I try to start
the service I get the error: "Windows could not start the Windows Event Log
service on Local computer. Error 4201 the instance name passed was not
recognised as valid by a WMI data provider."

is there something I can do to repair vista? (preferably not a reinstall )

ok, now WMP appears to open fine but freezes up when I try to open a playlist.

A lot of that could be tied to a corrupt browser cache and cookie files.
It's worth a shot to simply clear the cache and %Temp% folders.

start orb, type:
cleanmgr

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Mark L. Ferguson
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"Nick" <Nick@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:CFFEF6A0-BF7E-4ADD-B0FF-E9C25A5DD001@xxxxxx

hi mark,
thanks for the quick reply.
I tried clearing the cache in IE&FF and the cookies, and the %temp% folder
but it didnt help. I still get the error when I try and install msn. I should
note that the version of WLM that control panel thinks is installed (that I
cannot uninstall), is v8.1.0178.00.

I am using Live Messenger ver. 8.5.1302.1018. As far as I know, that's what
I had with Vista (Business) when installed, Jan 31, 08. There was a command
to take out MSN messenger, that it can't hurt for you to try.

Go to Start/Run, and type: "rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection BLC.Remove
128 %SystemRoot%\INF\msmsgs.inf"

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Mark L. Ferguson
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"Nick" <Nick@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:52306E19-159B-41AB-BBAE-452CBA22AE10@xxxxxx

Control Panel says 8.1 was installed on 16/3/07, I was using 8.5 beta after
that, then was using 8.5 final perfectly happily till today when it all went
wrong.

I tried that command rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection BLC.Remove
128 %SystemRoot%\INF\msmsgs.inf

but it said "Error. Installation Failed"

btw, just in case its relevant but since clearing my cache I have to go
though the accept licence agreement and have to add messenger from the list
of optional software (mail photos writer toolbar etc.) even though it still
fails to install.

I tried enabling UAC and changing the permissions of Rtbackup to allow
localservice full access as detailed here
http://forums.dlsoftware.net/topic55.html but Event Viewer service still wont
start.

Try the cleanup utility for installer.

290301 - Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;290301

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Mark L. Ferguson
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"Nick" <Nick@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:B74219D6-227D-4C62-9266-9C6211D97F80@xxxxxx

Ok, the cleanup utility let me remove WLM 8.1 and successfully install 8.5!
but I still get the same problem as before I uninstalled it, whereby when I
try to open WLM the exe shows up in task manager but no window opens letting
me sign on