Oh - and to do that go start, type "regedit" hit enter and go to HKey Local Machine, software, microsoft, windows, currentversion, run or runservices or runonce. If it's not there then it might be in HKey current user, software, microsoft, windows, currentversion, run. I can't remember exactly where it is but you should be able to find it.

0

I went into the registry and found run, run once,and run services plus some similar names.What should I remove? I am not familar with the registy at all...don't want to mess things up worse. James J

0

As mentioned, you can open Messenger and from its Tools \ Options \ Preferences, instruct it not to run at startup. Seems like the simplest method I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

0

I don't use Messenger so I wasn't aware of jboy's method but if he says it's the simplest method then likely it very well is. Give it a go. But since you asked which registry keys to remove, go to the ones you mentioned you found (run, run services etc) and if msmsgs.exe is in the right hand pane then that's what you delete. (In addition to removing it from startup.)

0

I do not run messenger either so I will give this some thought.Thanks a lot to you both. James J

0

Well, there are usually several ways to accomplish something in Windows, but it just seems to me that if the program comes with an option to suppress loading at startup, why not use it? You say you do not run Messenger? Maybe not willingly, but, in fact, you are running something. If msmsgs.exe is running, you should have the Messenger icon in the system tray. Both it and Outlook Express are (imo) a bit intrusive and need some managing. There are virus etc that use the msmsgs.exe name but launch from a different folder than the 'original' - as advised by jam, wouldn't hurt to scan your system. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

0

I don't have MSN Messenger loaded! I am running windows 2000. When I open the task manager and try to stop it, I am denied permission. Everytime I delete msmsgs.exe from the winnt/system32 directory, I restart my computer and it comes back again. Once I though I had it. I unplugged my Lan card and resarted. I could not find msmsgs.exe in the task manager. But as soon as I plugged my lan card back in, it insatantly came back up. I notice exactly what this program does to my computer ( from what I can see). My right click options are disabled, I cannot view my system folders anymore, my processer speed is being consumed, and my regedit programs don't work, I can't even download a NAV! THIS PROGRAM IS A VIRUS!!!!!!! If you are running a version of windows lower than WIN XP and you have this application running in your systray, it is a virus! How the hell do I get ride of it. I believe it is tranmitting sensitive info acroos the internet. I am the man.

0

This forum is devoted to general problems with the Windows 95/98 operating systems. I would suggest you post your concerns either in the Win2K forum here @Computing.Net, else the Security & Virus forum, for best results. This is an old message, and will soon be locked down. It's only by chance that I still have it flagged. The program is not necessarily a virus - that was covered in the link provided in #5 - so please don't make panicky claims I'm not insensitive, I just don't care.

0