You know that "Windows Messenger" is built into Windows XP.Well I have just done an update for "Windows Messenger" and it has installed "MSN Messenger 5.0" the thing is it has not updated "Windows Messenger" it has just installed "MSN Messenger 5.0" and it runs next to "Windows Messenger". Would it be safe to take "Windows Messenger" of the computer, and leave "MSN Messenger 5.0" on? And how would I take "Windows Messenger" of my computer? And there is another thing when I did one of the early updates for "Windows Messenger" it put the "MSN Add-in for Windows Messenger" in to the "Add or Remove Programs list" would that be safe to remove as well. If you don’t understand what I mean please ask me, I really want to get this sorted. Thanks, Matt

I dont know what this guys at MS are trying to do with this "parallel" version of MSN 5. I mean, there are no noticeable chages !! ... just to say that. bye

Matt, I would hold off on making any changes. I just updated mine as well and as you already know it just does not update the old MSN IM. I can now sign in using either Ver. 4.7 or Ver. 5.0 and this makes no sense to have two of them. So I say futher investigation is needed as I will check into it myself to find out what MS is up to. TTFN, KTTD

This article discusses some of the variables to consider when you run both Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger 5.0 on a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer. MORE INFORMATION Windows Messenger is included with Windows XP and is installed when you install the operating system. MSN Messenger 5.0 is included with MSN 8.0 and is also available as a separate download. It is installed on your computer when you install MSN 8.0 or when you run MSN Messenger 5.0 Setup. If you are running Windows Messenger 4.x, and you previously installed the MSN Add-in for Windows Messenger, you may receive a message to install MSN Messenger 5.0. If you did not install the MSN Add-in for Windows Messenger, you are not prompted to install MSN Messenger 5.0. Note the following: You cannot run both Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger 5.0 on non-Windows XP-based computers. You cannot install Windows Messenger on non-Windows XP-based computers. You cannot run both Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger versions earlier than version 5.0 on Windows XP-based computers. You cannot install versions of MSN Messenger earlier than MSN Messenger 5.0 on Windows XP-based computers. Differences Between MSN Messenger 5.0 and Windows Messenger Only Windows Messenger can connect to the Communications Service and Microsoft Exchange Instant Messaging. A Communications Service account provides instant messaging in a corporation or network. To use a Communications Service account, your company must be using a technology called Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). If you are not sure whether your Messenger program permits the use of a Communications Service account, ask your network administrator. A Communications Service account permits you to send instant messages within your corporate network, add other Communications Service users to your contacts list, talk with another Communications Service user by using microphones, and send a file to another Communications Service user. Exchange Instant Messaging permits real-time communications between Messenger users who are in the same corporation or who use the same computer network. Exchange Instant Messaging is available to corporations and networks that use Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server. MSN Messenger 5.0 does not support Messenger application programming interfaces (APIs) when it is installed on Windows XP-based computers. Messenger APIs are used to create custom Messenger programs. If you are running Windows XP and you want to use custom Messenger programs, you must use Windows Messenger. For additional information about Messenger APIs, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/topic.asp?url=/msdn-files/028/001/359/topic.xml NOTE: Microsoft Outlook 2002, Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and the Remote Assistance feature in Windows XP are examples of programs that use these APIs and depend on Windows Messenger. Running Both MSN Messenger 5.0 and Windows Messenger Some programs, such as Outlook, Outlook Express, and Remote Assistance connect to Windows Messenger by default. When you are signed in to MSN Messenger, you may appear to be offline to people who connect to these programs and have you listed as a contact. You can configure either Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger to start automatically when Windows starts. Note that only one Messenger program can start automatically when Windows starts. You can start the other program from your list of programs (in Windows, click Start, point to All Programs, and then click the program that you want to start). If both Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger are configured to start automatically when Windows starts, and Windows Messenger is not configured for corporate instant messaging, the Run this program when Windows starts option in Windows Messenger is turned off, and MSN Messenger starts automatically when Windows starts. However, if you configured Windows Messenger for corporate instant messaging and to start automatically when you start Windows, it continues to do so and MSN Messenger does not start automatically. You can run both Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger on a Windows XP-based computer at the same time. However, you cannot sign in to both MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger by using the same Microsoft .NET Passport at the same time. If you are signed in to one Messenger program with your .NET Passport, and then you sign in to the other one by using the same account, you are automatically signed off the first Messenger program. You must sign in to both Messenger programs by using different .NET Passport accounts. For example, you can sign in to MSN Messenger with your .NET Passport account, and then sign in to Windows Messenger with a different .NET Passport account or with your corporate instant messaging account. When you run both Messenger programs, icons for each of the programs are displayed in the notification area at the far right of the taskbar. Unlike the Windows Messenger icon, the MSN Messenger icon includes the image of a butterfly. You can also position your mouse pointer over each icon. When you do so, a message is displayed that identifies whether the program is Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger. How to Run Only One or Both Messenger Programs The following methods describe different configuration options for running only one or both Messenger programs. Method 1: You Want to Use Only Windows Messenger If you want to use only Windows Messenger, remove MSN Messenger 5.0. To remove MSN Messenger 5.0: In Control Panel, open Add or Remove Programs. In the list of currently installed programs, click MSN Messenger 5.0, and then click Remove. Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm the removal. Method 2: You Want to Use MSN Messenger 5.0 and Windows Messenger If you want to use both MSN Messenger 5.0 and Windows Messenger, configure each Messenger program with the appropriate options. For example, if you want to use MSN Messenger 5.0 as your primary instant messaging program but also use Windows Messenger for those services and programs that require it (for example, Communications Service, Microsoft Exchange Instant Messaging, Outlook, Outlook Express, or Remote Assistance), you can stop Windows Messenger from starting automatically when Windows starts. After you do so, you can start Windows Messenger from the Start menu to connect to a Communications Service or Exchange Instant Messaging, or to sign in to the .NET Messenger Service with a different .NET Passport account. To stop Windows Messenger from starting automatically when Windows starts: In the notification area, right-click Windows Messenger, and then click Open. On the Tools menu, click Options. Click the Preferences tab. Click to clear the Run this program when Windows starts check box, and then click OK. NOTE: If you want to permit other programs (for example, Outlook or Outlook Express) to run Windows Messenger but you do not have to run Windows Messenger to connect to a Communications Service or Exchange Instant Messaging, or to sign in to the .NET Messenger Service with a different .NET Passport account, use the Set Program Access and Defaults feature included with Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) to hide the Windows Messenger icons. For additional information about the Set Program Access and Defaults feature, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 332003 How to Change Your Default Programs and to Enable or Remove Access to Microsoft Windows and Non-Microsoft Programs Method 3: You Want to Use Only MSN Messenger 5.0 If you want to use MSN Messenger 5.0 and you do not require Windows Messenger for use with other services and programs that require it (for example, Communications Service, Microsoft Exchange Instant Messaging, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, or Remote Assistance), you can prevent Windows Messenger from running. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 302089 How to Prevent Windows Messenger from Running on a Windows XP-Based Computer Windows Messenger 4.0 or Later on a Windows XP Professional-Based Computer Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then press ENTER. Double-click the following items to expand them: Local Computer Policy Computer Configuration Administrative Templates Windows Components Windows Messenger Double-click Do not allow Windows Messenger to run, and then click Enabled. Click OK, and then quit the Group Policy snap-in. NOTE: Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc) is not available on Windows XP Home Edition-based computers. NOTE: This method also prevents programs that use the Messenger Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) from using Windows Messenger. Microsoft Outlook 2002, Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and the Remote Assistance feature in Windows XP are examples of programs that use these APIs and that depend on Windows Messenger. Windows Messenger 4.0 on a Windows XP Home Edition-Based Computer Start Windows Messenger. Click Options on the Tools menu. Click the Preferences tab, click to clear the Run this program when Windows starts

Windows Messenger 4.0 on a Windows XP Home Edition-Based Computer Start Windows Messenger. Click Options on the Tools menu. Click the Preferences tab, click to clear the Run this program when Windows starts check box, and then click OK. NOTE: This procedure does not prevent users from manually running Windows Messenger, but it does prevent Windows Messenger from running automatically each time that you start Windows. If you use Outlook Express or Outlook XP, Windows Messenger may start automatically each time you run Outlook Express or Outlook. To prevent Windows Messenger from signing in when you run Outlook Express: In Outlook Express, click Options on the Tools menu. On the General tab, click to clear the Automatically log on to Windows Messenger check box. Click OK. To prevent Windows Messenger from signing in when you run Outlook: In Outlook, click Options on the Tools menu. On the Other tab, click to clear the Enable Instant Messaging in Microsoft Outlook check box. Click OK. Windows Messenger 4.5 or Later on Windows XP Home Edition-Based or Windows XP Professional-Based Computers Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Locate and click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft On the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type Messenger for the name of the new registry key. Locate and click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger On the On the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type Client for the name of the new registry key. Locate and click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client On the Edit menu, point to New, click DWORD Value, and then type PreventRun for the name of the new DWORD value. Right-click the PreventRun value that you created, click Modify, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK. Quit Registry Editor. NOTE: This method also prevents programs that use the Messenger Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) from using Windows Messenger. Outlook 2002, Outlook Express 6, and the Remote Assistance feature in Windows XP are examples of programs that use these APIs and that depend on Windows Messenger.