Windows Messenger 'Trojan update'

This is too cute. You can wipe Windows Messenger from XP with a simple hack, and yet MS will defy you with a 'Critical Update'. That's how desperate they are to force this little Trojan on you.

Following a tip from a Messenger-averse reader whose uninstall got thwarted, I looked into it, starting with a clean install of Win-XP. Messenger was, of course, lurking in the background and consuming RAM though I have no use for it. And of course MS doesn't allow you to uninstall it.

But that doesn't make it impossible. NTcompatible.com has a very simple hack which will allow you to use the Windows add/remove feature in Control Panel to get rid of the offending progie.

Use a text editor to open C:\WINDOWS\inf\sysoc.inf, and change
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7 to
msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,7

That's it. Messenger will now appear in the add/remove application under Windows Components where you can uninstall it.

Enjoy the fact that this irritating memory-resident progie is no longer consuming RAM and haranguing you to obtain an MS Passport every time you reboot.

But that's not the end of it.

No, there's a 'Critical' item which MS foists on you during Windows Update. It's called the 'Windows Messenger 4.6 Connectivity Update', and MS "strongly recommends that you download the update even if you don't use Windows Messenger."

It's that last bit, acknowledging the fact that you might not use Messenger, which makes it seem benign. Surely, this fix has more to do with some idiosyncrasy in 'Windows connectivity' than Messenger itself. Right?

And when we consult the related MS 'knowledge base' article, we're told that "to improve connectivity and system performance, even if you do not use Windows Messenger, Microsoft recommends that you install this update."

Man, they desperately want you to install this fix.

And the result? Do you get 'better connectivity and system performance?' Of course not. The only result is that Messenger is now back on your machine, consuming RAM even when you have no use for it, and haranguing you to obtain an MS Passport.

The only thing this Critical Update does is integrate Messenger into Outlook Express. And by default it runs on startup, and runs in the background. So now you have to go to Outlook Express/Tools/Windows Messenger/Options/Preferences, and turn it off.

Assuming, of course, that you already uninstalled it according to the instructions above. Otherwise it will run no matter what you do.

Source: http://www.antionline.com/newthread....ead&forumid=44

Although I use Microsoft products, this is one of the things about them that bug me. Why not just give someone an option to delete a program without having to do all of that? Just put it in Add/Remove programs to begin with? And they do seem at times, bent on signing you up for things whether you want them or not. I signed up for a "hotmail" account awhile back. Guess what? I received a free .passport while I was at it. I really didn't want it. I wish Microsoft would realize that giving people more choices would attract people to their company rather than repel them. I do like Windows, and I use Windows XP, but if I had another computer I would put Linux on it.

If the current antitrust suits etc. every manage to wrangle a 'slimmer unbloated unbundled version' of windows out of Microsoft, I'm buying it, as opposed to, say, XP. I think the main reason I'm staying on 98 is that it is... well... a little saner, still built on DOS, which has *nix command style underpinnings. (Maybe not multiuser, but that's fine, I just need something that isn't continually trying to sell me new features and 'upgrades')

There's a simplier way of stoping it load. I'm not sure if messenger is viewable in the start up window of msconfig, but, if it is just uncheck it. Even easier....just rename the messenger folder.....


Just a little nit picky item....Your source url was wrong. The correct source of this article is The Register....... ;)

On my Win XP jobbie i use a start up monitor to regulate the programs right.
But when i go to hotmail with that comp. Taaa daaa msn wants to boot up the next time i log on ??? no no no.....i dissallow it booting but not to use...but it makes me laugh none the less...

Money gluttons ? = yes.....

-Quote-
Someone said to me they dont use icq cus it full of holes.
i agree
-Unquote-

but what chat app can people use without being 2 security wise ?
(reliable/safe/easy to get/well known/easy to use)

Next they will make it so you can uninstall IE and word. :(

lol... hmm next thing it would me a Norton Anti-Virus Update Trojan..
and loads a virus and deletes files...

The entire ms software package is full of spyware and ****. It sucks that ms has a monopoly on computer software.

well i went msconfig untick MSN messenger and its not running at the background any more!