Originally posted here by hypronix
msmsgs.exe [or whichever the dreaded name] is the Messenger service, not MSN IM.
No, you're wrong. I killed the messenger service ages ago. It hasn't been running since, unlike the Instant Messenger. I had a look at the proces list, killed msmsgs.exe, an lo and behold, the instant messenger died. When I started the executable, (start/run) the IM popped up again. Furthermore, the executable has the instant managers icon.

If you look at the messenger service, you'll see that the service points to this executable: C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe, not the one I renamed.