> At 03:55 PM 5/9/2002 -0400, you wrote: > >http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56332-2002May8.html > > > > MSN Messenger needn't be actively in use, merely installed. > > > Anybody know how to remove it from XP? It's imbedded in the O/S even > though you don't use it. And it looks like they make it very difficult to > uninstall, if not impossible. > > George
Even though we no longer work together, it would seem I still get the chance to help you. :-) I am about to test my homespun MSN Messenger removal technique. I'll let the list know how it goes - but for the benefit of those who know their way around their machine, and don't mind potentially breaking things, here is where I started my hunt... DISCLAIMER: You might break stuff, do this at your own risk, I won't be held accountable, yadda yadda yadda. I have an XP vitual machine running on my box. I went to c:\windows\inf\sysoc.inf, the file that appears to contain the list of Windows components that appears when you go to Control Panel -> Windows Components. (If your machine hides file extentions, hidden folders, and operating system files, youmight have a hard time following me.) Some components in the file have the word "hide" at the end. For instance: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7 This is the entry for MSN Messenger. "hide" seems to stop it from appearing on the Windows Component list. Change the line to: msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7 ..and reboot, and you will see that there is a new item on the Windows Component list, quite possibly with no name. I tried to uncheck the box and reboot, but MSN messenger was still installed. I went back to sysoc.inf and noticed that the line we just changed made mention of msmsgs.inf. I decided to look though that file. By the looks of it, there IS an uninstall section. What I plan to do if I cannot invoke it naturally, is manually remove all the registry keys it lists, unregister any dll's it shows, remove whatever files it lists, etc. A batch file to perform this would be handy for distribution to friends, employees, etc. That is the direction I am going. If anyone else wants to give my ideas a bash, let the list know how you go. I will get around to doing myself before the day is out, but technically I should be working now. - uberhacker - --- You are currently subscribed to e-gold-list as: [email protected] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Use e-gold's Secure Randomized Keyboard (SRK) when accessing your e-gold account(s) via the web and shopping cart interfaces to help thwart keystroke loggers and common viruses.
