I briefly installed MSN Messenger on my family computer, decided I
didn't want it, and uninstalled it (from Control Panel >> Add/Remove
Programs) a few minutes later.  Unfortunately, now every time someone
logs onto the machine he/she can see how many unread messages are in
my Hotmail account (the family login says, for example, that there are
7 unread messages and 1 program running).  For the life of me I can't
figure out how to decouple my Hotmail account from Windows - I thought
uninstalling MSN Messenger would do it, but I was obviously wrong.

Ideas on how to fix?

---

Clarification of Question by addisonbr-ga on 10 Mar 2005 05:00 PST

On the one hand, I can't believe this is so difficult.  On the other hand, I can.

I tried the steps suggested by xcarlx; there are now no "Stored User
Names and Passwords" associated with our login.  But when I reboot, I
still get information about my hotmail account at login.

It is definitely MSN Messenger as opposed to Windows Messenger, and I
uninstalled the program last night by going to Control Panel >>
Add/Remove Programs.  So the program itself doesn't appear to be there
- there is no MSN Messenger icon in my tray or in my Start menu - but
some sort of registration shmeg from that process still seems to be
glommed on to the OS.

If this is turning into a more involved process involving complicated
regedit magic, I will happily up the bounty on this question to try to
compensate for the added time a correct answer will require.  Thanks.

---

Clarification of Question by addisonbr-ga on 10 Mar 2005 17:19 PST

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you all.

Your MSN address/password ("passport") is "associated" with your windows XP login.

click on
start > control panel > user accounts > [your account name]

Then look here:
http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/passport1.php

Are you sure it was MSN messenger and not Windows Messenger? Although
they look very similar they are actually two different products.

The easiest thing to do is to right-click on the messenger icon - open
messenger up - then under tools/options/general untick the option to
automatically run messenger when windows starts and automatically run
messenger when connected to the internet.

Then log off and log on - viola it shouldn't bother you any more.



Tony

getting rid of that Microsoft IM program is a real bear of a job in
most cases. Despite ring's optimism, I bet it will be back when you
reboot.

You can't even turn it off using Microsoft's own antispyware software
which SAYS it will turn it off.

You can probably prevent making an actual connection by unsubscribing
from the Passport service - the easiest way might be to log on and
then provide bad password information so you don't connect in the
future - have to check that idea out. Many places are opting out of
Passport, including eBay, so it is a dying technology.

I suspect it will take registry editing but will tackle the answer
later if no other researcher can help you before I have time.

This is a pretty good set of instructions to completey remove this
app, even if you have removed through add/remove there will still be
items left in the reg:

http://www.richardsramblings.com/archives/2002/11/000278.html

If you want XP to stop displaying the 'unread mail' count then follow this link:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/archive/index.php/t-602.html

They have some good ideas.

Also check this out:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q304148&ID=KB;EN-US;q304148

BB