hepl - Windows Live Messenger a pain in my ass

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

Apparently, the wonderful folks at MS decided it'd be a nice "feature" if every time you log on to hotmail, Windows Live Messenger starts and sets itself to autostart when you next run windows. Considering the crazy amount of UAC-shit you have to go through with all other programs, this is rather odd as well as extremely annoying.

Does anyone have a fix (that doesn't involve uninstalling messenger) for this?

[Boogahz]

I have yet to have that problem. Are you logging in directly through hotmail.com? Maybe there is a setting in the account settings for your Live ID?

[Sargeras]

1. Sign on to windows live messenger
2. Click the down arrow that lets you select online, busy, away, etc. and go to the bottom and select "Options"
3. Choose the "general" tab
4. Uncheck the box beside, "Automatically run Windows Live Messenger when I log on to Windows."
5. Click the 'Accept' button.

If that doesn't work, you can disable it from Start > Run > services.msc > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools.

[Boogahz]

I found what this is, but I don't see anything that will fix it. It only happens to me when I open Hotmail.com, and I tried messing with settings there and in Messenger with no luck.

[valryte]

Options -> Security -> Uncheck "Open Windows Live Messenger when I click on a link on a webpage that tries to interact with Windows Live Messenger"

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

Thanks Valryte. I *think* it worked.

It's fucking devious of them to add it to autorun with no UAC check.

[Animalor]

Live Messenger has always set itself to start automatically when Windows starts. Since the earliest versions.

This behaviour is the same with most software which is the reason a lot of systems tend to bog down on boot after a while. I personally hate applications that front-load a helper app to make it start faster once the system is booted.

You acknowledge UAC when you install the app, not on every single default config.

Anyhow,

Tools -> Options -> Sign In -> Automatically run WLM when I log on to Windows

I also recommend that you turn off "Show Windows Live Today after I sign in to Messenger". I absolutely hate that window.

[Boogahz]

This is happening when Hotmail opens, not when Windows starts. Valryte's suggestion was one that I tried last night, and it still attempts to open.

[Animalor]

Are you using Firefox or IE? Which version of IE of the latter?

[Animalor]

Here's the behavious I see when using hotmail and WLM.

If my WLM is opened and signed in, then I can access the window by clicking on Messenger and view contacts in the Hotmail Window.

If I am not signed into WLM on the client, the only option on the hotmail page is sign in to Web Messenger. Same thing when my WLM client is closed. It doesn't try to open the client

[Boogahz]

IE8 on both comps

Also, it only trys to open Messenger on one of my two computers which is interesting.

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

anirask: the problem was not autostarting windows live messenger, I disabled that ages ago. The problem was that visiting hotmail.com and logging in there would
a) run WLM
b) re-add WLM to the list of startup programs.

So far, valryte's fix seems to have worked.

[Animalor]

Really strange. If Valryte's fix did the trick then great.

This is still happening to you Boog?

[valryte]

This behaviour is the same with most software which is the reason a lot of systems tend to bog down on boot after a while. I personally hate applications that front-load a helper app to make it start faster once the system is booted.

Are you serious? It's a freaking messenger app. How the hell do you expect to receive IMs if it's not running? Telepathy?...

This is happening when Hotmail opens, not when Windows starts. Valryte's suggestion was one that I tried last night, and it still attempts to open.

Boog, set the setting, make sure you hit apply and restart. I'd probably restart the OS to make sure.

[Animalor]

Are you serious? It's a freaking messenger app. How the hell do you expect to receive IMs if it's not running? Telepathy?...

When I want to use WLM, I turn it on. I don't particularly want it to be on when I boot my system. I also don't want it to run when I'm not actively using it.

[Aabidano]

Are you serious? It's a freaking messenger app. How the hell do you expect to receive IMs if it's not running? Telepathy?...

When I want to use WLM, I turn it on. I don't particularly want it to be on when I boot my system. I also don't want it to run when I'm not actively using it.

Especially at work, folks will IM inane stuff that wouldn't warrant a phone call or an in person conversation.

[Boogahz]

This behaviour is the same with most software which is the reason a lot of systems tend to bog down on boot after a while. I personally hate applications that front-load a helper app to make it start faster once the system is booted.

Are you serious? It's a freaking messenger app. How the hell do you expect to receive IMs if it's not running? Telepathy?...

This is happening when Hotmail opens, not when Windows starts. Valryte's suggestion was one that I tried last night, and it still attempts to open.

Boog, set the setting, make sure you hit apply and restart. I'd probably restart the OS to make sure.

I had already done that, and it didn't help. It only happens when I go to Hotmail.com which doesn't bother me too much, since I only went there to see if I could reproduce what happened to Drolgin.

[Ashur]

I personally hate applications that front-load a helper app to make it start faster once the system is booted.

Amen. I'm not against "Would you like this to start when Windows starts?" type apps, but the ones (like Acrobat!) that pre-load their bloated shitty libraries at system start just so when (and if!) the app is launched they seem to start faster piss me off.