I want to get rid of MS Messenger in Start Up since I never use it. Trying to keep PC running at top speed.

Several times, I have gone to Run, msconfig, Start-Up tab, and unchecked "msmsgs". (the full Command is "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe"/background)

When I reboot, the icon is gone from the system tray. Great!

Then, within a few days, it's back. When I check in msconfig, the same item is check marked again.

I have another PC that I turned off Messenger the same way, and it's stayed off for years.

Why does this keep turning itself back on?

What can I do to keep it off?

I haven't tried deleting the item from the start-up list in msconfig, because I'm not sure if this would do any harm.

Thanks...

I would just remove it from the start up menu completely.

I don't believe this will cause any problems.

If you want to use it, you can always open it up yourself when you want to.

Even easier.
Open it up Tools > Options > UNcheck start with windows ;)

Thanks All.

Curlyben, I don't follow. Open Tools from within WHAT program?

Can you be a bit more specific please?

Thanks...

From within Messenger ;)

Curlyben,

Thanks, I found it. Worked perfect!

Curlyben,

Messenger is back on in the system tray again, all by itself.

I didn't even power cycle the PC. Just put it in sleep mode for an hour.

I'm stumpped!

Help...

Do you use Outlook or outlook express for your e-mail as these also start up MSN messenger?

I use Outlook Express on both of my PCs.

The odd thing is I have exactly the same setup on my other PC, and this has never happened. A couple years ago, I just went into msconfig and unchecked msmsgs, and I never saw Messenger again. It's only happening on my wife's PC.

Ideas Please?

Well for starters DUMP OE as it sucks big time and is no longer supported by M$.
Go and get Thunderbird - Reclaim your inbox (http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/) instead.
It's fast, easy to use and best of all FREE, from the people that brought you Firefox ;)

Then you only need worry about the start up setting in MSN itself.

Either that or dig through OE's options to find where to turn MSN off.

I agree to dump the OE, but there's something more going on here. It wasn't Messenger, but I had the same problem with an IM program I need for my work. I didn't like it coming up every time I booted, simple cause it was very slow and everything would run slow until that thing started itself. I turned it off in msconfig also. But it kept coming back up about every other time I rebooted.

Until recently when I wiped out everything and installed Windows from scratch. And now I've got it turned off in start-up and it stays turned off. (So does Messenger.) Actually, several things fixed themselves with that last re-install.

Not that I know how to help. Just making a point that something else is screwy here and I don't think it's just using OE, like something corrupted. Someone may know exactly what that is and can get it fixed for you. But when I start having too many screwy things happening, I figure it's time for a clean install of Windows.

I know, this was terribly useful, huh?

Thanks for the feedback. Reinstall is such a hassle, I'll save it as a last resort.

I found an article on MS Help & Support.

How to prevent Windows Messenger from running on a Windows XP-based computer (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302089#3)

How to Prevent Windows Messenger From Running in XP.

For Windows Messenger 4.5 or later, you must make a change to the registry. I haven't done it yet because registry changes make me nervous. I know I can back up the registry, but have never done this before.

According to the article, just unchecking Messenger in start up isn't enough

If anyone is interested, someone emailed me this other procedure:

Click start, go to control panel, open add / remove programs. On left side of window click add / remove windows components. Take check out of box for windows messenger and click OK or next. This will remove the messenger.

Sounds like it REMOVES the program?? I just want to turn it off.

Do you use Messenger?

That's a fabulous idea, though. I never use the thing, so I just got done deleting it. Since XP doesn't give the install options when installing like 95 used to, I completely forgot the windows components thing even existed.

And I agree it's a hassle to re-install. I do it when "too many things" start going screwy. :-)