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

JS

Hi there...

To remove Messenger:
Simply delete the following Registry Key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\MSMSGS

Uninstall Messenger

You have to edit sysoc.inf (located in /WINDOWS/inf). Under [Components]
you should see the following line:
msmsgs=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7.  Take the word 'hide' out of
the line, and it should look like this:
msmsgs=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7.  Exit and save.

Go to Add or Remove Programs, and click on Add/Remove Windows
Components. There you should now be able to uncheck the MSN Messenger
Service, and by clicking Next it will uninstall.

And here is the tip for making sure Messenger is removed from Outlook
Express as well:

Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Outlook Express. Value Name: Hide
Messenger, Data Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value), Value Data: (2 = remove
messenger). Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value,
called 'Hide Messenger' and set the value to 2.

Exit your registry, you may need to restart or log out of Windows for
the change to take effect.

Take Care...
Dee
-----------------------------------------------------

Control panel---add/remove programs---on left side windows
components---delete X on windows messenger. I.E. Don't load it.

Here's the easy way without all the messing around manually:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_messenger_remove.htm

HTH
Pop`