Greetings Jack,

You can remove Windows Messenger, but if you do, you will be preventing Remote Assistance,
Whiteboard, Application Sharing and any other applications that utilize Messenger from
working (or loading without problems).  You can just disable Windows Messenger by opening it
up, click Tools, Options, Preferences tab and unchecking 'Run this Program when Windows
starts' or 'Run Windows Messenger when Windows starts' (depending on version).  As well, you
can disable it further by going to Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs, Add/Remove
Windows Components on the left, uncheck Windows Messenger in the components list and click
Next >.  Note: this is only available if you've installed Windows XP Service Pack 1 -- if you
haven't, visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.  This won't remove Windows Messenger, but
it will let it stay out of your way

Besides the drawbacks above however, if you really want to remove it completely, for Windows
Messenger 4.7, close down Messenger if it's running (right click the messenger icon in the
notification area/system tray and click close).  Then click the start button, then click Run
and type in (copy-paste if you like):
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

Then click OK.
Messenger will then be uninstalled.  For more detailed instructions and screenshots, go to,
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/problem.aspx?ID=7

For Windows Messenger 5, close down Messenger if it's running (right click the messenger icon
in the notification area/system tray and click close).  Then click the start button, then
click Run and type in (copy-paste if you like):
msiexec.exe /x {ABEB838C-A1A7-4C5D-B7E1-8B4314B10138}
and then click OK.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com