Jonathan Kay, MessengerGeek

A regular issue faced is the dreaded “Another version of the product is already installed”, “Your computer has a newer version of MSN Messenger than the one you are trying to install”, ““Your computer has a newer version of Windows Live Messenger than the one you are trying to install”, “The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable” and similar messages.

Additionally, in some cases the installer can’t be found in the Control Panel’s Programs applet or has become damaged with a  Catastrophic failure (0x8000ffff) error or the Windows Installer is prompting for a missing .msi file which you can’t find anymore. 

There are fixes for all these problems, but they’re complicated and can be frustrating to some people.

The fix
With all this in mind, I developed ZapMessenger – the one step tool to completely remove Windows Live Messenger, MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger 5.x.  The first thing ZapMessenger will do is attempt to cleanly uninstall Messenger normally and if that fails for any reason, it will forcibly remove Messenger from the Windows Installer engine allowing you to reinstall at your leisure without hindrance.

How to use
To use ZapMessenger, just download the zip and run the executable.  No installation is required.   Please note that the .NET Framework 2.0 or above is required, which you can install from Microsoft if you don’t already have it.  The Framework has been on Windows Update for quite some time and is included in Vista by default, so more than likely it is already installed.

Common questions
Will this remove any of my personal customizations – emoticons, display pictures, etc.?
No, currently ZapMessenger deals with the application itself – your personal data will remain and won’t be touched.  I am considering adding this an option to future releases for those looking to do a complete “clean” install.

I get a .NET Framework Initialization Error when I run ZapMessenger
You’ll need to install the .NET Framework on your machine.

Version history
11/19/2008  1.0.0.0  Initial release

I noticed today on the Yahoo Messenger blog that they had axed Yahoo Messenger for Vista.  For those who weren’t aware of it, initially the client was just a rumour, then screenshots and demos appeared and then finally it was released as a preview about 10 months ago.  Since then, Yahoo has improved every few months by adding more and more functionality that you would expect from any IM client.

And unlike what was published over at Messenger Stuff claiming that Windows Live Messenger 2009 would be built with WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) or have so-called “WPF Effects” (it has neither), Yahoo Messenger for Vista was written entirely in WPF and managed code (.NET).  In addition to this, it also supported certain Vista only functionality, such as a sidebar gadget to display a favourite contact (poor man’s implementation of Messenger Plus’ desktop contacts) and some unique features like voice visualizations.

That all said, I’m surprised it’s been killed off given that the basic functionality of most IM clients was complete.  The client was relatively stable and it certainly felt “cutting-edge”.  I suspect either current economic events have killed this project off or some internal management restructuring was it’s final end.  It really is a shame that a such promising project has ended ad will no longer be available. 

In an industry like IM where innovation seems to be non-existent, it was quite refreshing to see something new.  It’s unfortunate that now Microsoft and others will have no reason to consider the same route, since there will be no competition in this regard.

Beginning last evening (here in Eastern Standard Time), the Messenger service went haywire and has remained so as I write this.  Even if you have been able to sign in, it seems to be going up and down.

UPDATE: The service appears to be operational and stable once again

The status page
If you check the .NET Messenger Service status, it says All systems are stable and running.  This is wrong.  In fact, within the last few outages we’ve had over the course of a few years, this page has remained silent.  Even when it was so-called actively updated, it was usually out of date by telling us about outages after they had occurred and only really showed scheduled maintenance.

But other people are on!
It does appear that some accounts can still sign in, so there are a few people still on Messenger.  If you happen to have another account, you might try signing into that one to see if you can at least sign in, but remember that a good majority of others can’t sign in either (so who are you going to talk to?). 

I searched for the error code and…
…it told you to delete this file, or delete this and that in the registry.  Don’t bother.  Just try again later.

Just got a message regarding my MSN Direct Smart Watch from Microsoft, it reads:

The upcoming version of Windows Live Messenger 9.0 (Beta Date 9/17/08/Release to market date 2/10/08) will NOT work on your Smart Watch device. If you would like to continue using this feature on your smart watch, we recommend that you do NOT upgrade to Windows Live Messenger 9.0 and continue to use your existing version. Thank you for your support.

If you experience any difficulties, please visit http://www.msndirect.com/MSNDirectSupport.aspx or call MSN_® Direct Customer Service at 1.866.658.7032.

Thank you.

So it seems that the final version of Live Messenger 2009 is due for February 10, 2009 (assuming “Live Messenger 9.0” is meaning Live Messenger 2009, version 14 and 2008 being 2009; which I don’t think is a stretch).  It’s a bit disappointing that this functionality is being removed considering I do pay for it.  Alas, it was never used all that much anyway, especially since the option only showed up when set to the US or Canada locale.

I have received quite a few personal e-mails and newsgroup questions regarding how to install and uninstall these new Windows Live “wave 3” beta applications recently.  Not only is once again difficult to directly install on the so-called “unsupported” Windows versions but even uninstalling has been a challenge if you wish to go back to the previous version.

Additionally, the applications are more componentized and have several dependencies (that is, other applications you need to install with it to make each application work). 

This entry lists all Wave 3 beta applications, a download link to the Microsoft Installer (MSI) file, what’s also necessary to install each application and a method to properly remove each without the Windows Live installer.  This allows you to install on non-supported Windows versions (Windows Server, Windows XP x64), fix broken Windows Live Installer installs or just to avoid the Live Installer altogether.

Note: A few of the packages come in both 32-bit and 64-bit varieties.  If you’re not sure if you are using a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system, you most likely have a 32-bit operating system and should use the 32-bit packages.  You can verify your operating system type using this article.

Windows Live Messenger Beta
Version 2009: 14.0.5027.908 (0908)
Download installer – Messenger.msi
You will also need to install: DW 2.0 Client (32-bit) or DW 2.0 Client (64-bit), Microsoft Visual Studio Runtime, Contacts
Optional secondary component: Windows Live Call
To uninstall these secondary components, see Secondary Components below.
To uninstall Windows Live Messenger Beta, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {B1403D7D-C725-4858-AACC-7E5FA2D72859}

You can also uninstall Messenger 2009 (even if the above isn't working) by using my ZapMessenger utiilty.

Windows Live Mail Beta
Version 2008: 14.0.5027.0908
Download Installer – Mail.msi
You will also need to install: DW 2.0 Client (32-bit) or DW 2.0 Client (64-bit), Microsoft Visual Studio Runtime, Contacts
To uninstall these secondary components, see Secondary Components below.
To uninstall Windows Live Mail Beta, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {DFD6935E-D94A-4DBE-AD8F-E37CBC6B577F}

Windows Live Toolbar Beta
Version: 14.00.5023.0902
Download Installer – wltinstall.msi
You will also need to install: Search Enhancement Pack
To uninstall these secondary components, see Secondary Components below.
To uninstall Windows Live Toolbar Beta, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {5524A0D4-F826-4961-9B53-EFF6C615251B}

Windows Live Photo Gallery Beta
Version 2009: 14.0.5026.905
Download Installer – PhotoLibrary.msi
You will also need to install: Windows Imaging Component Hotfix (32-bit) or Windows Imaging Component Hotfix (64-bit), SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (3.1), DW 2.0 Client (32-bit) or DW 2.0 Client (64-bit), Microsoft Visual Studio Runtime, Contacts
To uninstall these secondary components, see Secondary Components below.
To uninstall Windows Live Photo Gallery Beta, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {F6D0986F-D9A8-479B-A80F-61D53CDF65BA}

Windows Live Movie Maker Beta
Version: 14.0.5026 (.905)
Download Installer – MovieMaker.msi
You will also need to install: Windows Imaging Component Hotfix (32-bit) or Windows Imaging Component Hotfix (64-bit), SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (3.1), DW 2.0 Client (32-bit) or DW 2.0 Client (64-bit), Microsoft Visual Studio Runtime, Contacts, Photo Gallery Beta
To uninstall these secondary components, see Secondary Components below.
To uninstall Windows Live Movie Maker Beta, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {239AA030-4E82-4524-ACFE-96BF8D0C69C3}

Windows Live Writer Beta
Version: 14.0.5025.904
Download Installer – Writer.msi
You will also need to install: .NET Framework
To uninstall Live Writer Beta, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {AC5568AB-C3E3-490E-BE40-50977C12288D}

Windows Live Family Safety Beta
Version 2008: 14.0.5025.0904
Download Installer (32-bit) – fssclient_x86.msi
Download Installer (64-bit) – fssclient_amd64.msi
You will also need to install: Nothing else
To uninstall Windows Live Family Safety (32-bit), click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {3491D278-AF52-4A0E-A1F5-D1A57B4F2222}
To uninstall Windows Live Family Safety (64-bit), click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {FFBC59DB-8B51-4E0E-98FE-1A1B3A50A50B}

Microsoft Office Outlook Connector
Version 12.1 (beta 2): 12.0.6407.1000
Download Installer – olc.msi
This is only offered to you in the normal setup if you have Outlook installed
You will also need to install: Microsoft Office Outlook
To uninstall Office Outlook Connector, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {95120000-011F-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE}

Installer Components
These components would normally be automatically installed no matter what product you selected.  Some provide some degree of value (like the Login Assistant) whereas others are completely useless if you are doing a manual install.  Naturally, if you are a doing a manual uninstall, you should remove all of these.

Choice Guard
Download Installer – choiceguard.msi
Sets your user homepage and default search engine during setup (if you opt-in); this one is safe to remove
To uninstall Choice Guard, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {EBD5E7A9-DBB8-4E24-AE3A-CF9390AF1CCB}

Windows Live Sign-in Assistant
Download Installer – wllogin.msi
Allows Windows Live web pages to synchronize with your client-side Live logins (like in Messenger); previous builds have been known to cause Internet Explorer to crash on exit and you may want to remove this if this is a problem for you
To uninstall Windows Live Sign-in Assistant, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {8984E374-6C93-427C-A3B9-AD92472FDCA0}

Windows Live Installer
Download Installer – WLXSuite.msi
The installer setup and UI for the Windows Live Installer
To uninstall Windows Live Installer, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {5D4A033A-A286-44BE-A0F0-B05FAC25D07F}

Segoe UI Font
Download Installer – SegoeFont.msi
Automatically installed normally if you don’t have the Segoe UI font already (included in Office 2007 and Windows Vista by default)
To uninstall the Segoe UI Font, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {A1F66FC9-11EE-4F2F-98C9-16F8D1E69FB7}

Secondary Components
As mentioned earlier, the majority of these applications now utilize shared additional components to work.  Here is a listing of each component, a download link, and how to uninstall each.  Be aware that some of these components are not limited to Windows Live products and removing them may affect other applications.

DW 2.0 Client
Download Installer (32-bit) – dw20shared.msi
Download Installer (64-bit) – dw20sharedamd64.msi
Installs Doctor Watson 2.0 application error reporting
To uninstall DW 2.0 Client (32-bit), click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {95120000-00B9-0409-0000-0000000FF1CE}
To uninstall DW 2.0 Client (64-bit), click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {95120000-00B9-0409-1000-0000000FF1CE}

Microsoft Visual Studio Runtime
Download Installer – crt.msi
Provides runtime files required for software created with the latest Visual Studio
To uninstall Microsoft Visual Studio Runtime, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {22B775E7-6C42-4FC5-8E10-9A5E3257BD94}

Contacts
Download Installer – Contacts.msi
Windows Live Contacts framework required for Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live Movie Maker to access your Live Contacts
To uninstall Contacts, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {C6BDA6E5-B391-4CE5-8D86-B53AC96FFE03}

Note: The Contacts component has previously existed in the former Live Messenger 9.0.1407.1107 beta release and as such, you cannot “mix and match” the other applications that require Contacts with that existing Messenger version installed.  This probably will not be the case for most people.

Windows Live Call
Download Installer – wlc.msi
Optional component, originally in the previous Messenger release, Live Call provides “PC2Phone” functionality using regional third-party providers
To uninstall Windows Live Call, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {78AC782A-C708-4B21-A3A0-ECD4A3284588}

Search Enhancement Pack
Download Installer - MicrosoftSearchEnhancementPack.msi
Extensions for the Live Toolbar’s Search Bar
To uninstall the Search Enhancement Pack, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {A853BEB2-B270-4645-AAAA-9D83C2233BD3}

Windows Imaging Component Hotfix
Download Installer (32-bit) – Windows6.0-KB954708-x86.msu
Download Installer (64-bit) – Windows6.0-KB954708-x64.msu
Adds support for XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform) to Windows Imaging; see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/954708 for more info
To uninstall the Windows Imaging Component Hotfix, visit Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features in the Control Panel, choose hte option to show updates, then right-click and remove the update appended by KB954708.  Alternatively, execute pkgmgr /up:Package_for_KB954708~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.0.1.0 (32-bit) or pkgmgr /up:Package_for_KB954708~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.1.0 (64-bit).

SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition
Download Installer - SQLServerCE31-EN.msi
Backend database for Photo Gallery & Movie Maker
To uninstall SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition, click Start, then Run (if not using Vista), type/paste the following and press Enter:
msiexec /x {F0B430D1-B6AA-473D-9B06-AA3DD01FD0B8}

I apologize for the lack of any new content recently.  I’ve been going through a rough time personally and the blog got pushed onto the back burner.

I’ll be writing some new stuff soon, stay tuned.

So charge me fine, just get out of my face… Click the acknowledge link…

And they’re still showing up on web pages.  Thanks Ted.