Windows Messenger Starts When You Start Outlook Express After You Remove Access to Windows Messenger

After you remove access to Microsoft Windows Messenger by using either of the following methods in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Messenger may still start when you start Microsoft Outlook Express:

• You click to clear the Enable access to this program check box in the Set Program Access and Defaults tool in Control Panel.
• You remove access to Windows Messenger by using the Add/Remove Windows Components button in the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.

The methods that are described in the "Symptoms" section of this article remove access to Windows Messenger from the Start menu, the desktop, and other locations without removing Windows Messenger. This permits other Windows-based programs that rely on Windows Messenger to continue to function correctly. For example, Outlook Express can still open the Windows Messenger Contacts list after you remove access to Windows Messenger.

To prevent Windows Messenger from signing on when you start Outlook Express:

1. In Outlook Express, click Options on the Tools menu.
2. On the General tab, click to clear the Automatically log on to Windows Messenger check box.
3. Click OK.

For additional information about how to prevent Windows Messenger from running when you start Outlook Express, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Windows XP SP1 includes new features in the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel to remove access to Microsoft Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Microsoft Windows Media Player, and Windows Messenger from the Start menu, the desktop, and other locations. For additional information about how to obtain Windows XP SP1, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: