You cannot input characters as expected by using a non-English Input Method Editor in Windows Live Messenger on a Windows XP-based computer

On a Windows XP-based computer, you have a non-English Microsoft Input Method Editor (IME) installed. However, when you chat by using Windows Live Messenger, you can input English characters only. If you select a different language, you cannot input the characters in that language

Note This issue occurs in the latest version of Windows Live Messenger (version 14).

This issue occurs in the following scenario:

• In Windows Live Messenger, you double-click a contact to start a Chat window.
• In the Windows Live Messenger Chat window, you switch the input mode to use IME. For example, you switch the input mode to use the Korean IME in Hangul mode.
  Note At this point, you can input the non-English characters as expected.
• You switch the system focus to another window.
• You close the main window of Windows Live Messenger.
• You switch the system focus back to the Chat window to continue the chat.

At this point, you can no longer continue to use the IME in your Chat window to input non-English characters. Instead, you can only input English letters.

To resolve this issue, download update 961503.

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:


Update 961503 for Windows XP, x86-based versions

Download the 961503 package now. (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0e56788b-32e8-459d-b9c9-b9155a4836b4)

Release Date: March 24, 2009

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Update information

Prerequisites

To apply this update, the computer must have Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows XP Service Pack 3 installed.

Restart requirement

You have to restart the computer after you install this update.

Hotfix replacement information

This update does not replace any other previously released update.

Registry information

To use this update, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The English version of this update has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows XP Service Pack 2, x86-based version

Windows XP Service Pack 3, x86-based version

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: