How do I … permanently remove Windows Messenger?
Many users discover that the usual removal steps don’t eradicate Messenger, which is the default Internet chat client that comes with Windows XP.
If you don’t use it and want to eliminate it permanently, there are two options.
First, you can do a search for the terms “messenger” and “sysoc.inf,” and you’ll find detailed instructions for full removal.
But the easier option is to download a program that does the job for you. One is MessengerDisable, a simple-to-use application found on the site of Doug Knox ( www.dougknox.com).
Also worth noting: There’s a separate XP service called Messenger, which has nothing to do with Windows Messenger, the chat client. To understand the difference, go to the highly useful Shields Up Web site ( www.grc.com) run by Steve Gibson.
—Tom Sowa