Re: IE Locks in Hotmail

From: Jim Byrd (jrbyrd_at_spamlessadelphia.net)
Date: 11/29/04 

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 08:16:27 -0800

Hi Adrian - Wichert has it right - It's MSN Messenger that you need to
disable/uninstall, NOT Windows Messenger. Check on that please and then
post back. 

-- 
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
In news:1C8FDCBB-9C3F-4425-ACDF-0151F4FB871F@microsoft.com,
Adrian <Adrian@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
> Jim:
>
>    I currently have the Windows Messenger Service disabled - it has
> been disabled since I reinstalled the Windows a few months ago.  I
> disabled it using the Group Policy Editor (gpedit), but there is a
> small program called "Shoot The Messenger" that does the same thing.
> Through gpedit, I disabled Windows Messenger in BOTH the Computer
> configuration AND in the User configuration.
>
>    The IE problem just surfaced a few days ago for no apparent
> reason.  I have also discovered that I can access some Hotmail e-mail
> accounts with no problem while others lock-up IE.  I am beginning to
> think that it might be a problem with Hotmail - although I can access
> ALL of my accounts through MSN (Explorer) Premium, with Outlook,
> Outlook Express and by using the Firefox or Mozilla browsers.  Only
> when I access my 2 main Hotmail accounts does IE lock up - and again,
> only with IE does the problem persist.
>
>    This is turning my hair gray ......!
>
>                                                        Adrian
>
> "Jim Byrd" wrote:
>
>> Hi Adrian - Do you have MSN Messenger installed?  If so, and you
>> don't use it, you might try disabling or uninstalling it and then
>> see if Hotmail then works with ActiveX enabled.  Read all of the
>> following carefully.
>>
>> 1.  See here to disable it:  How to prevent Windows Messenger from
>> running on a Windows XP-based computer
>> http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?id=302089  Read carefully.
>>
>>
>> 2.  A simpler method to completely uninstall it if you don't use it
>> which you may want to try (rather than messing around in the
>> Registry to just disable it unless you're very comfortable with
>> that) is to be sure you Exit from Messenger by right-clicking the
>> MSN icon in the notification area, and selecting Exit.  Then go to
>> Start|Run then enter exactly (I would copy/paste it):
>>
>> RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection
>> %systemRoot%\inf\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove
>>
>> Then uninstall the leftover installation information file by going to
>> Start|Run then entering:
>>
>> rundll32 setupapi,InstallHinfSection BLC.Remove 128
>> %systemRoot%\inf\msmsgs.inf
>>
>> Then reboot.
>>
>>
>> 3.  If you wish, you can ensure that MSN Messenger is shown in
>> Add-Remove Windows Components so that you can restore it at some
>> later time if you so desire by going to Start|Run and entering:
>>
>> notepad.exe %systemRoot%\INF\sysoc.inf
>>
>> When this file opens in Notepad, look for a line that starts
>> "msmsgs=" and then delete the word    "hide"  if there and go to
>> File|Save, then exit Notepad.
>>
>> Then reboot.
>>
>> --
>> Please respond in the same thread.
>> Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
>>
>>
>>
>> In news:BFFD6637-1E0F-4FA8-B75A-993505191C23@microsoft.com,
>> Adrian <Adrian@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
>>>    Hi, Jim - and thanks for your replies.
>>>
>>>    I disabled ActiveX Controls and Plug-ins and it definately solved
>>> the Hotmail problem - everything worked fine there with ActiveX
>>> disabled.  But when I came back to these newsgroups, I was unable to
>>> browse the messages (received an error message stating that "ActiveX
>>> controls must be enabled to browse these newsgroups").  So it solved
>>> one problem and created another. When I re-enabled ActiveX, my IE
>>> locked-up again in Hotmail.
>>>
>>>    This one is rather baffling!  To answer your other questions, the
>>> problem occurs AFTER I log-in to Hotmail (normally - on the Hotmail
>>> website, not via a Passport log-in).  I can log into my account just
>>> fine, but when I navigate to my inbox, IE locks.  Again, I don't
>>> have any problems with IE on any other websites.
>>>
>>>    I'm not sure how to ping MSN - I'll need a quick lesson  :-)
>>>
>>>    Thanks, Jim!
>>>
>>>                                         Adrian
>>>
>>> "Jim Byrd" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Adrian - The following was posted in another thread by Hippo101
>>>> and may be relevant to your problem:
>>>>
>>>> "For those who still have problems with Hotmail and that have MSN
>>>> Messenger on thier computer...
>>>>
>>>> Go in Tools > Internet Options>
>>>>
>>>> Click on "Security", select "Internet" and then "Custom Level"
>>>> Searche for "Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins" and disable it.
>>>>
>>>> Disabling this will prevent Hotmail from showing the MSN Messenger
>>>> status near your email adress on your hotmail account. If it is
>>>> disabled, MSN Messenger wont be asked to run which is most-likely
>>>> the cause of the problem.
>>>>
>>>> Try it and tell if it works. It worked for me and I want to see if
>>>> it can work for other people. Thx !"
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Please respond in the same thread.
>>>> Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In news:6D40292B-AD22-4BAB-B2F5-1009DB2A8C98@microsoft.com,
>>>> Adrian <Adrian@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:
>>>>>    I am using Internet Explorer
>>>>> v6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_2_rtm.040803-2158 on Windows XP Professional
>>>>> SP2.
>>>>>
>>>>>    When I go to the Hotmail website to read E-mail, IE locks-up.
>>>>> I have to do the 3-finger salute (ctl/alt/del) to end the process
>>>>> and exit out of IE - none of the buttons work.  I have no other
>>>>> problems with IE navigating the web - it is just on Hotmail.
>>>>>
>>>>>    I also have the newest version of the Mozilla Suite installed,
>>>>> as well as Mozilla Firefox.  I have no difficulty navigating
>>>>> within Hotmail from either of these applications - it just
>>>>> happens with Internet Explorer.
>>>>>
>>>>>    Any idea what might be causing the problem?  I recently did a
>>>>> registry cleanup (big mistake!), but I un-did the changes and
>>>>> successfully merged the entries back into the registry.  Even
>>>>> following a re-start, IE is still acting-up.
>>>>>
>>>>>    Your professional assistance would be appreciated!
>>>>>
>>>>>                                              Adrian