15 replies to this topic

[traumatyzd]

Hi guys,

After allowing my media centre PC to run the latest round of Microsoft August windows updates my media centre now constantly spits up "Messenger Failure - You must install Windows Messenger etc" every time I start Media Center.

Up until this point everything was fine.

Has anyone else come across this error yet?

[Jaiidan]

Hey there

Yup I got the same problem - searched around and couldn`t find a fix so I un-installed the latest updates and all is well now

Cheers

J

[Sutty]

Someone over on TGB also reported this - and suggested that you simply reinstall windows messenger using the Add/Remove Windows Components

They made the good point that windows messenger is not the same as windows live messenger. Some (older or less scrupulous) applications use windows messenger to push user messages to the desktop, and it may be this application that is complaining. The symptoms that the OP on TGB described suggests Adobe Acrobat is one such application.

Sutty

[Z0r0b]

Same problem here. Luckily had the original 4.7 windows messenger installer - running that fixed it.

This is the offending update - http://www.microsoft...n/ms08-050.mspx

Have reported it to microsoft but doubt they will do anything. They don't seem to care too much about media center.

[Z0r0b]

As expected pretty useless response from MS. I have blocked that update so it's not accidently installed in future.

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service. My name is Labib and I would like to address your enquiry regarding on the Update for Windows Media Center 2005.

We have accessed the website address which you provide to us;
http://www.microsoft...n/ms08-050.mspx

We believe that all of our updates would be tested before it posted on our website which is accessible worldwide, as your personal experience which you have the issue and require you to manually install the Windows Messenger, we will check further on this matter.

I hope I was able to address your enquiry to your satisfaction, should you have further questions relating to this enquiry or any additional enquiries, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Have a nice day.

Thank you.

Labib MN

Customer Service Representative

[toph333]

Alternativly, you can just uninstall messenger from the add/remove windows components in add/remove programs. There is no need to reinstall unless you still use it rather than windows live.

[Z0r0b]

Windows Live doesn't work with Media Center. Removing messenger means disabling MCE messenger integration.

[Jaiidan]

Hey guys

The way to sort this is to make sure before you install the update go into the messenger settings in MCE and disable where it says to use messenger within MCE. Then you can install the update ok
Installing the update first removes the option to disable it

J

[Z0r0b]

But then you will lose MCE's messenger integration. The problem with this update is that it kills messenger with MCE. So if you want to keep that functionality, this update should be skipped (until MS fix the update).

[Jaiidan]

yup i would agree with that

I don`t use messenger on my rig so not an issue

J

[dmagerl]

This was posted on TGB.
http://jtsang.blogsp...dia-center.html

[KingHilary]

I was getting that message after last month's updates, so I used acronis to restore my operating drive to before the updates, and then unchecked update KB94668 as well as SP, so that neither of them would install.

Thanks again Acronis.

Cheers,

K.H.

[Oberg]

This was posted on TGB.
http://jtsang.blogsp...dia-center.html

I applied the registry key used in the 2nd method mentioned in the blog and the error message is gone.

Oberg.

[whowalks]

if I uninstall windows messenger will it stop this message as suggested in another post http://www.xpmediace...er-failing.html and will this effect anything else in wmce?? eg will all the epg guides update etc

I ended up just restoring the pc to a time prior to the updates. however it has happend while i am away and I had to tech support my wife through it via the phone. So it has severly affected the WAP of the HTPC:(

[bones01]

This was posted on TGB.
http://jtsang.blogsp...dia-center.html

Finally got around to trying to resolve this problem. While reading the comments on the above blog, I found this
Control panel, add/remove programs>left side, click on Add/remove windows components>scroll to bottom of list, uncheck messenger> hit apply. close all windows, and restart the media center. Works like a charm. And your messenger still works.too.

I don't care if messenger doesn't work. We don't use it, but it solved the problem in MC.