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Disabling Messenger Service in Windows XP

If advertisements are opening on your computer in a window titled Messenger Service, it may indicate that your system is not secure. You should enable the Internet Connection Firewall and disable the Messenger Service in Windows XP to help protect your computer from unwanted spam and other potential threats.

The Messenger Service was originally designed for use by system administrators to notify Windows users about their networks. However, some advertisers have started using this service to send information via the Internet, and these messages could be used maliciously to distribute a virus.

• Note Although the name of the service is similar, Messenger Service in Windows XP is not related to instant messaging programs such as Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger. Disabling instant messaging programs is not necessary and not recommended. Disabling instant messaging programs will not prevent Messenger Service spam on your computer.

• If your computer is part of a corporate network, ask the network administrator before disabling Messenger Service.

• If you have Windows XP at home or in a small office that you manage yourself, you should disable the Messenger Service.


First, make sure that your system is protected by an Internet firewall and that you've followed the steps to Protect Your PC. Disabling the Messenger Service without using a firewall will prevent the unwanted spam, but will not protect your computer from intruders.

To disable the Messenger Service in Windows XP (Caution: If your computer is part of a corporate network, talk to your system administrator before taking this action.)

1.
Click Start and then click Control Panel.

2.
Click Performance and Maintenance. (If you do not see the Performance and Maintenance icon, you may be using Classic View. You can skip to step 3 below, but you must double-click Administrative Tools.)

3.
Click Administrative Tools.

4.
Double-click Services as shown in Figure 1 above..

5.
Double-click Messenger.

6.
In the Startup type list, choose Disabled as shown in Figure 2 below.

7.
Click Stop, and then click OK.

If you want to see pictures of how to do this, refer to Microsoft's article here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u.../stopspam.mspx

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or you could go:

1. start > run > command > net stop messenger

Hey keefe, thanks for this post. I have had this messenger thing running for about 2 months now, and feel extremely stupid for now knowing how to get rid of it. Thanks again.

uh, my way is a lot easier.

Well being my first time dealing with the situation, I wanted to see where it originated from for my own knowlege, rather than simply getting rid fo it. That way I hit 2 birds with one stone.

keefe's way is the way i've always done it.. so it's better.. the end

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doing net stop messenger will only stop messenger on that particular boot. keefe's method, not only stops messenger, but prevents it from being started by other programs, and it will not be started back on next boot. I do not believe the net stop command will do all of that (unless there are some flags that will force that behavior)

no it's not. it sets it to manual. and keeps it there even through boots.

but fine, do it the long way and never use the command line how it's supposed to be used.