Why no Windows Live?

Having a strange problem with msn messenger (windows live) on vista. It thinks it is installed, but the system (and myself) cannot find the .exe, when I try to re-install it, it has a green checkmark as if it is installed, and won't allow me to re-install it.

Suggestions?

 

Even if it's not there, have you tried to uninstall it? Sometimes that will help the system to realize software is already uninstalled, by removing any registry settings and others that reference it, then you could reinstall it.

 

Try using the uninstaller tool found in CCleaner to uninstall Windows Live.

 

in the uninstall list, msn messenger (live ) is no where to be found, plus with this ridiculous 'windows live installer' on Vista it doesn't give me the option to install it as an .exe

 

that program looks & runs great, but it didn't solve this particular problem [windows live installer, still thinks messenger is installed, so it won't re-install, and it also won't run the program because it doesn't exist...]

 

I think i'm just going to search for an old .exe file for msn messenger, and let it update into live automatically, thanks for the help though

 

great, tried the old msn .exe, but 'windows' has detected a newer version...

 

Ok i was wrong, i thought it wasn't there but it is, the problem is that the uninstall won't even work, "it cannot find extension c:" blah blah blah

 

any other suggestions?

 

Sorry, I had to double check the registry keys entries on my Vista machine, they are the same.

Try to remove/uninstall the WLM program from registry.

Start -> Run -> regedit

Then browse to the following key entries and delete:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Live\Messenger

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{508CE775-4BA4-4748-82DF-FE28DA9F03B0}

Delete the entire " Messenger" and " {508CE775-4BA4-4748-82DF-FE28DA9F03B0}" keys, just right-click on the key and select Delete.

Now reboot and try to reinstall it again, it should work.

 

If you can't uninstall, do like Stewie says and clear WLM from Program Files and the registry. If you're desperate and can't do anything, you can get Windows Live Messenger Lite, which doesn't requires installation and runs from the .exe http://www.msg****.com/downloads/632/WLM-Lite-8.5.html

 

strange, windows live messenger doesn't show up on the registry, but it shows up on the live installer as green (installed) therefore it won't allow messenger to be clicked on and start the install.

let me try and uninstall and delete windows live altogether.

 

even no luck deleting windows live from the registry, i reinstall the windows live installer, and it still says messenger is installed, even though it is no where to be found in program files or the registry

 

ok, that worked. windows live lite is just fine

 

it would be good to find a solution to this strange problem in the future though...

 

Here is another thing you can try.

1. Open regedit.

2. Click on Computer once to make sure you're at the top.

3. On the menu, click on Edit -> Find

4. Enter msnmsgr.exe in the search field.

5. Delete any entries that has to do with msnmsgr.exe, keep on pressing F3 to find all the entries and delete them one by one.

 

Check this solution, and use the msi standalone installer for WLM instead of using the Live Installer, download here