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Solve : Windows Live Messenger won't reinstall? |
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Answer» Alright, so, I installed windows live messenger 2009 (version fourteen point blah). I did NOT LIKE that version, so I uninstalled it to try to rollback to 8.5, when I attempt to install 8.5 it just tells me there was a "Catastrophic Error". So, I attempted to reinstall version 14.whatever but it says its already installed. I've been over the add/remove program list a thousand times, looked over the add/remove windows components menu, even the windows UPDATES that are installed, its not there, there is nothing to do with windows live on this computer. Not in the registry, not in program files, not anywhere but the installer THINKS it is. Not in the registryHow did you determine this?Ran Regedit, looked through hkey_local_machine, and a few other places in the registry Microsoft likes to bury stuff related to there products. I can't find a trace of windows live messenger on here but it INSISTS that it is installed and there are none of the usual options like "repair" and "remove". This winter has been a bad one for me... I keep breaking stuff... And the snow... Too much snow... I think my recent habit of breaking stuff has been related to not being able to leave the house much. I don't like to get out much but every other day we get more snow... Anyway, I can't seem to sort this out, I've installed Pidgin for the meantime but I'd like to have the MSN functionality back. I tried aMSN, but I didn't like that. It feels like a amped up Windows Messenger. Why'd you want to know how I determined there where no registry keys? Regedit is child's play as long as you know what your looking for and don't go deleting anything you don't know for a fact won't make your OS or software useless. Just 'cause I can't figure this out don't mean I haven't learned the wonders of registry modification I try to ask for help when I can't figure something out or I wind up making things worse... I dunno how or why but I always do..This is a situation where I would use CCleaner's registry cleaner. Other members may post a reply here and adamantly say never use a registry cleaner. But, in my opinion, registry cleaners, ones with a good reputation, can be useful is resolving problems like this. Even though you BELIEVE you've manually removed all traces of Windows Live Messenger, I'd still run CCleaner. It will do no harm; CCleaner is very safe. I suggest installing it, if you don't already have it, and running its registry cleaner. Backup the registry when CCleaner prompts you to do so. After doing this, try installing Windows Live Messenger again. Let us know how it goes. Tried it, it found about 66 errors, which is surprising, I use registry mechanic. Windows Live Messenger still refuses to reinstall though.Did you try downloading a different installer file? Will a different version work when you try and install it?There are two kinds of Windows Live Messenger installers, Live (Installs over the internet), and Local (Installs locally through an overgrown 130MB file). I have tried both, neither worked. I should have clarified this to begin with, the s now is getting to me... I have to go out and shovel sometime soon... Again... I HATE SNOW! Anyway, back on topic, both installers seem to think that Windows Live Messenger is already installed even though it is not.As a work-around, you might try Yahoo Messenger. HTTP://messenger.yahoo.com/features/ says: "IM with Friends on Other Networks: IM with friends who use Windows Live™ Messenger, Reuters Messaging, and Lotus Sametime — right from Yahoo! Messenger."I've tried Yahoo before, its rather... Annoying... I don't like the interface, thanks for the thought though. |
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