Made at the request of Saxima. This tutorial will show you how to go back to Windows Live 2009 from Windows Live 2011 without being forced to update. 1. UNINSTALL WINDOWS LIVE 2011 First, make sure that you are running Windows Live 2011. Open up your messenger, click the Help drop down in the top menu, and choose "About Messenger". If you have Windows Live 2011, a window should pop up that looks like this: Now that you know what version you have, it is time to uninstall. Go to Start Menu » Control Panel » Programs and Features. Find Windows Live Essentials 2011 and uninstall it. If you do not uninstall all of the suite's programs, you will not be able to install the older version. Make sure that Windows Live Essentials 2011 is no longer on your Programs and Features list before moving on to Step 2. 2. DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL WINDOWS LIVE 2009 Download the last release of Windows Live 2009 here. Once you have it downloaded, run it and install the suite with whatever settings you want, but be sure to check Messenger. This is my setup, installing everything that I had before in the 2011 edition: Select the programs you want and click Install. Let it finish before moving on to the next step. 3. SET COMPATIBILITY MODE FOR WINDOWS XP (SERVICE PACK 3) Find your newly installed msnmsgr.exe. Mine was located in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Messenger\". (Depending the bit depth of your processor, you may not have the (x86) part at the end of your Program Files folder name.) Right click on the file to bring up the dropdown menu and choose Properties. This will open a window with many options and tabs. Go to the Compatibility tab. You should see a section labeled 'Compatibility mode'. Check the box labeled 'Run this program in compatibility mode for:' and choose "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" from the drop down menu. Click Apply and then OK. Close the window. You are done. You can now use Windows Live Messenger 2009 in peace until Microsoft does something to mess things up again.
What's different in Windows Live Messenger 2011, anyway? I was updated, too, but I don't see anything different, and it's working like it should.
The look of it is very annoying to many, and there are several plugins that do not work with the newer version.
Ah, I see. Thanks. Yeah, I just use it for messaging, so I've never downloaded plugins for it, which is probably why I'm experiencing no problems with it.
This didn't work for me. For one, my Properties window didn't have a compatibility tab. I still found a way around it (can't remember the exact steps, but I ended up troubleshooting and eventually got to an option list where I was able to choose what you stated). Then when I tried logging in, it asked me to update again. I'm trying once more time, though, this time going through everything and making sure there's no remnants of Windows Live before redownloading MSN 2009. EDIT: Now it works perfectly! Thanks, Makaze. Anybody know if downloading Plus! results in having to update to 2011 version?
1) It requires you to download a package of other Windows Live Essential programs, whereas previous versions would let you download just MSN. 2) Many features and plugins do not work, as aforementioned. 3) Messenger now requires you to use your Hotmail account's listed name as your screen name. This is a serious privacy issue for some; I for one intend to keep my real name from most people I know solely through the internet. Of course, forcing you to use this name also means that many MSN Plus codes no longer work, which is a major minus for some. Not only that, but it seems that anyone running 2011 but chatting with someone using an older version will still see their account name and not their personally chosen user name! Now it's a breach of privacy you're not even aware of until someone brings it up. As the Germans say, what the moist glistening f#%k are you THINKING, Microsoft?! And that's just for starters. I might have discovered a whole mess of other stupid crap they loaded on to 2011 if I'd kept it for longer than it took me to cuss violently at the screen, immediately sign back off and uninstall.
It does not. Plus! works perfectly with Windows Live Messenger 2009. You mean 2009 doesn't do that? I am so glad I changed now.
