Remove Ads on Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger 8)

Filed in: Downloads, Microsoft, Technology, Tips — January 14th, 2006

Have you install Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger 8 ) ? Previously, I told you how to make an ads free MSN Messenger 7.x, now I am going to show you how to remove the ads on Windows Live Messenger. Make it ads free!

Where is the ad?

Windows Live Messenger ads

So far, I only see a half banner ads at the bottom of Windows Live Messenger main window. I haven’t see any ad on message window yet.

Anyway, let’s get rid of the ad!

Patch Windows Live Messenger

In order to remove the ads, we need to modify the Windows Live Messenger core. Fortunately, someone created the tool to patch it.

Download and run A-Patch for Windows Live Messenger.
After launching A-Patch, tick the “Patch MSN Messenger” option. The A-Patch is a powerful tool to remove many objects from Windows Live Messenger but we are focusing on removing ads here.
Click “Next” button twice until you are at “Page 2” of A-Patch. Tick the “Remove Advertisement“.
Again, click “Next” button until you are at “Page 5“. Tick the “Remove Advertisement” at the bottom.
Click “Next” button and forward until “Page 8” then click “Apply” button to patch Windows Live Messenger. Remember to quit Windows Live Messenger first.
After applied the patch, you can launch your ads free Windows Live Messenger. Enjoy!

Note: If anything goes wrong after patching Windows Live Messenger, you can restore the backup copy by running A-Patch again (select “Restore Backups“).

Bonus: The Simple Way

Is A-Patch too complicated to you? Get the MSN NoAd (source). Simply run the downloaded “msn_noad.exe” file and you are done! (Remember to quiet Windows Live Messenger before applying patch)

My two cents

This post has been requested by a few readers. Guys, I am listening to your requests! Here you are.

Personally, I don’t think the small ads is annoying. Anyway, the A-Patch is a powerful tool, it has other useful features such as enable running multiple instances of Windows Live Messenger and showing current WinAMP song title (instead of Windows Media Player) .

For those don’t need the extra features, simply use the MSN NoAd patch.

IM, instant messenger, ads, advertisement, msn messenger 8, msn 8, patch, windows live messenger

Like this post? Please share:

Follow @liewcf on Twitter; Join Facebook page; Subscribe to free newsletter for updates like this article..

http://bobsobol.spaces.live.com/ bobsobol

Fantastic Jotaf,

You are my hero. Works a charm on WLM 8.1.

@Marc… I actually find WLM less bloated than the old MSN Messenger 7. There are definatly more… new features in WLM 8.x but it would all depend on which features you are interested in, and could make use of.

Myself I stayed with Trillian till WLM came out, because Trilli has a UI which I could skin to be something useful. WLM, like iChat already is that where MSN 7 never did it for me.

Guess it’s all down to personal preference.
http://bobsobol.spaces.live.com bobsobol

Fantastic Jotaf,

You are my hero. Works a charm on WLM 8.1.

@Marc… I actually find WLM less bloated than the old MSN Messenger 7. There are definatly more… new features in WLM 8.x but it would all depend on which features you are interested in, and could make use of.

Myself I stayed with Trillian till WLM came out, because Trilli has a UI which I could skin to be something useful. WLM, like iChat already is that where MSN 7 never did it for me.

Guess it’s all down to personal preference.
http://localhost apulay

Million tHx, apulay from hungary!
http://localhost/ apulay

Million tHx, apulay from hungary!
rinnie

i normally chat on more than one MSN Meseenger, now i have Windows Live Messenger and can’t get to chat on more than one accounts I meant MULTIPLE MESSENGER.

help
rinnie

i normally chat on more than one MSN Meseenger, now i have Windows Live Messenger and can’t get to chat on more than one accounts I meant MULTIPLE MESSENGER.

help
Noreen Wright

Tried to download the patch but the link page will not display.Can I download it from another link?I and would love to do this as I am anti ads.
Best Regards,
Noreen Wright.
Noreen Wright

Tried to download the patch but the link page will not display.Can I download it from another link?I and would love to do this as I am anti ads.
Best Regards,
Noreen Wright.
Noreen Wright

cannot get the page to open it seems unavailable, is there another way to get the patch.
Best Regards,
Noreen Wright.
Noreen Wright

cannot get the page to open it seems unavailable, is there another way to get the patch.
Best Regards,
Noreen Wright.
Pingback: Wonderm00n » Remover publicidade do Windows Live Messenger
http://www.GoGreeneCounty.com/ Bill

Excellent patch, I love it.
http://www.GoGreeneCounty.com Bill

Excellent patch, I love it.
Asherett

Guys, Apatch is nice enough, but there’s one feature I’d give my left leg to find (ok not really, but you get the point) – is there any way to make Messenger open another browser than IE when you click the email button?? I’m pretty desperate here, for I have no desire to ever see IE again in my life, I can’t find any way to completely remove it from my win xp install, and Messenger doesn’t seem to care about what is set as the system default browser. Any suggestions or hacks?
Asherett

Guys, Apatch is nice enough, but there’s one feature I’d give my left leg to find (ok not really, but you get the point) – is there any way to make Messenger open another browser than IE when you click the email button?? I’m pretty desperate here, for I have no desire to ever see IE again in my life, I can’t find any way to completely remove it from my win xp install, and Messenger doesn’t seem to care about what is set as the system default browser. Any suggestions or hacks?
Philip J Fry

This patch is a trojan, made my antivirus go nuts, if you want a clean way of blocking ads, that is also simpler, just open up control panel and goto Internet Options,then the security tab, and add rad.msn.com to Restricted Sites.
Philip J Fry

This patch is a trojan, made my antivirus go nuts, if you want a clean way of blocking ads, that is also simpler, just open up control panel and goto Internet Options,then the security tab, and add rad.msn.com to Restricted Sites.
San

Thanks a lot MAN!!!!!
I hate adS!
San

Thanks a lot MAN!!!!!
I hate adS!
stevo

w00t a-patch is so cool. XD
stevo

w00t a-patch is so cool. XD
F

Repeating that all it takes is to add rad.msn.com to prohibited sites in IE. The Ad Window in MSN goes blank
F

Repeating that all it takes is to add rad.msn.com to prohibited sites in IE. The Ad Window in MSN goes blank
whatever

F is right, his advice stops advertisements (but not video clips/news..). this is a better approach than installing some unknown 3rd party crap.
whatever

F is right, his advice stops advertisements (but not video clips/news..). this is a better approach than installing some unknown 3rd party crap.
Sophie-x

Hey
Please Can you help me? im having a problem with windows live messanger. When i want to copy and paste it wont let me do it in my personal message. im really confused and i really need your help. Please help me!
xxx
Sophie-x

Hey
Please Can you help me? im having a problem with windows live messanger. When i want to copy and paste it wont let me do it in my personal message. im really confused and i really need your help. Please help me!
xxx
Scr3wUup

@whatever…its nt installing…it juz barely patch ur msn…u r free to delete the A-patch afterwards…

Using the prohibited site method…u see an awful white box…

Results from Jotti:

A-Squared Found nothing
AntiVir Found nothing
ArcaVir Found nothing
Avast Found nothing
AVG Antivirus Found nothing
BitDefender Found nothing
ClamAV Found nothing
CPsecure Found nothing
Dr.Web Found nothing
F-Prot Antivirus Found nothing
F-Secure Anti-Virus Found nothing
Fortinet Found nothing
Kaspersky Anti-Virus Found nothing
NOD32 Found nothing
Norman Virus Control Found nothing
Panda Antivirus Found nothing
Rising Antivirus Found nothing
Sophos Antivirus Found nothing
VirusBuster Found nothing
VBA32 Found nothing

If u found smth…pls tell me which AV ya using >.
Scr3wUup

@whatever…its nt installing…it juz barely patch ur msn…u r free to delete the A-patch afterwards…

Using the prohibited site method…u see an awful white box…

Results from Jotti:

A-Squared Found nothing
AntiVir Found nothing
ArcaVir Found nothing
Avast Found nothing
AVG Antivirus Found nothing
BitDefender Found nothing
ClamAV Found nothing
CPsecure Found nothing
Dr.Web Found nothing
F-Prot Antivirus Found nothing
F-Secure Anti-Virus Found nothing
Fortinet Found nothing
Kaspersky Anti-Virus Found nothing
NOD32 Found nothing
Norman Virus Control Found nothing
Panda Antivirus Found nothing
Rising Antivirus Found nothing
Sophos Antivirus Found nothing
VirusBuster Found nothing
VBA32 Found nothing

If u found smth…pls tell me which AV ya using >.
midgi

Well done mate, thanks a lot.
midgi

Well done mate, thanks a lot.
NO

I recently accepted a zip file from a friend named ‘photo album’. I extracted it and ran the file inside it (in hindsight this was a bit stupid).

So it would appear I have some sort of Trojan on my computer.

When in action it opens and closes WLM windows repetitively (presumably sending the virus in the same way as I received it). Alas, it’s happened to quite a few people independent of the apparent chain I’d got myself into, so I assume it’s more widespread than I thought.

Can anyone facilitate in helping me remove this Trojan or take appropriate action?
NO

I recently accepted a zip file from a friend named ‘photo album’. I extracted it and ran the file inside it (in hindsight this was a bit stupid).

So it would appear I have some sort of Trojan on my computer.

When in action it opens and closes WLM windows repetitively (presumably sending the virus in the same way as I received it). Alas, it’s happened to quite a few people independent of the apparent chain I’d got myself into, so I assume it’s more widespread than I thought.

Can anyone facilitate in helping me remove this Trojan or take appropriate action?
Aevitas

Here is a virus scan of the file:

—————-
File: A-Patch130rc1b54_WLM.exe
SHA-1 Digest: 551b51f9e458271445597c73d8d521840b77d8cd
Packers: Unknown
Status: Potentially Clean

Scanner Scanner Version Result Scan Time
ArcaVir 1.0.4 Clean 4.53769 secs
avast! 3.0.0 Clean 0.03723 secs
AVG Anti Virus 7.5.49 Clean 9.28638 secs
BitDefender 7.1 Clean 14.578 secs
CAT QuickHeal 9.00 Clean 10.4989 secs
ClamAV 0.90/4540 Clean 0.277597 secs
Dr. Web 4.33.0 Clean 28.7407 secs
F-PROT 4.6.7 Clean 8.49379 secs
F-Secure 1.02 Clean 1.26025 secs
H+BEDV AntiVir 2.1.11-28 Clean 12.9199 secs
McAfee Virusscan 5.20.0 Clean 9.68599 secs
NOD32 2.51.1 Clean 8.95896 secs
Norman Virus Control 5.70.01 Clean 34.4797 secs
Panda 9.00.00 Clean 8.59989 secs
Sophos Sweep 4.21.0 Clean 15.3743 secs
Trend Micro 8.500-1001 Clean 2.11199 secs
VBA32 3.12.2.4 Clean 6.11686 secs
VirusBuster 1.3.3 Clean 5.09716 secs
———–

Looks clean to me, although Norman did take a while to scan it, so it may be sandboxed.
Aevitas

Here is a virus scan of the file:

—————-
File: A-Patch130rc1b54_WLM.exe
SHA-1 Digest: 551b51f9e458271445597c73d8d521840b77d8cd
Packers: Unknown
Status: Potentially Clean

Scanner Scanner Version Result Scan Time
ArcaVir 1.0.4 Clean 4.53769 secs
avast! 3.0.0 Clean 0.03723 secs
AVG Anti Virus 7.5.49 Clean 9.28638 secs
BitDefender 7.1 Clean 14.578 secs
CAT QuickHeal 9.00 Clean 10.4989 secs
ClamAV 0.90/4540 Clean 0.277597 secs
Dr. Web 4.33.0 Clean 28.7407 secs
F-PROT 4.6.7 Clean 8.49379 secs
F-Secure 1.02 Clean 1.26025 secs
H+BEDV AntiVir 2.1.11-28 Clean 12.9199 secs
McAfee Virusscan 5.20.0 Clean 9.68599 secs
NOD32 2.51.1 Clean 8.95896 secs
Norman Virus Control 5.70.01 Clean 34.4797 secs
Panda 9.00.00 Clean 8.59989 secs
Sophos Sweep 4.21.0 Clean 15.3743 secs
Trend Micro 8.500-1001 Clean 2.11199 secs
VBA32 3.12.2.4 Clean 6.11686 secs
VirusBuster 1.3.3 Clean 5.09716 secs
———–

Looks clean to me, although Norman did take a while to scan it, so it may be sandboxed.
Gregans

hey, i wonder if anyone can help me?
lately my wlm has been sending zip files automatically to my contacts, even when i’m online, it’s something like this ;

” hey check out my new summer photos ” and below there’s a zip file waiting to be accepted.

any remedies for this? thanks in advaaaaaaaaaaance!
http://myspace/fie321 Gregans

hey, i wonder if anyone can help me?
lately my wlm has been sending zip files automatically to my contacts, even when i’m online, it’s something like this ;

” hey check out my new summer photos ” and below there’s a zip file waiting to be accepted.

any remedies for this? thanks in advaaaaaaaaaaance!
LcF

@Gregans: your computer is infected by IM worm. Please scan and clean it by using updated antivirus. Click here for more information.
LcF

@Gregans: your computer is infected by IM worm. Please scan and clean it by using updated antivirus. Click here for more information.
Mohamad Ali El Gawad

This file contains a hidden trojan
Don’t say we did not warn you
You imbecile Americans
Mohamad Ali El Gawad

This file contains a hidden trojan
Don’t say we did not warn you
You imbecile Americans
zaka

Tried to download the patch but the link page will not display.Can I download it from another link?I and would love to do this as I am anti ads.
if you have windows live version msn8
u can dowload after you copy this link(A-Patch for Windows Live Messenger) as text than past in google search tool
than you will the reall one you wanted
after downloading you fallow the steps writteng here.

help full or not?
.
http://notavailble zaka

Tried to download the patch but the link page will not display.Can I download it from another link?I and would love to do this as I am anti ads.
if you have windows live version msn8
u can dowload after you copy this link(A-Patch for Windows Live Messenger) as text than past in google search tool
than you will the reall one you wanted
after downloading you fallow the steps writteng here.

help full or not?
.