Windows Live Messenger: How to disable Smartscreen security page?

This thing was driving me NUTS!

After upgrading to the new Messenger, I contemplating going back because I often receive dev links from workmates.

Unfortunately, these dev links are marked as "low traffic sites" and "isn't well known" because, well. they're secret dev links...

An example of the annoying "Protect yourself" screen is here:

Seriously, I'm not protecting myself, YOU ARE. STOP IT!

It might just be an extra click, but it's annoying!

Firstly, disabling Internet Explorer's smart screen filter won't fix anything. This is coming straight from WLM 2011 into your default browser (Firefox/Chrome/etc).

Secondly, GreaseMonkey scripts are flakey at best.

To properly disable it:

1. Click on "More info" to expand some text.
2. "Don't show me this message again"
3. "Continue anyway"

Now, back to being productive.

Windows Live Messenger: Disable "File Transfer Warning" notification when trying to send a file

All I want to do is send a fucking ZIP file to my friend.

I'm not going to install an antivirus just so I can send files. Security in airports I can understand. Over-zealous security on my computer? Please go away.

I don't have an antivirus. Seriously. Common sense has kept my work computer safe for over 3 years now.

My solution? Fuck installing an antivirus and just run the command prompt.

• Tools > Options > File Transfer
• Tick "Scan files for viruses using"
• Paste in "cmd /k exit" into the textbox
• Click OK

Solution works brilliantly. No black box flickers, you can send files without any complaints and no registry hacks to allow file types.

Source

• Disable File Transfer Warning for Windows Live Messenger Props to Andres for sharing this one! (In the comments)

Disable Messenger chat in Hotmail/MSN/Windows Live webmail

Jesus christ! When big companies merge all their technologies together it is annoying as fuck!

I'm already on MSN/WLM using the PC client, but when I saw it automatically polluting my webmail in the browser without my consent I was a little irritated.

So err, why is it showing me the same shit twice?

Anyway, I'm glad they made it easy to turn it off.

Simply hover your mouse over your profile name in the top right hand corner and select "Sign out of Messenger".

 

Rage will subside in given time.

MSN/WLM: You have 1 invitation

Windows Live Messenger (aka MSN Messenger) kept popping up with an annoying notification saying "You have 1 invitation". Stupid spam bots sending crap to accounts that I never use...

But even though I clear the damn thing, it keeps coming back.

To fix this, close Windows Live Messenger. First open up Windows Explorer and paste in the following path.

(Windows Vista and Windows 7)

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

(Windows XP)

%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

Now delete all the files in that folder. You can back it up first if you really wanted to.

Whalla, that is all. The problem should now be fixed.

[ Source ]

Disable Windows Live Messenger Web Bar" from Automatically Signing In

While viewing windowslive.ninemsn.com.au, I noticed a little notification showing me that I've signed in from somewhere else.

Thinking that I forgot to untick the "save my password" on another computer, I took a quick look to see where it was from.

OK, WTF? Since when do sites start logging me into MSN?

Scrolling down to the bottom of the page showed me this.

Despite being a small bar, I'd hate to have this load on EVERY PAGE that I viewed. It signed me in automatically on every news article page that I opened on that site, meaning if I viewed 3 articles in 3 tabs, I'd be signed into Messenger 4 times!

This is fucken stupid! Not to mention the bandwidth wasted when loading my contacts EVERY TIME I LOADED A PAGE!

So far, I have not been able to find an option to disable it. Although logging out does work, it also logs me out of my email (which I like to logged in at home).

I do hope that Microsoft add an option for disabling this web bar. It may be useful for some, but not me.

Using AdBlockPlus to Disable Messenger Web Bar

Viewing the dev site for the web API, I've found the file required to run this service.

http://www.wlmessenger.net/api/3.5/loader.js

Using AdBlockPlus on Firefox, block anything from "http://www.wlmessenger.net/*" and do not restrict it to the current domain.

Right click on the icon and select "Open blockable items".

Search for "loader" and it'll help you find this item.

 
Select that filter and click "Add Filter".

That should do the trick fine.

[ Sources ]

• MSDN Forums
• Live Services Messenger Blog

Windows 7: Minimise Windows Live Messenger to Tray on close

MSN is alright, when its not silently discarding undelivered messages or still refusing to resume files which have failed to transfer. "At least it still looks pretty, right?", © Apple.

Anyways, in Win7 WML decided to logout and close rather than minimise to tray like it has been for many years now. Probably to help show off the fancy Win7 taskbar button functionality.

However, I don't really like having an unnecessary icon in the taskbar when I'm not talking to anyone during work. It plays on my OCD to check for messages =\

Its actually one of the first question everyone asks when they tried out the Windows 7 beta/RC. "Hey, how do I minimise MSN to the tray?"

So, to get the original "hide to tray" behaviour of the pre-7 days, simply run it in Vista compatibility mode.

• Find the shortcut to Messenger (but don't run it!)
• Right click and select "Properties"
• Select the "Compatibility" tab
• Tick "Run this program in compatibility mode for:"
• Choose "Windows Vista" with the latest service pack.

I really wish they'd put an extra checkbox so we could choose which behaviour we wanted. They can just default it to what they want, so we can change it to what we want!

Now, if only we could officially disable that hideous photo sharing piece of crap!

*Edit*
07/09/2009 - Remove photo sharing or use the updated A-Patch (Thanks BrandiniMP! Didn't know he finally added the functionality in)

MSN - Unsafe file extensions

In some point in history, MSN decided that it was unsafe to accept certain filetypes such as; mp3s, mp4, mid, midi, rar, zip, jpg, png, doc, xls, avi, mpg, and many others (ref).

Whilst doing so, it'll display messages such as:

• To help protect your computer...
• Unsafe file extensions...
• Windows found that this file is potentially harmful...
• Windows has blocked access to this file...
• We are going to make your life difficult...

In regards to the people that made that decision, I'd like to say FUCK YOU.
Thank you for making things more complicated than they should be.
Now I have to explain to computer illiterate people why I cant send them:

• songs
• assignments/documents
• setup files for software
• photos and pictures
• video files
  

Worst thing is that even though I'm able to send them, if the person receiving the files clicks on the blue hyperlink after accepting the file, MSN will decide to delete it anyways.
Once again, FUCK YOU.

But do not fret. Even though file transfers have been crippled to a point beyond the uselessness of Christopher Reeve, theres still a way to Superman that ho!

Copy/pasta the following block of text into a registry file (ie. run notepad, paste it and save it as "msn file extensions.reg")

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Disable SP2 file publisher checking crap:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Download]
"CheckExeSignatures"="no"
"RunInvalidSignatures"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments]
"SaveZoneInformation"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations]
"LowRiskFileTypes"=".htm;.html;.swf;.mp3;.mp2;.ape;.apl;.flac;.shn;.mpc;.mp+;.wma;.ogg;.mp4;.aac;.voc;.mid;.mac;.cda;.kar;.midi;.rar;.zip;.wav;.jpg;.gif;.png;.bmp;.jpeg;.doc;.xls;.pls;.pub;.dat;.html;.htm;.avi;.mpg;.mpeg;.nfo;.txt;.torrent;.diz;.ppt;.m3u;.sfv;.tar;.htt;.mht;.aspx;.tiff;.rtf;.ini;.cab;.ico;.icl;.ip;.iptheme;.msstyles;.theme;.dll;.psd;.vbs;.swf;.php;.xaml;.iso;.bin;.cue;.xml;.par;.par2;.ace;.arj;.lzh;.7z;.gz;.bz;.uue;.bz2;.jar;.z;.ade;.adn;.adp;.aia;.img;.date;.aip;.ait;.amf;.ani;.aob;.asf;.csv;.fla;.pxr;.wmv;.nrg;.mov;.sav;.xhtml;.php5;.pxr;.m4a;.qxr;.h;.cpp;.pdd;.rle;.dib;.eps;.jpe;.pcx;.pdp;.raw;.pct;.pict;.sct;.tga;.vda;.icd;.vst;.tif;.tpl;.log;.prx;.cdf;.nls;.ax;.HTM;.HTML;.SWF;.MP3;.MP2;.APE;.APL;.FLAC;.SHN;.MPC;.MP+;.WMA;.OGG;.MP4;.AAC;.VOC;.MID;.MAC;.CDA;.KAR;.MIDI;.RAR;.ZIP;.WAV;.JPG;.GIF;.PNG;.BMP;.JPEG;.DOC;.XLS;.PLS;.PUB;.DAT;.HTML;.HTM;.AVI;.MPG;.MPEG;.NFO;.TXT;.TORRENT;.DIZ;.PPT;.M3U;.SFV;.TAR;.HTT;.MHT;.ASP;.ASPX;.TIFF;.RTF;.INI;.CAB;.ICO;.ICL;.IP;.IPTHEME;.MSSTYLES;.THEME;.DLL;.PSD;.SWF;.PHP;.XAML;.ISO;.BIN;.CUE;.XML;.PAR;.PAR2;.ACE;.ARJ;.LZH;.7Z;.GZ;.BZ;.UUE;.BZ2;.JAR;.Z;.ADN;.AIA;.IMG;.DATE;.AIP;.AIT;.AMF;.ANI;.AOB;.ASF;.CSV;.FLA;.PXR;.WMV;.NRG;.MOV;.SAV;.XHTML;.PHP5;.PXR;.M4A;.QXR;.H;.CPP;.PDD;.RLE;.DIB;.EPS;.JPE;.PCX;.PDP;.RAW;.PCT;.PICT;.SCT;.TGA;.VDA;.ICD;.VST;.TIF;.TPL;.LOG;.PRX;.CDF;.NLS;.AX;"
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Download]
"CheckExeSignatures"="no"
"RunInvalidSignatures"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments]
"SaveZoneInformation"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations]
"LowRiskFileTypes"=".htm;.html;.swf;.mp3;.mp2;.ape;.apl;.flac;.shn;.mpc;.mp+;.wma;.ogg;.mp4;.aac;.voc;.mid;.mac;.cda;.kar;.midi;.rar;.zip;.wav;.jpg;.gif;.png;.bmp;.jpeg;.doc;.xls;.pls;.pub;.dat;.html;.htm;.avi;.mpg;.mpeg;.nfo;.txt;.torrent;.diz;.ppt;.m3u;.sfv;.tar;.htt;.mht;.aspx;.tiff;.rtf;.ini;.cab;.ico;.icl;.ip;.iptheme;.msstyles;.theme;.dll;.psd;.swf;.php;.xaml;.iso;.bin;.cue;.xml;.par;.par2;.ace;.arj;.lzh;.7z;.gz;.bz;.uue;.bz2;.jar;.z;.adn;.aia;.img;.date;.aip;.ait;.amf;.ani;.aob;.asf;.csv;.fla;.pxr;.wmv;.nrg;.mov;.sav;.xhtml;.php5;.pxr;.m4a;.qxr;.h;.cpp;.pdd;.rle;.dib;.eps;.jpe;.pcx;.pdp;.raw;.pct;.pict;.sct;.tga;.vda;.icd;.vst;.tif;.tpl;.log;.prx;.cdf;.nls;.ax;.HTM;.HTML;.SWF;.MP3;.MP2;.APE;.APL;.FLAC;.SHN;.MPC;.MP+;.WMA;.OGG;.MP4;.AAC;.VOC;.MID;.MAC;.CDA;.KAR;.MIDI;.RAR;.ZIP;.WAV;.JPG;.GIF;.PNG;.BMP;.JPEG;.DOC;.XLS;.PLS;.PUB;.DAT;.HTML;.HTM;.AVI;.MPG;.MPEG;.NFO;.TXT;.TORRENT;.DIZ;.PPT;.M3U;.SFV;.TAR;.HTT;.MHT;.ASPX;.TIFF;.RTF;.INI;.CAB;.ICO;.ICL;.IP;.IPTHEME;.MSSTYLES;.THEME;.DLL;.PSD;.SWF;.PHP;.XAML;.ISO;.BIN;.CUE;.XML;.PAR;.PAR2;.ACE;.ARJ;.LZH;.7Z;.GZ;.BZ;.UUE;.BZ2;.JAR;.Z;.ADN;.AIA;.IMG;.DATE;.AIP;.AIT;.AMF;.ANI;.AOB;.ASF;.CSV;.FLA;.PXR;.WMV;.NRG;.MOV;.SAV;.XHTML;.PHP5;.PXR;.M4A;.QXR;.H;.CPP;.PDD;.RLE;.DIB;.EPS;.JPE;.PCX;.PDP;.RAW;.PCT;.PICT;.SCT;.TGA;.VDA;.ICD;.VST;.TIF;.TPL;.LOG;.PRX;.CDF;.NLS;.AX;"

Now doubleclick that file and it should apply those registry settings.

[ ref ]
If you're lazy, you can always grab a file prepared by someone else from here.

MSN Live - Remove "My Sharing Folders" from Explorer

Argh, more useless services that I dont want!
Can giant software companies stop adding shovelware into the installation files!?

Anyways, to get rid of the extra location "My Sharing Folders" which appears in your Explorer after installing Messenger Live, run this command.

1. Copy this command into the run prompt (but dont run it yet)
regsvr32 -u -s "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\fsshext..dll"

2. Navigate to that folder and copy the filename starting with "fsshext".
3. Paste the correct filename into the run prompt and run it.

"My Sharing Folders" should now be removed from your Explorer and quite possibly MSN Live.
You can activate it again via MSN when you need it.