Q: I recently downloaded and installed Windows Live Messenger 8.5 2009 onto my PC. The installation was smooth.
The problem started after I signed in.
My computer displayed an error message: "Windows Live Communications platform has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
It then asked if I would like to send an error report. Regardless of my response, I am automatically signed out after that. My computer is running on Windows XP professional SP3. Please help.
Koo Xing Lee
A: I have not come across this problem. However, it appears that a number of other users have run into this problem because there is a lot of chatter on the Internet forums on this subject.
There does not appear to be a definitive answer to the problem. Here are a couple of the suggestions that you can try:
If you are running any additional enhancement applications like WindowBlinds and Nvidia Forceware Access Manager, it is recommended you disable and uninstall them. Once that is complete, you can try running Windows Live Messenger.
Should the problem not be corrected, you may need to restart the computer or uninstall Windows Live and then reinstall it.
The problem may be caused by some malware so it is best to perform a full scan of your system with a proper anti-virus and anti-spyware application.
In addition to the above suggestions, I recommend taking care to uninstall the version that is currently installed because I cannot be sure if you have 8.5 or the full Windows Live Messenger 2009.
If you have difficulty locating the uninstall function from the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel, you can execute the following RUN command line:
At the RUN command or by pressing Windows Key + R, type in the command "{msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C}", then hit OK.
A full restart should be carried out, then head to Windows Live website (http://im.live.com/ Messenger/IM/Home/Default.aspx) to get the latest release. Download it and reinstall onto your system.\
This story was first published in The Straits Times, Digital Life.
