Thread: Guide: How to install Windows Live Messenger 8 (without the nag to upgrade)

As you all are aware that lately, the latest iteration of Windows Live Messenger has become bloated, full of ads, and looks like a web browser rather than the nice, simple, messenger it once was.

You have the choice to install Windows Live Messenger 8 (which in my option was the best), but the problem is, if you run it, you will keep getting annoying notifications to upgrade to the latest version.

So I have made this simple and easy to follow guide to allow you to install Windows Live Messenger v8.5.1302.1018

1) Download Windows Live Messenger v8.5.1302.1018

2) Double click on the file, the installation will start and will finish in a few seconds, you will not get any notification that it is done but if you check your start menu, you will see Windows Live Messenger there.

3) Download Mess Patch 8.5.1302 (optional but highly recommended)

Install the Mess Patch, and carefully select the components you want to edit / remove

4) Make sure Windows Live Messenger is not running in the background, you may want to press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC and ensure that msnmsgr.exe is not running in the processes list

5) Download Resource Hacker 3.4.0 then extract the *.zip contents

6) After extracting the contents to a folder, double click on ResHacker.exe

7) Click File, then Open, then browser to the location of Windows Live Messenger is installed, then open the file named msnmsgr.exe

It is usually in:

32-Bit Windows: C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger

64-Bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Messenger

8) After you open the file, on the left pane, expand the Version Info by click on the + sign next to it, then click on the + sign next to the 1, then click once on 1033






9) Change the VALUE "ProductVersion", "8.5.1302.1018" to "15.4.3538.0513"

10) Click on Compile Script, then press CTRL + S on your keyboard to save.

11) Enjoy running Windows Live Messenger 8, with no more nags to upgrade

As you all are aware that lately, the latest iteration of Windows Live Messenger has become bloated, full of ads, and looks like a web browser rather than the nice, simple, messenger it once was.

You have the choice to install Windows Live Messenger 8 (which in my option was the best), but the problem is, if you run it, you will keep getting annoying notifications to upgrade to the latest version.

So I have made this simple and easy to follow guide to allow you to install Windows Live Messenger v8.5.1302.1018

1) Download Windows Live Messenger v8.5.1302.1018

2) Double click on the file, the installation will start and will finish in a few seconds, you will not get any notification that it is done but if you check your start menu, you will see Windows Live Messenger there.

3) Download Mess Patch 8.5.1302 (optional but highly recommended)

Install the Mess Patch, and carefully select the components you want to edit / remove

4) Make sure Windows Live Messenger is not running in the background, you may want to press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC and ensure that msnmsgr.exe is not running in the processes list

5) Download Resource Hacker 3.4.0 then extract the *.zip contents

6) After extracting the contents to a folder, double click on ResHacker.exe

7) Click File, then Open, then browser to the location of Windows Live Messenger is installed, then open the file named msnmsgr.exe

It is usually in:

32-Bit Windows: C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger

64-Bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Messenger

8) After you open the file, on the left pane, expand the Version Info by click on the + sign next to it, then click on the + sign next to the 1, then click once on 1033






9) Change the VALUE "ProductVersion", "8.5.1302.1018" to "15.4.3538.0513"

10) Click on Compile Script, then press CTRL + S on your keyboard to save.

11) Enjoy running Windows Live Messenger 8, with no more nags to upgrade

Here is a screenshot, not single ad, thanks to using the Mess Patch as stated in the guide above: