[Fix] Windows Live Messenger (WLM) Auto Starts While Opening Hotmail Website in Internet Explorer (IE)

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If you have installed recently released Wave 4 version of Windows Live Messenger, you might be facing this strange problem.

Problem Symptoms:

1. If you try to open Hotmail website in Internet Explorer web browser, Windows Live Messenger automatically starts.

2. This problem occurs in Internet Explorer only. If you use any other web browser, you'll not face this problem.

Cause:

This problem occurs due to improved integration of WLM with Hotmail and IE. When you install new Wave 4, it automatically installs 2 add-ons in IE which cause this annoying problem.

Solution:

You'll need to disable the newly installed add-ons in IE to fix this problem. Simply follow these steps:

1. Open Internet Explorer and click on "Tools -> Manage add-ons".

2. Now select following add-ons from the list and click on "Disable" button:

Windows Live
Windows Live Sign-in Helper

3. Close the Add-ons window and now WLM will no longer start when you open Hotmail in IE.

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This article was posted by VG in following section: Internet Explorer, Troubleshooting, Windows Live.

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seahorsepip

I like te guide but most people are using firefox =P
But I have an problem:
If you set msn(wave 4) at autostart and hide after startup I still get the connecting window:(
Do you know how to get rid of that?
VG

^^ Which connecting window are you talking about?
macpro622776

This was present in Wave 3 as well, it isn't new, and back then it was a setting in WLM options: "Open Messenger when in a Windows Live website" or something like that, off the top of my head.
seahorsepip

@VG the window with dancing green and blue kiddies =P
Astitva

thanx VG.i was looking for this...
Washington

A friend of mine is having this problem, but it's related to messenger inside the mailbox, not WLM program itself. Do you know how to fix it?
She has tried cleaning cookies, temp internet files, history. It didn't work. Also, clicked on the "log out" button. Next time she logins on hotmail, webmessenger starts automatically.
VG

^^ Ask her to try some other browser like Firefox, Opera and check whether the problem occurs or not. It'll help in understanding the problem.