Vista RTM + Windows Live Messenger - ERROR 81000306

I've installed Vista (Build 6000) and Windows Live Messenger (Build
8.0.0812) and cannot get Messenger to sign in. It gives the same error every
time - 81000306. This is a fresh & clean Vista install and the local
firewall is disabled but there is a firewall on our router. Since all of our
XP SP2 users have no problem with the same version of Messenger, I am
guessing that there is something different about the way Vista works with
our router. My IT guy is reluctant to change anything at this stage unless I
can make specific requests about what needs to change.

Any ideas what to change that might fix this? Is this a known
incompatibility with Vista and Messenger?

Thanks.

David,

Can you be more specific with the error? Is there anything in the event log?

I am also unable to log into Live Messenger, but on XP SP2, so I would guess
that this is likely a problem with the service and not your Vista install.

Go to Start, run, then type "regedit"

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\microsoft\MSNMessenger\Policies

Delete the key "contacts.msn.com"

Then just restart Messenger. That should do the trick.

While that is possible, I doubt it. As I said, all of our XP users here in
the office are not experiencing problems. It's only me and the one other
Vista user that cannot sign in to Messenger.

There's nothing in the event log that looks relevant to this.
The full error goes something like "We were unable to sign you in to Windows
Live Messenger, possibly because of a problem with the service of with your
internet connections. Please make sure you are connected to the Internet."
Then it gives the error code 81000306. Of course I am connected to the
Internet and when I use the Connection Troubleshooter in Messenger, it shows
that all test results passed. It makes no sense. Like I said, myself and the
one other guy in the office who are now on Vista are the only ones having
this problem here. The XP users are all signing in to Messenger with no
problem.

Unfortunately, the Policies key doesn't exist in my registry. Thanks for the
suggestion though.

I found the option to turn on the WLM logging feature. After one login
attempt I now have a log file that is 35KB. I can attach the whole file but
here's a few lines from around where the error code shows up:

[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService CreateReducedPolicy: policy -
lc=1033,id=507,tw=40,ru=http%3A%2F%2Fmessenger%2Emsn%2Ecom,ct=1164126509,kpp=1,kv=9,ver=2.1.6000.1,r n=sLheLC6U,tpf=1d9d535752bace3f218da4e4ebf293c5
[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService CreateReducedPolicy: This is a PPM
policy
[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService CreateReducedPolicy: reduced
policy - ?id=507&tw=40&kpp=1&kv=9&ver=2.1.6000.1&rn=sLheLC6U
[08:44:21.788] Zone_HotmailService
CHotmailService::FireLocalStateChangeResult@01A30268:(BUGBUG: Whidbey link
progress, 0x0001)
[08:44:21.798] Zone_SDrive SDriveLifetime::OnLogonResult
(0x81000306)
[08:44:21.798] Zone_SDrive SDriveLifetime::OnServiceLogoff
[08:44:21.798] Zone_SDrive Buddy's not online - Cannot get root
paths

Does this kind of log info help?

I found the procedure below in another group, and it solved my problem with
Vista and Live Messenger. Apparently Vista's "auto-tuning" networking
feature doesn't play nice with some routers. Not sure if it is a bug in
Vista, a bug in Messenger or a bug in the router firmware but anyway this
looks like a possible workaround that might help other people who have the
same problem.

Try this:
- Click start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd.exe when it appears under Applications
- Click Run As Administrator
- Type the following: netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
- Press enter
- Restart your computer

Hi,

Maybe you wish to know that your solution helped another user solved the
same problem.

Thanks for the sharing :)

Hi David,
I found the procedure below in another group, and it solved my problem with
Vista and Live Messenger. Apparently Vista's "auto-tuning" networking
feature doesn't play nice with some routers. Not sure if it is a bug in
Vista, a bug in Messenger or a bug in the router firmware but anyway this
looks like a possible workaround that might help other people who have the
same problem. BTW I have a NetGear DG834

Try this:
- Click start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd.exe when it appears under Applications
- Click Run As Administrator
- Type the following: netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
- Press enter
- Restart your computer

To check autotuning is disabled repeat the above but type: netsh int tcp
show global

Again thank you for sharing your solution. I was having the same problem.
Here is a bit more info I have found about the autotuning setting.

This is the command to view the autotuninglevel
netsh int tcp show global

This is the command to disable it. disabled: Fix the receive window at its default value.
netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled

This is the command to return it to the default normal setting. normal: Allow the receive window to grow to accomodate almost all scenarios.
netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal

This is the command to set it to restricted which is what I ended up using, so I get some benefit from autotuning. restricted: Allow the receive window to grow beyond its default value, but limit such growth in some scenarios.
netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=restricted

Thank you, Thank you, I've had the login problem for 2 weeks and
couldn't find how to cure it, the solution that you found works
perfectly... with the exception of an Epson scanner driver not available
yet it's the only problem I've had with Vista.

I have the same problem, and a DG834 router. Entering this command fixed
the problem. However, my laptop also running vista never had a problem
connecting, even without this fix! Go figure!

I had the same problem with a Linksys WAG200 modem/router.
Entering this command fixed the problem.
Many thanks,