Want to disable Windows Messenger

If I want to disable Windows Messenger, how can I do that?

Disabling the Messenger Service

To prevent anyone on the Internet from generating pop-up messages on your computer, you can disable the Messenger service. You can restart the service easily at a later time if you decide to use it.

Windows XP Professional
Click Start-> Settings -> Control Panel
Click Administrative Tools
Click Services
Double-click Services
Scroll down and highlight Messenger
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties
Click the STOP button
Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

Windows XP Home
Click Start-> Settings -> Control Panel
Click Performance and Maintenance
Click Administrative Tools
Double-click Services
Scroll down and highlight Messenger
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties
Click the STOP button
Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

Windows 2000
Click Start-> Settings-> Control Panel-> Administrative Tools-> Services
Scroll down and highlight Messenger
Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties
Click the STOP button
Select Disable or Manual in the Startup Type scroll bar
Click OK

Windows NT
Click Start-> Control Panel
Double-click Administrative Tools
Select Services-> Double-click on Messenger
In the Messenger Properties window, select Stop
Choose Disable as the Startup Type
Click OK

You can follow the steps for disabling Windows Live Messenger Service if you have Windows XP:
(1) Select "Start"
(2) Choose "Control Panel"
(3) Choose "Administrative Tools" ** note in Windows XP Home edition, Admistrative Tools is in Performance and Maintence
(4) Choose "Services"
(5) Right-click on "Messenger"
(6) Select "Stop" To permanently disable Messenger:
(7) Right click "Messenger"
(8) Select "Properties"
(9) Change "Startup Type" to "Disabled" and click "OK"

The procedures for disabling Windows Messenger will depend on the version of Windows Messenger installed on your computer.

Windows Messenger 4.0 or Later on a Windows XP Professional

1) Click Start, click Run, type gpedit.msc, and then press ENTER
2) Double-click the following items to expand them:
Local Computer Policy
Computer Configuration
Administrative Templates
Windows Components
Windows Messenger
3) Double-click on the option "Do not allow Windows Messenger to run", and then click Enabled.
4) Click OK, and then close the window

Windows Messenger 4.0 on a Windows XP Home Edition

1) Start Windows Messenger.
2) Click Options on the Tools menu.
3) Click the Preferences tab, click to clear the "Run this program when Windows starts" check box, and then click OK.

Windows Messenger 4.5 or Later on Either Windows XP Home or Windows XP Professional

1) Click on Start, Run
2) Type REGEDIT and Press Enter
3) Click on the Pluses (+) next to the following items
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Software
Policies
Microsoft
4) If the folder Messenger is not listed, click on the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type Messenger for the name of the new registry key
5) If the folder Client is not listed under Messenger, click on the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type Client for the name of the new registry key
6) On the Edit Menu, point to New, click DWORD Value, and then type PreventRun for the name of the new DWORD value. Remember all of this is case sensitive.
7) Right-click the PreventRun value that you created, click Modify, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.
8) Quit Registry Editor.

Or you can use softwares like PC Decrapifier, and ZapMessenger, which will do the job for you.