I have never used Windows Messenger. I recently purchased / set up a refurbished system with XP Home - after about a month of using it, Messenger started popping up automatically whenever I start the machine, and/or when I open Outlook Express (and immediately demands a signon screen name (every time it starts, even though I gave it one time to satisfy it), so I have two things to cancel).As I say, it started doing this by itself with no knowing action on my part, some weeks after setting up the machine. I had an older XP machine for 6+ years and never saw this happen.Two questions: 1) is it normal behaviour to demand a screen name EVERY time it starts? I would have thought it would save one associated with the login.2) How do I make it stop opening automatically? I don't necessarily want to permanently kill it - I may actually try to use it someday. I just want it to quietly lurk in the system tray as it has always done before.1 person needs an answerI do too

To Stop Messenger from starting with Windows: 1) Right-click on the Windows Messenger icon in the Systray. 2) Click Open. 3) Within Windows Messenger, click Tools then click Options. 4) Click the Preferences tab. 5) Within Preferences, uncheck the "Run Windows Messenger when Windows starts" and "Allow Windows Messenger to run in the background" and click Ok. To stop Outlook Express from loading Messenger 1) Open Outlook Express 2) Click Tools, Options 3) Click General tab 4) Uncheck the box for Automatically log on to Windows Messenger 5) Click OK Microsoft Security MVP, 2004 - 2009