interesting article but misses out info about Patches for msn messenger which allow you to carry on using any version you want, ive been using 8.5 since release and im not likely to stop soon, ive got it patched nicely so it removes adverts and useless features that i never use.

I loved my old messenger. Fascism messenger !

@Moose: I'm about to release the patch copies I made for everyone to use, these forced upgrades are STUPID, I hate MSN9 and won't use it. If they keep forcing users to do this they are going to find out very quickly that users won't be too happy with them.

Well Well Well. Here we go again. So ya I get this message. Funny I had a hack version of 8.1 and I get this stupid message to upgrade. Sorry to say...but no. Now I can't talk to my sister, because I said NO. This is Bull . I live 3hrs away from my family and I love to use Video Call. So my family can see and talk to my kids. These upgrades better work. I know these webcam problems isn't about working with Vista. It's working with the right webcam we have. I have a build in Webcam/Mic in my ASUS monitor. I've been using my ASUS monitor over a year now and it has been working great with the older version of WLM. Now you know my main issue with the new WLM. I will message back if it works this time around.

ARGH... this is so annoying aside from the fact I don't want a new version or anything like that. The FORCED update doesn't even work for me. Just crashes on sign in all the time.

Complete rubbish.

If Microsoft wants us to upgrade, then at least let us choose what style we want for it.

I prefer the old layout where we can display the dp of a contact by click on it. Now its included in the contact on the main page, but takes up so much room.

Secondly, I want to be able to display my contacts by email address. Why can't they let us do that?

Windows Live Messenger 9.0 is absolute garbage.

Why does microsoft insist on improving what already works.. and works GREAT! All of this new JUNK they have added has done nothing but make those people who are already computer illiterate ever more intolerable of msn. To FORCE users to use a version of msn that they dont want is (excuse the language) BS.

Bunch of IDIOTS is all I can say. I am deleting windows live 9.0, I refuse to use it. It has already caused problems on my computer and I've only been using it for an hour. My computer is running slower, and the screen is going black and freezing. NICE JOB MICROSOFT WONDERFUL UPDATE!!

I am not upset about the upgrade itself; I think it is entirely necessary. The thing I am so vehement about is the fact that for whatever reason, the new version refuses to download on my computer. The progress will get all the way to 98 or 100% and then it will say 'rolling back' and then uninstall itself. I have no issue with upgrading, and actually it would be nice to have the newest version, but I have tried literally everything in all of the troubleshooting guides, and not a single thing has worked. I am completely reliant upon Windows Live Messenger for contact with friends and family. I find every other IM service unsatisfactory. It would be so nice if there was some sort of explanation for why the new version won't download for me.

Moose,

Can you please tell me how?! I was forced to upgrade my live messenger client yesterday, tried it.. but I'm absolutely NOT pleased with the whole design & new features! So if there's a way to get back to the 8.5 (with the needed security patches and so on) please let me know!!!

I don't understand why they force you to a whole new designed client in stead of just offering the needed patches & security updates for the older one.. or having the option in the new client saying " Choose classic design "like you can in your normal operating system..
Without all those updates from people & advertisements flying by.. my whole client is taking too much space on my screen now & there's less space to see your online contacts!

Thanks!

I HATE WINDOWS LIVE MESSENGER - IF MICROSOFT WANTS TO CREATE A NEW PROGRAM AND MAKE EVERYONE UPGRADE, THEN DO IT RIGHT - I WOULD RATHER RENOUNCE THE PROGRAM ALTOGETHER.

Well I'd like to say that the new version of windows live messenger has the worst video call ever, meebo practically has a better video call now. also moose, where'd you get that patch that allows you keep running 8.5 I didn't hear about that ahead of time, but i'd love to go back to 8.5! -.-

I was so disappointed by this latest version since this came out I excitedly upgraded but when I started using it, it was horrible video call is a disaster...so I uninstall it and went back to my 8.5 but now microsoft left no choice for older version clients, you cant sign in unless you upgrade to the latest version which is the worst of all...I tried all the solutions they have given me but nothing, I mean nothing really works...It is so frustrating...I just wish that Microsoft would just allow users to use the older version instead of forcing to use the latest which is unusable...I always love windows live messenger but I don't know if I would be able to use it again since now it's very very not user friendly..:(

Not like they couldn't offer security patches for older versions.

I was just forced to upgrade and like an earlier poster it gets to 95% and then uninstalls itself! I am not happy!
Does anyone have any suggestions or workarounds?

Tried to install the new upgrade and it doesn't work. It installs upto 90% and then starts to roll back the installation...reason? It can't delete the older version of Messenger? WTF?
Do these fascist idiots know what they are doing? Thats it i'm going back to using my Yahoo messenger...at least it works.

Cant access the new msn seeing as i cant access any microsoft websites for some unknown reason -_- (all other websites work fine)

my thoughts exactly ! ... since upgrading , i can not get to my inbox, it takes forever to log on, my webcam is not working properly .. and i can not contact them in anyway to report the problem but after finding this article, i can see that i am not the only one having problems ... so disgusted with it all, i was looking for an alternative myself ... maybe yahoo is the answer !

what i didnt like was being forced to agree to some kind of agreeement, which i barely read (who does??) but i did see i had something about PAID service and terms of usage and termination for non-payment, blah blah blah... it seems they are getting ready to charge for some aspects of messenger or something.

Hi everyone, I'm still using MSN messenger 8.5!

You can get your old MSN working again instead of having to use 2009 by altering the msnmsgr.exe file with ResHack and replacing the version references in the VersionInfo tag with 14.0.8089.726 to fool the servers! (there are four references to change)

If you need additional help, reply on here!

Im not happy with being forced to download the new version, especially as its not letting me even sign in, keep getting error code 8000401a, have sent message to supposed "Support Team" and still havent received a reply, now being 4 days like this, i rely on this to chat with family and friends and its frustrating not being able to, please any ideas on what the problem could be?

68 MEG for updating to the new messenger...are you kidding me! That's without all the extra bells and whistles. Storage is not a problem for me, but couldn't the largest software maker in the world come up with a lighter verison? I'm wondering if the newest verison uses more RAM? I'm nervous about upgrading to the newest version after reading all the bad reviews. Looking for alternatives...

It's a load of BS, i had an "earlier" version of WLM and the new one is EXACTLY the same anyway...Microsoft are a bunch of fools

Hey all, like Nick I'm still using MSN 8.5. Tried to upgrade to new MSN initially but it kept rolling back; looks like I wasn't the only one. The old version is better anyway, imo.

Definitely give ResHack a try before giving up on msn completely, worked like a charm for me! Forced upgrades that don't even work and/or cause problems are lame, but at least there is a way around it for now =)

Same problem as 3 posters above. Gets to 95% loaded and then rolls back.
I can't believe that a company like Microsoft can let this happen. I called for help and they said to find help at their sites. A big help that was... yeah, right. I imagine this is happening all over the world because I speak to some people overseas and haven't heard from them since the day before yesterday. What a joke. After they force it on you, you can't get it, or if you are able to get it, the program has all kinds of problems.

I'm going to Yahoo and #&@$ Microsoft.

HERE IS A SOLUTION FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO ABSOLUTLY HATE WLM 2009 LIKE ME.

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY UPGRADED TO WLM 2009 .. GO BACK TO THE VERSION YOU LIKED BEST .. GOOGLE (HOW TO DOWNGRADE WINDOWSLIVE MESSENGER) .. MAKE SURE UR BACK ON THE VERSION YOU WANT.

*MAKE SURE MSN ISNT LOADED ON THE SYSTEM TRAY

* RIGHTCLICK ON THE MSN ICON ON THE DESKTOP AND SELECT "PROPERTIES"

* CLICK ON THE "COMPATIBILITY TAB"

* TICK THE BOX WHERE IT SAYS "RUN THIS PROGRAM IN COMPATIBILY MODE FOR"

*SELECT WINDOWS 2000

*APPLY THE SETTINGS


IM SURE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE POSTED THIS BUT ITS NICE TO SHARE,

THIS METHOD HAS WORKED ON WINDOWS 7 FOR ME AND IM CONFIDENT IT WILL WORK ON OTHER MS OS's

ONE FINAL THING: I DONT THINK YOU CAN INSTALL "MESSENGER PLUS", IF YOU ATTEMPT AND IT GOES BACK TO THAT ANNOYING UPGRADE MESSAGE JUST FOLLOW THE STEPS AGAIN AND JOB DONE ;)

IF THIS METHOD HAS WORKED FOR YOU PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THIS SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK

@Solution

Yes this works on Windows XP Pro.

I've been using version 8.5 for ages now.. I use messenger to talk to people I don't see often. That is all. I don't need flashy shit taking up memory and annoying me. I don't want themes, I don't like the new design and I don't like being forced to download something I don't want :K I've found that if you click no and then sign in again fast you get past it, although it's not working now. It worked for more than a week.