How to remove msmsgs error

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msmsgs.exe file information

The process Windows Messenger or Messenger Client or WOW belongs to the software Messenger or msmsgs.exe or Designworks or MSN Add-in for Windows or Home Cinema or MSN Messenger or SmartSound Quicktracks Plugin or Windows Messenger or AllPicturez or DVD Solution or msmsgs.exe" or Pinnacle MPEG Realtime Codec or Westwood Shared Internet or 101st AIRBORNE or FileNET Panagon Viewer or UnInstall Turtle Beach or Furnish Plus or Sudoku Samurai or MUSTEK 1200 UB v or CINEMA 4D Module 'Sketch and or Microsoft SAPI TTS 5.1 Engine or Knoll Light Factory or Acoustica Effects Pack or Pocket Hack Master or VGA Dual Camera or Blasterball 2 from Gateway or Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook or PartyPoker or PANTONE(R) colorist or NVIDIA System Utility or Setup or IDAutomation.com Linear or VB6 Runtime Files for or LEARN Microsoft® Excel xp or Starship Creator Warp or UnInstall Envy24 Family Audio or Microsoft ActiveX Control Pad or Lotus SmartSuite - English or Mozilla Firefox or IESpy or Mjuice Components or HP Image Zone Express or Marine Updater or Argus Digital Camera or EMOS Graphics Generator or msmsgs.exe or Accubid Security or Sony Ericsson Device Data or ATI MCE Transcode by Microsoft Corporation (www.microsoft.com).

Description: msmsgs.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files" or sometimes in a subfolder of the "My Files" folder - mostly C:\Program Files\Messenger\. Known file sizes on Windows XP are 1694208 bytes (73% of all occurrence), 1670144 bytes, 1511453 bytes, 1491216 bytes, 1667584 bytes, 1498032 bytes, 1077277 bytes, 1658592 bytes, 1458448 bytes, 1663248 bytes, 1587512 bytes, 1658080 bytes, 1578160 bytes, 1611488 bytes, 1611480 bytes, 1462544 bytes, 1507600 bytes, 25600 bytes, 37388 bytes, 1671168 bytes, 1586352 bytes, 1871830 bytes, 1679360 bytes, 1511696 bytes, 1686016 bytes, 1399640 bytes, 1681920 bytes, 2222080 bytes, 1515520 bytes, 37585 bytes, 1693140 bytes, 21504 bytes, 1546781 bytes, 1666048 bytes.
The file is not a Windows system file. msmsgs.exe is a trustworthy file from Microsoft. The program has no visible window. msmsgs.exe is able to record inputs. Therefore the technical security rating is 21% dangerous, however also read the users reviews.

Recommended: Identify msmsgs.exe related errors

If msmsgs.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Documents and Settings" then the security rating is 59% dangerous. File size is 69632 bytes (58% of all occurrence), 90112 bytes. The file is a file without information about the maker of this file. The file is not a Windows system file. The application starts when Windows starts (see Registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run). The program has no visible window. msmsgs.exe is able to monitor applications.

If msmsgs.exe is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32 then the security rating is 38% dangerous. File size is 5589 bytes (11% of all occurrence), 5033 bytes, 5121 bytes, 6656 bytes, 5485 bytes, 5765 bytes, 1341126 bytes, 5709 bytes, 5701 bytes, 5697 bytes, 11264 bytes, 5705 bytes, 5605 bytes, 5569 bytes, 215456 bytes. The program has a visible window. File msmsgs.exe is a file without information about the maker of this file. The program is loaded during the Windows boot process (see Registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run). It is not a Windows system file. msmsgs.exe is able to monitor applications, manipulate other programs.

If msmsgs.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows then the security rating is 52% dangerous. File size is 1694208 bytes (66% of all occurrence), 806912 bytes.

If msmsgs.exe is located in the folder C:\Windows then the security rating is 36% dangerous. File size is 153321 bytes.

If msmsgs.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows\System32 then the security rating is 36% dangerous. File size is 4608 bytes.

External information from Paul Collins:
There are different files with the same name:

• "MSMSGS" can run at start up. Windows Messenger utility. If you don't use Windows Messenger, this can be annoying. Available via Start -> Programs. Go to Windows Messenger > Tools > Options > Preferences and uncheck "Run this program when Windows starts"
• "Msn Update Manager (Sp2)" definitely not required.

Important: Some malware camouflage themselves as msmsgs.exe, particularly if they are located in c:\windows or c:\windows\system32 folder. Thus check the msmsgs.exe process on your pc whether it is pest. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. It is one of the Top Download Picks of 2005 of The Washington Post and PC World.

Links: msmsgs.exe, msmsgs.exe

Discovered: April 24, 2003
  JoeMama   (further information)

I tried rvoltaire's suggestion to disable Norton Antiviruses Messenger protection. Before I disabled it, I had Task Manager up, and it was running, after I disabled it, it had dissappeared from Task Manager. Thank's rvoltaire!
  jfc  

Guys everyone is partially right, this file varies, In my case thought it was 'msmsgr.exe' as in Windows Messenger service, but after disabling it still popped up. So tried disabling by going to 'Run' 'msconfig' but after restart there it was. Turns our in my case the above comment by "ceenuno" was accurate. Try all of these and one should rid of this running process for good. It affects usage, net speed, and is a pain.
  meItedlce  

It isn't MSN. The MSN Process is msnmsgr. REMOVE
  Oscar  

I suddenly got lag playing everquest resulting in my toon getting killed and when I logged out and checked processes running this file was one of the major memory users at the time.
  Stephen Huff  

Completly safe, and it not a virus, it is used by the core system that windows runs from.
  Joe.voo  

msmsgs.exe (Agobot-Nl Worm)... if this is taking up alot of your CPU, this is the aforementioned virus. Consider it a high security threat
  AndyDunkers  

It is Windows Messenger (not Live!) and in my case it was used by Norton AntiVirus 2004. You can go to Norton Anti Virus Options Instant messaging and uncheck Windows messenger and it will dissapear.
  MrColonist  

It's an old version of Messenger. To check this, search for msmsgs.exe and it should be found in the Program Files/Messenger folder. My current Messenger folder is 'MSN Messenger', so it's definitely an old version we're talking about. Rename the old Messenger folder to anything and carry on as usual to see if the thing keeps popping up. If not, and assuming there's no probs with MSN, you can delete this folder. Once this is done run a registry cleaner, such as CCleaner to get rid of registry entries for this .exe, or your system logs will throw up DCOM errors. Problem solved!
  Solution   (further information) (further information)

If you disable the MSN/Windows Messenger protection in NAV, it stops the process from ALWAYS running.
  EB64  

Norton uses Messenger to tell you its at risk
  Daz  

msn live messenger appeared to show me as offline to all my contacts though i was online. this occurred 2 times. i think its both times connected with me disabling msmsgs.exe since it pops up and tells me if people eg logged in to messenger, even if i had messenger not running, which annoyed. though it doesnt seem to work without it. if you want to use live messenger, keep it. could that be true?
  kampfar  

More comments can be found here:
    (further information)

msmsgs scanner

Security Task Manager shows all running Windows tasks including embedded hidden functions (e.g. keyboard or browser monitoring, autostart entry). A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware, keylogger or a Trojan.

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