Circumventing the latest forced upgrade for Messenger 2009
Update 6/20/2012: Microsoft has blocked Windows Live Messenger 2009 from signing in. You can use the Messenger Reviver utility to bypass the block.
At some point when you next sign in using Windows Live Messenger 2009 (build 14.0.8089.726 – you know, the one that still has Webcam support), you’ll be forced to upgrade to either the latest version of Messenger 2009 (sans webcam).
The solution
To get around this, simply use the latest version of my Link Reviver tool. Not only will you be able to click on hyperlinks again, but you’ll also be able to use your previous version with Webcam.
If you have already upgraded
I’ll be providing a better way to get webcam back soon. But if you need to do it now, use ZapMessenger to uninstall Messenger, download and run the Messenger QFE2 installer, and then use Link Reviver to restore it to be able to login.
Why is this happening
Well, according to the Inside Windows Live blog, “important security updates, performance improvements, targeted bug fixes, and some other, minor changes.” To date, all we’ve seen is removed functionality. Although the blog goes on to address this, “this Messenger update simplifies how you start a video call from within Messenger pre-2011. Rather than individually managing your and your friend’s webcam feeds and audio, you can now start a video call just by clicking the “Video” button in the conversation window or by clicking the webcam icon.”
Right. You can see some of the previous explanations (see comments especially).
Just another brick in the wall
This is hardly news for anyone who has used Messenger for awhile, and was generally expected by the Messenger community. This has happened before, with again, little to no explanation, bad installer versions, and even locking out certain versions of Windows.
Posted on January 21, 2011, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 49 Comments.
Jonathan Kay, MessengerGeek 
I’m downloading this tool because some of my computers are not connecting at all, “service not available” and some of them just fails. I guess this is what I need to totally get rid of the Live messenger annoyance that it leaves behind when properly un-installed.
I got through the installation, though when I try to access, it gives to me the error:
Signing in to Windows Live Messenger failed because the service is temporaly unavaiable. Please try again later.
Error Code: 80040154
:-\
Greetings Flaviano. The 80040154 means that it’s trying to access a COM class (in more literal terms in Messenger-context, probably a DLL) that isn’t there. May I ask how you got it installed?
In a lot of cases you’ll get the 80040154 is when you don’t install the Contacts platform for the 2009 versions, which is a requirement for Messenger. Feel free to just download and run it to make sure you have it installed.
Hello Jonathan,
any chances you can help me with my login problems? After the “forced upgrade thing” I’m using the .726 you provided, zapped everything but can’t login. It gives me the 80048103 error code. My OS is Windows XP. Your help would be really appreciated.
You know, in the end the solution was easier than I thought: I just uninstalled Essentials 2011 and installed the version for Windows XP, which installed essentially a version of the Essentials 2011 for Windows XP onto my computer, leaving me out of pain. 😀
Thanks anyway 😉
I think you mean Windows Live Essentials 2009 from here, which albeit classified as “for Windows XP” will work on Vista and Win7, although you have to make sure that Windows Update doesn’t update you to 2011 in that case. Basically you just reinstalled 2009 – it’s the same setup file as before.
If you actually did find a copy of Essentials 2011 that’s been hacked to run on XP, please feel free to link it as I’d love to see (I gave up trying to make it work myself) 🙂
been trying to get WLM2011 running on XP as well but no luck so far 🙂
maybe it uses directX11 and that is the reason why it won’t work
Hello there Jon..
i followed all the instructions and they worked finely but one problem though,i cant share webcam.i meant it does provide the option “show webcam”.however when i click on it,it says ” recipient decline smthg..” in short it doest work.
at the end i make use of video call only
do you know how cn i solve this please?
thank you loads.
one more thing,am i nuts or is it the quality of video call in WLM09 is much better compared to the one in WLM11??
thank you again.
hopefully to hear from you 🙂
Greetings Anoushka. The problem here is because your contact needs to be using Messenger 2009 version 14.0.8089.726 too. If they use the newer version of 2009 or 2011, it will automatically decline as you’ve described (they won’t even see the invitation!).
If they’re using the newest 2009 version, to quickly get back to the 726 version they’ll need to click Start, then Run and enter the following:
msiexec /x {B57EAFF2-D6EE-4C6C-9175-ED9F17BFC1BC}and click OK. Then they’ll need to download and run the 726 installer from here.
Then finally because Microsoft blocked it they’ll have to run the reviver, which you already know about.
I hear you on the quality as well, I much prefer the quality of webcam to video call.
Thank you loads for this quick reply.
you are a Genius Jon 🙂
Thank you again loads
tkcre
I think this sums up a lot of people’s feelings: (Error: 0x8ac70907) FML!
Hello Jon..
sorry to bother again but will this work for someone using Windows Vista as well?
i meant i dont know which version of msn does vista people use..but still.please could you let me know as soon as possible.
thank you so much.
Hello Jonathan,
sorry to bother you, but I helpless:
When connecting to contact´s webcam: I am receiveing the answer:
…… has accepted your invitation to start sending webcam, but after some time I am recieving following: The webcam session has ended or Your MSN isn’t responding, Please retry again the connection or relogin to solve the problem.
Can you provide some hint?
Many thanks.
Hi. what about MSN 8.5? I would love to stick with 8.5 with webcam on.
but i google couldn’t find any result.
do you have nay idea how to fix it still use 8.5 with cam.
Simple way to go around the issue without even having to install whatever program is:
Go to your client folder i.e. “C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Messenger” (that’s mine, without quotes) and find “msnmsgr.exe”, then right click it and chose Proprierties and then select the Compatibility tab and activate Compatibility mode and chose from that pick list the “Windows XP (Service Pack 3)” option, click apply and then OK and then double click the file and login. Voilá, you’re online again with you 2009 (Build 14.0.8117.416) version 😉