Solving Messenger install, reinstall and uninstall issues with ZapMessenger
For users of Windows Live Messenger 2011 and 2012:
Please note that ZapMessenger 1.0 is not compatible with Windows Live Messenger (or Essentials) 2011 or 2012. No damage will result if you have tried to do use the utility, but due to a substantial change in how Messenger installs itself, ZapMessenger will not work. An updated version is almost ready, but I am looking for testers who can directly report back on if it was successful in solving their problem. If you’re interested in helping out, please leave a comment below!
A regular issue faced is the dreaded “Another version of the product is already installed”, “Your computer has a newer version of MSN Messenger than the one you are trying to install”, ““Your computer has a newer version of Windows Live Messenger than the one you are trying to install”, “The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable” and similar messages.
Additionally, in some cases the installer can’t be found in the Control Panel’s Programs applet or has become damaged with a Catastrophic failure (0x8000ffff) error or the Windows Installer is prompting for a missing .msi file which you can’t find anymore.
There are fixes for all these problems, but they’re complicated and can be frustrating to some people.
The fix
With all this in mind, I developed ZapMessenger – the one step tool to completely remove Windows Live Messenger, MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger 5.x. The first thing ZapMessenger will do is attempt to cleanly uninstall Messenger normally and if that fails for any reason, it will forcibly remove Messenger from the Windows Installer engine allowing you to reinstall at your leisure without hindrance.
How to use
To use ZapMessenger, just download the zip and run the executable. No installation is required. Please note that the .NET Framework 2.0 or above is required, which you can install from Microsoft if you don’t already have it. The Framework has been on Windows Update for quite some time and is included in Vista by default, so more than likely it is already installed.
Common questions
Will this remove any of my personal customizations – emoticons, display pictures, etc.?
No, currently ZapMessenger deals with the application itself – your personal data will remain and won’t be touched. I am considering adding this an option to future releases for those looking to do a complete “clean” install.
I get a “.NET Framework Initialization Error” or “The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application” when I run ZapMessenger
You’ll need to install at least the 2.0 .NET Framework on your machine.
Version history
11/19/2008 1.0.0.0 Initial release
Posted on November 19, 2008, in Messenger Tools. Bookmark the permalink. 180 Comments.
Jonathan Kay, MessengerGeek 
I have to go now Thanks Harry
Hi, is there any new version of the Zap tool?
I want to remove my WLM 2011 completely and install the 2009 version using the Reviver.
Greetings Symphony. Yes there is in fact. It’s not polished yet enough for mass public use, but it’s fully usable and fully functional. I’ve sent you the link to it by e-mail.
Thank you!
It detected quite a bunch of Windows Live products, some of which I didn’t even know they were installed. What exactly is MSVCRT and D3DX10? Doesn’t the second one have something to do with DirectX?
And another question.. If I remove WLM 2011 with the tool and install the 2009 version afterwards, will all my custom emoticons disappear as well? Or is there a way to keep them?
Thanks for testing that out 🙂 Live Essentials 2011 and 2012 have crazy dependencies which is what took me so long to create ZapEssentials.
MSVCRT is the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtimes. In Live Essentials 2011 it will be version 9 (also known as Visual C++ 2008). D3DX10 is DirectX 10.1, but it’s just an extension DLL as DirectX 10 is part of Windows Vista and above.
I created ZapEssentials (and ZapMessenger) to help deal with the crazy installer problems created by the Live Installers, so your emoticons, winks, etc. will all be retained and won’t be removed since they’re not part of the installation process. They’re also the same data format so you can move them throughout the versions without any issues.
Okay, removing worked fine I think, except that It took like half an hour to remove the shortcuts and it still wasn’t finished.. then I just closed the tool. But I have a problem installing WLM again with the Reviver. I always get this message here: http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/5642/errorfyr.png
No matter if I try installing the 2009 or 2012 version, it doesn’t work.
When I try to install it with an original setup file, it says that I already have a more recent version installed and the following error code: OnCatalogResult: 0x8028007
Can it have something to do with the fact that I have Skype installed on my PC?
I forgot a 0 in the error code, it’s: 0x80280007
And I tried uninstalling Skype, it didn’t help.
Yeah, Skype isn’t part of Essentials so it won’t matter.
If you run ZapEssentials again, does it pick up any products at all? Assuming not, one of the things that would happen after the shortcuts is the removal the Essentials cache. This is the \Program Files\Windows Live\.cache folder (Program Files (x86) if you’re using 64-bit). This folder is hidden by default as a system folder so you’ll need to turn off ‘hide protected operating system files’ in the Explorer options View tab to see it. Just delete it and see if that solves the issue.
I think I know why it got stuck at the shortcuts, but I’m not too sure why I never encountered the problem myself before.
Need the latest version of Zap to uninstall remove messenger on a friends vista
Greetings nza. I’ve sent you an email.
ipari gépvizsgálat, marógép, esztergagép, időszakos biztonsági
vizsgálat, üzembehelyezés szakértővel Pest megyében,
Budapesten és országosan!
I need the latest version of ZapMessenger , help !!
olá!
Hi Jonathan! I’m making a friend of mine install Messenger, but there’s a problem about an “older” version on his PC and he can’t find it. So I looked up the forums and found this, but right now it seems like your download links are not working. Could you provide a correct download link? Thank you very much in advance!
You caught me in the middle of moving servers around, it should be working now!
Nice! The download works and the software worked perfectly, too! It’s great to connect with my friend on MSN again, thanks a lot Jonathan!
Hello, with ZapMessenger I can not uninstall anything other than Messenger and Microsoft SkyDrive, how can I uninstall the rest … Mail, Writer, Photo Gallery and Movie Maker.
Please send me the ZapMessenger. Thank you
I continue without uninstalling the Mail, I have passed the ZapMessenger.exe but only uninstalls Messenger and Microsoft SkyDrive, I need to remove and reinstall Mail, Thank you very much
no me funciona el zapmessenger !!!
Pingback: Nintel's Space
Pingback: Unsuccessfully trying to use MSN Messenger on ReactOS 0.4.5 | Eric's 32-bit Patio