Messenger Link Reviver for Windows Live Messenger 2009
Recently, Microsoft disabled web links in Windows Live Messenger 2009 citing it to be a temporary measure to a malicious worm. Therefore links now appear as just text and need to be copy/pasted to your browser manually. One can debate the effectiveness of this action as Messenger already had the ability to simply not deliver links meeting a certain criteria, but it seems they’ve given up on this original functionality and now rely on the SmartScreen link redirector exclusively in Windows Live Messenger 2011.
Windows Live Messenger 2011 isn’t for everyone though. You’re certainly out of luck if you use Windows XP, Messenger Plus Live, or want to use features missing in 2011 such as handwriting or webcam.
So for those who wish to use Windows Live Messenger 2009 and still have the ability to click on links, I give you Messenger Link Reviver.
How to use Messenger Link Reviver
Update 6/20/2012: Messenger Link Reviver has been replaced with Messenger Reviver. Please use this instead.
Download the Messenger Link Reviver zip file and run the application. Click Start to apply the Reviver changes and Messenger will automatically restart. You should now be able to click on links again.
Note that you’ll be prompted to elevate to administrator permissions if you’re using Windows Vista or Windows 7 with UAC on.
Requirements
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 (any edition of these)
.NET Framework 2.0 or higher (already included with Windows Vista and Windows 7)
Windows Live Messenger 2009 14.0.8089.726 or 14.0.8117.416
Frequently asked questions
Does it work with modifiers to Messenger?
Yes, Messenger Link Reviver will not remove any changes you’ve made to Messenger. However, if you use a tool which does so, you may need to re-run the reviver after making any changes.
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 Messenger link Reviver.
You’ll need to install at least the 2.0 .NET Framework on your machine.
Version history
01/14/2011 1.1.0.0 Allows continued sign in after CVR (forced) update
11/21/2010 1.0.0.0 Initial release
Just a quick note that Spaces will be shutting down soon, so this blog will be moving. More on where you’ll be able to find the blog later.
The blog has now moved and as such, new advertising has appeared. If you see a download link or image below this line, it is not the download link for Link Reviver. The download link is above.
Posted on November 21, 2010, in Messenger Tools. Bookmark the permalink. 54 Comments.
Jonathan Kay, MessengerGeek 
A million thanks. I really don’t care too much about using a webcam on this laptop but 2009 is the only version I can run without getting the WL Communications Platform error. That’s despite having followed their instructions to the letter and deleting the one .dll that I found from the list.
I’m extremely grateful for your efforts.
Hi, I’m from Brazil. Our Windows Live Messenger also are not working, the 2009 version. I may be inconvenient means, but wanted to know if such a program to revive the messenger link can bring some damage to my computer, or have some type of security. This program affects my system, or the messenger? Where low Messenger link reviver? Excuse me anything. Thank in advance.
Greetings Juliana. As I didn’t write Messenger and don’t have the source code, I can’t 100% guarantee that any changes to Messenger might cause it to work in a way unintended. However, the change is quite subtle and if something were to go wrong, it would probably just crash the program temporarily.
I can tell you that the changes made to Messenger were tested by myself and others for several months before releasing to the public. I’m actually not aware of any crashes or damage caused during the testing or since the release.
Additionally, a backup is made so you can easily revert back to the way things are now if you were to experience a problem.
The program can be downloaded for free?
Greetings Juliana. It is 100% free. Here is a direct link to download if you’re seeing download images on the page which are advertising (which are not link Reviver).
Thanks for the help, I’ll download the program for sure.
First of all thanks for all the small fixes you offer on here – they’re really great at fixing Microsoft’s screw ups (seriously what are they thinking when they made some of these changes??). I’ve been using Messenger 8.5 until yesterday, but recently I’ve had major problems with 8.5 – I can’t see any emoticons or display pictures of anyone that has upgraded to the latest 2009 version – nor can I receive or send files with them… I’m guessing this is because of some sort of new network modifications Microsoft is doing. Who knows. Regardless, I updated yesterday to 2009, used the Link Reviver hack, and I’ve got a problem now. Well, before I mention the problem, I’d like to mention that I can’t stand Win7’s original theme, which has programs on the taskbar that are permanently open, and so I changed my taskbar completely so it has none of that (similarly to XP, Vista). Messenger 2009 requires one of these windows in Win7 though. I know you’ve released a fix for this so you can get rid of the window itself, but that’s not what I’m after. What I’m after is a tasktray icon like MSN had in Vista or XP. This version of 2009 has none in Win7. When I change my compatibility to either VISTA or XP of the .exe, I get an icon in my taskbar for MSN, which is what I’m looking for. The problem I have then though is that the Link Reviver no longer works. I can’t get both of these to work. Either I set compatibility and get the tray icon, but no hyperlinks, or I use default compatibility with no task tray but with working hyperlinks… Do you know if the previous 2009 version has a task tray icon? Or maybe if you go into compatibility, hyperlinks will still work? Or maybe if I set a compatibility to the link reviver it’ll get the job done? >_<
Greetings CC. This actually should just work. Using Messenger 2009 (14.0.8089.726) set to Vista SP2 in compatibility gives me the notification area icon and links are still working (after using link reviver). It’s possible that Messenger just couldn’t configure itself properly when you were trying to sign in, so try again.
If you’re still having problems we can look more into it, but this should work and compatibility mode shouldn’t really affect fixing the hyperlinks.
I actually put off downgrading to 14.0.8089.726 for a while, but I finally got around to doing it today and it doesn’t want to work for me on there either. I am going insane over this. It should be such a simple fix. I’ve tried alternate methods as well such as manually going in with a hex editor and changing things around to allow the URLs to work, but that fails to work for me as well! I think my computer is just cursed… This only happens when I have it on compatibility mode (either Vista or XP). If I have it on no compatibility, URLs work fine. I’m really annoyed by the extra messenger window and that there is no tasktray icon though, so I turn on compatibility to fix those two problems but run into this one… -_-
I’d ask you what exactly you did to get yours to work in compatibility mode, but I know that the answer would just be the same instructions you’ve written on here a million times… I seriously think msn just hates me or my computer is cursed. LOL -_-
Hey,
the site http://messenger.jonathankay.com/redir/messengerlinkreviverdl.asp is not working o.O
When i click on the link reviver i get ‘Oops! Google Chrome could not find dio159.diomedestorage.com’ appear. I have also tried to open it on internet explorer but it still does not open.
ami no me sirvio me duele la cabeza de tanto intentar que puedo hacer quien me ayuda con mi problema quiero msn para star mas conecatada y nada de nada. ayudenme plisss
dl link is broken
The link is broken. 😦
Muito obrigado!
Very Thanks !
Pow cara agradeço msm , naaum gosto do msn 2011 di jeito nenhuma , vllw por disponibilizar esse programinha ai para nois , funcionou aki tudo direitinho vllw ,
More information look at: http://www.messmotions.nl
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