With new IM capabilities now available from Windows Live Hotmail in many countries around the world*, Hotmail is ready to step up to more responsibility as MSN Web Messenger prepares to retire.

You can now chat from your Hotmail inbox or contact list, instead of going to MSN Web Messenger (http://webmessenger.msn.com/). Go directly to the Windows Live People page at http://people.live.com and log into Messenger (orange arrow in the picture below) to continue instant messaging on the web with your Messenger friends.

Instant messaging from Hotmail makes it easier to communicate and share in new ways in comparison to MSN Web Messenger. Because of integration with the Windows Live Suite, you can view presence information while reading an email and simultaneously start a chat to clarify your friend’s e-mail message. We’re pointing customers to the new web version of Messenger so that we can focus our efforts on delivering an even better IM experience.

Give it a try! We hope that you’ll enjoy Hotmail’s version of Messenger on the web.

After installing Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) Windows Live Messenger 14.0 may no longer start.

If Windows Live Messenger 14.0 was running when you installed Vista SP2 it may run until you exit the program. Once you exit Windows Live Messenger you will not be able to start the program again. If Windows Live Messenger is installed when you installed Vista SP2, Live Messenger will not start.

This issue can occur after Windows Live Messenger detects that an operating system upgrade has been installed and then attempts to perform a repair of Live Messenger. When this occurs Windows Live Messenger tries to use an incorrect Microsoft Installer package.

Please follow these steps below :

To resolve this issue download and re-install Windows Live Messenger:

1. Visit http://download.live.com
2. Click on the Download button

3. When the file download dialog pops up, click on Run to launch the installation wizard

4. On the "Choose the programs you want to install" window you will see Messenger under "This program will be updated"

5. Click on Install and complete the installation
6. Launch messenger and this time it should run fine

Important: Do not attempt to uninstall Windows Live Messenger before you re-install.

1.  Click the Start button on the Windows task bar.

2. Type Regedit into the search bar and press Enter.

3. At this point your screen will glaze over and Windows will ask you for permission to run this command, Click Continue and Registry Editor will open.

4. Within the Registry Editor Window, click File and then click Export as seen in the image below.

5. Enter the filename for your registry file as shown on the example below. Change Export Range to All and then click Save. Please take note of the location where you will save the registry file.

6. Give your computer a moment to complete the task and then you should have something that looks like the image below where you saved the backup.

1.  Click the Start button on the Windows task bar, and then click on Run.

2.  On the Run dialog box type in regedit.exe or just type in regedit on the Open box as on example below and then Click on the OK button.

3.  The figure below shows an example of the Registry Editor window, click to highlight My Computer on the Registry Editor window.

4.  On the Registry Editor taskbar, click on File and then select Export.

5.   After you click on Export, the Export Registry File window will appear.  Enter the filename for your registry file as shown on the example below (backupregistry_june2009), then click on the Save button to save your registry file. Please take note of the location where you will save the registry file. You can save the file on the Desktop or in My Documents.