Windows Live Messenger has died...

[besty]

I have had windows live messenger ever since beta form, and currently have it in its latest form. All of a sudden I cannot log on, I have made no changes- and it has got me confused an frsutrated! Windows Messenger works fine, web messenger and msn messenger 7.5 all work too. When I use live messenger, it simply does not log on, it comes up with error 81000306. I have googled the problem, used the 'help' feature, and contacted MS twice, but non of their solutions have worked. (Ranging from clearing cache, to temporarily disabling all security software) but nothing has worked, it still comes up with the same problem. I have Windows XP, and my security software is the lastest zone alarm security suite. I have gone as far as restoring xp to a point where it worked, and uninstalling and reinstalling messenger numerous times. Any help would be really appreciated, thanks

 

[CHEEZball]

Other users are having the same problem on the ZoneAlarm Forums. There is obviously a problem with the latest version of Zone Alarm Security Suite and Windows Live Messenger.

Until they provide and update to fix the problem, a couple solutions in the interim:
- Downgrade to a previous ZASS version. Can find the previous versions Here
- Use Zone Alarm free version.
- Use Windows Messenger 7.5.
- Uninstall ZASS and install a free firewall solution.
- Use Yahoo Messenger or GAIM or Trillian.

Just suggestions to you guys, until they provide an update. They usually do when they see there is a problem with many of their customers.

Their forums are here: http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs

 

[besty]

thanks. I wonder why it suddenly stopped working though, maybe zone alarm did an update and I simply didnt notice.

If it is zone alarm, why doesn't turning it off cure the problem?

 

[CHEEZball]

After lookin around, I saw some posts about it won't work if ZA was turned on PRIOR to MSN being turned on. If you turn on MSN first, then ZA, it should apparently work...

 

[Yami-Kai]

This is what worked for me when I had the same problem.
Just download this, it's the earliest version instead of the updated version from hotmail.com. The updated version seems to have a corrupt hosts file.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...8f-8574-4562-af6d-48dd23026b9d&DisplayLang=en