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Stop Windows Messenger Service
The first thing to understand about the Windows Messenger Service is that it is completely different from, and not in any way related to, "MSN Messenger", "Windows Messenger", or any other well-known instant messaging system. Therefore, disabling the Windows Messenger service will have no effect upon your use of any other instant messaging applications.
If you ever see legitimate pop-up warnings or announcements with the phrase "Messenger Service" in the title bar, you might have an application running in your system that relies upon the built-in Messenger Service for the delivery of its information. But every application we know of displays its own pop-up alert dialogs, and we're not aware of any programs that rely upon the Messenger Service. It's just a theoretical possibility.
What is the Messenger Service?
Starting back with Windows NT, and carried forward into all subsequent operating systems, Microsoft included a simple way for users on a network to send each other short "pop-up" messages. Network administrators might have used it to notify everyone of system-wide events. It was a nice idea, though in its original form it never caught on widely. There is a standard command line program "Net Send", that can be used to generate these messages, and there's also a GUI (Graphical User Interface) application to do the same. You probably didn't know any of that was there, and neither do most people. It's a never-used feature that has been replaced by the various well known, popular, and feature-rich instant messaging systems. But, like a great many other "legacy" features of Windows, since it was once included, it survives in case anyone who once used it might still need it. Recently the SPAMers have decided to use it.
Why Turn Off the Messenger Service?
Turning off unneeded services and not running unnecessary programs is always a good idea. In this case about the only thing thing you're probably going to do is eliminate annoying SPAM messages.
How to Turn Off the Messenger Service?
Quite simply, the easiest way to turn off the Messenger Service is to download Steve Gibson's "Shoot the Messenger" utility. It is small and fast and easy. Click here to go to Steve's website. http://www.grc.com/stm/shootthemessenger.htm Then click "Download now".
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