# Defeat Microsoft's Forced WLM Upgrade

Category: Geeks r Us

## Post 1 by Wraith (Prince of Chaos) on Wednesday, 01-Apr-2009 1:32:32

If you're like me, you don't really want to upgrade to Windows Live Messenger 2009 (which is less functional and customizable), nor do you want to be repeatedly reminded that there's a new version available. Worse yet, older versions of the instant messaging client are forcibly locked out of the MSN network until an upgrade is performed.
I, for one, can't stand Windows Live Messenger 2009. I furthermore do not subscribe to the forced update routine. Therefore, I've done a bit of looking around, and have found a fairly straight-forward method that will allow you to continue using older versions of MSN, sans nag screens or lockouts.
Here are the steps you should follow:

## Post 2 by Ukulele<3 (Try me... You know you want to.) on Wednesday, 01-Apr-2009 2:15:22

Omg Kai. I love your yummy easy directions. I will come back to this once I am forced to upgrade. That's strange. I haven't been asked to upgrade yet but I know it will happen soon cause I just jinxed myself by mentioning it. :p But yes. Thanks so much for this!
Michelle

## Post 3 by Nitrogen (Zone BBS Addict) on Wednesday, 01-Apr-2009 6:14:07

Hi... thanks much for this!

## Post 4 by Polka dots and Moonbeams (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Wednesday, 01-Apr-2009 12:26:24

Hmmm, I guess I'm lucky. I'm still using msn 7.5.

## Post 5 by purple penguin (Don't you hate it when someone answers their own questions? I do.) on Wednesday, 01-Apr-2009 18:58:40

Yep. Same here. it thinks it's using windows 2000. I'm on Win XP.

## Post 6 by blindndangerous (the blind and dangerous one) on Wednesday, 01-Apr-2009 22:55:44

I'm gonna be "that guy" and say this.
go bitlbee! no upgrading for me!

## Post 7 by TylerK (This site is so "educational") on Thursday, 02-Apr-2009 22:01:35

MM91, do you just use irc.bitlbee.org? Or do you have the Bitlbee daemon installed on one of your machines?

## Post 8 by Austin (the magic fan!) on Thursday, 02-Apr-2009 23:48:15

i am running the latest version of windows live 8.0 and i do not have that problem :). i am running it on my asus eeepc. i downloaded this in oct of last year. but i appreciate the post encase i need it.

## Post 9 by Gracesong (Zone BBS is my Life) on Friday, 10-Apr-2009 12:00:13

IT'S NOT WORKING!!! *cries*
*punches computer screen*
It still is giving me a dialogue taht says taht I have to update to the newer version for it to run.

## Post 10 by blindndangerous (the blind and dangerous one) on Saturday, 11-Apr-2009 1:03:58

start up irc.
slash server testing.bitlbee.org
identify myself
and it loads up al of my accounts, aim, msn, yahoo and jabber.

## Post 11 by z726 (Account disabled) on Saturday, 11-Apr-2009 1:13:11

I, too, am going to be that guy who says
Why haven't we all moved to mac or *nix? lol how about use IRC, the best chatting client that was ever to be invented by a human brain. No ads, no spyware, no nothing.why have 50 clients open when you have 1 list for everything, named jsut the way you want it? Use MIrc, end of story.
But with regards to the original poster. this may have worked in your case, but when trying to do that to another program I had modified the registry entries, modified the main exe and still, the program would not let me log in using the older client. the internal code base probably was different but the older client was just so much more usable than the newer one. I'm talking about paltalk. And if you know what I mean, you will understand my reasoning behind trying to hack the older client, which, btw, I have, if anyone wants to dig into getting it to work with the new servers.
File: pv75b553.exe
Either google for it, or ask me. if I could get it to work I'd love to start using it. Of course, there isn't a bitlbee plugin for this, so I guess I will have to wait. One of the reasons the interface went to hell is because the original company was bought out by someone else and so shit went to hell.

## Post 12 by forereel (Just posting.) on Saturday, 11-Apr-2009 1:29:39

I've found this interesting. I can run any MSN messenger client I like from 7.5 up and I get a message that a newer version is available, but I am not forced to upgrade. I've done some thinking on this and the only thing I can think is that you that are forced to upgrade has MSN installed on your machines. I do not mean messenger, but the client MSN. If you have this client then yes you are always forced to upgrade to the latest messenger, but if not then you can use any. MSN could either be your ISP, or a service you subscribed to, or was loaded on your machine as a package of programs. Removing it solves the issue as the posters steps will as well. Currently I run WLM 8.5 I've upgraded to 2009, but don't like it much, and it's not completely accessible with Jaws 10, or down, so I ditched it and went back. I support several machines and all these are not forced to upgrade, so I'd love to see one of these machines that are forced to see if my thoughts are correct.
Tell me something?

## Post 13 by TheAsianInvasion (The Zone's invader) on Saturday, 11-Apr-2009 10:15:15

no upgrading over here! thanks Kai

## Post 14 by sorressean (Zone BBS Addict) on Friday, 17-Apr-2009 8:40:46

Thanks kai. I've used reshack to do a bunch of other things.
I keep getting asked to upgrade, it pops up in the form of an "install" window. I just wrote a wraparound script on msn that will run it, though I'm usually using a version of bitlbee I host on my dedicated.

## Post 15 by Wraith (Prince of Chaos) on Friday, 18-Sep-2009 1:53:08

In light of the recent forced upgrade of Windows Live Messener, I figured I'd bump this message back up for awareness' sake.
Kai

## Post 16 by moonspun (This site is so "educational") on Friday, 18-Sep-2009 12:52:00

Has anyone else discovered the problem that Jaws scripts no longer interface? I can't use any of the hot keys for reading the message threads. Do you have to alter Jaws scripts as well?
Thanks in advance.
FM

## Post 17 by purple penguin (Don't you hate it when someone answers their own questions? I do.) on Friday, 18-Sep-2009 17:46:17

I haven't been told to upgrade yet.
Does restarting jaws work?

## Post 18 by YourBestFriend (Veteran Zoner) on Wednesday, 23-Sep-2009 23:29:29

Oh thank you Kai for this ppost. I just got the message of doom from messenger (I was running 7.5) so I thought I'd be safe. Well, it only took me 5 minutes of the new messenger to know that it wasn't going to work out for me. Thanks to this post, hopefully I can get back online. I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck. Down with Microsoft upgrades!

## Post 19 by SingerOfSongs (Heresy and apostasy is how progress is made.) on Thursday, 24-Sep-2009 4:35:01

If you have the problem with jaws scripts not working, (because you're running jaws 10 or above), the problem can be fixed, more or less, by replacing your wlm scripts with jaws 9 scripts. The current scripts can be found in your c:documents and settingsall usersapplication datafreedom scientificjawsyourJawsVersionsettingsenu Your mialage may very regarding the exact path, but that should give you enough info to find them, at least for winXP2k. For vista/win7, I'm not entirely sure off the top of my head where it hides them. If anyone wants the formentioned jaws9 scripts, drop me a note. For me they don't work quite the way they should, but they work well enough that I'm satisfied. (Perhaps someone with jaws scripting knowledge can hack them into working just right.) Hope this is of help.

## Post 20 by icequeen (move over school!) on Thursday, 24-Sep-2009 11:34:32

those of you who installed wlm 2009, where did you locate 8.5 to go back to it? One of the annoying things I've noticed about 2009 is that Jaws will make the typing clicking noise when you are in one window where no one is typing, but someone is typing to you in a different conversation window.

## Post 21 by Brooke (I just keep on posting!) on Thursday, 24-Sep-2009 13:58:11

Thanks Kai, it worked!!
Icequeen, I went to:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7a1aae73-48cc-4f7a-b445-0487bd5e84ef&displaylang=en

## Post 22 by SingerOfSongs (Heresy and apostasy is how progress is made.) on Friday, 25-Sep-2009 1:30:58

To get old versions of windows live/msn and many other programs, go to www.oldversion.com
One of the most useful sites on the net, IMO.

## Post 23 by forereel (Just posting.) on Friday, 25-Sep-2009 1:42:43

They still have the older versions on Microsoft main site as well, so I'm interested if after the end of October your fix will work. Please let me know. I personally like the latest version, but I do admit you will have to have current screen readers to work it effectively, so. It is really featured packed. Also about the typing sounds you can set jaws so it doesn't work by using insert V and changing that.
I did write about the forced upgrade, because I thought it was scam, but it's not, plus I understand the hardship it will cause others, so if this fix works smooth after the deadline. Smile.

## Post 24 by forereel (Just posting.) on Friday, 25-Sep-2009 1:45:18

Oh I forgot to say, that this post was created in April, so there is now a even newer version of WLM and it is accessible completely with version 7 window Eyes and 11 of Jaws. The version written about here was a bare to use truly. Lol

## Post 25 by Striker (Consider your self warned, i'm creative and offensive like handicap porn.) on Friday, 25-Sep-2009 19:26:40

hmm, its possible that you might need to check the exact version of the forst upgrade install to insure compatibility.
but thanks for the poste

## Post 26 by The Elemental Dragon (queen of dragons) on Sunday, 27-Sep-2009 23:19:06

that is assuming that everyone can get version 11 of jaws, and not just run it as a demo...
700 dollars later.

## Post 27 by moonspun (This site is so "educational") on Monday, 28-Sep-2009 6:13:24

Restarting Jaws doesn't work, and i'm running Jaws 9. It's those scripts that aren't compatible, but i'm not sure how to alter them.
Thanks anyway.
FM

## Post 28 by The Elemental Dragon (queen of dragons) on Monday, 28-Sep-2009 12:12:50

so, if this gets around the instal, wonder if there is a way to get to be able to use 8.5 after, the end of oct...

## Post 29 by YourBestFriend (Veteran Zoner) on Monday, 28-Sep-2009 12:59:36

Just wanted to thank Mister Kai! it worked like a charm.
Oops, back to work for me. T.t

## Post 30 by changedheart421 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Sunday, 04-Oct-2009 14:42:01

I actually upgraded and love 2009. Just my opinion.

## Post 31 by season (the invisible soul) on Friday, 06-Nov-2009 0:20:47

for those wlm8.5 lover, the trick of this technic is working well. the only problem you have is jaws won't read the convo history using alt 1 to alt 0, like it used to be.
this problem occur with the latest version of wlm and jaws 11 as well, so, no surprise there.

## Post 32 by The Elemental Dragon (queen of dragons) on Friday, 06-Nov-2009 16:41:25

fixed my jaws script and 2009 works fine with alt 1 to 0... so, i like the new messenger.

## Post 33 by season (the invisible soul) on Friday, 06-Nov-2009 17:20:41

how do you do the scripting for 2009?

## Post 34 by purple penguin (Don't you hate it when someone answers their own questions? I do.) on Friday, 06-Nov-2009 19:15:59

If you downgrade, restart jaws for alt 1-0 to work again...well, that's jaws 10.

## Post 35 by The Straight Edge Superstar (Please, allow me to once again explain why you are wrong.) on Saturday, 07-Nov-2009 2:21:11

Mr. Kai sir, I'd like to thank you for your easy instructions. They helped a lot.
Though I m having an issue saving my final changes, have you, or anyone else reading this post for that matter, encountered this issue before?

## Post 36 by season (the invisible soul) on Saturday, 07-Nov-2009 4:18:04

you should able to safe the final changes. it might appear two foulder on your c:program:windowslive:messenger foulder.
you should have msgr.exe and msgr_original.exe. delete the msgr_original.exe.
close the foulder,
start wlm. if it didn't work, try to restart the machine.
good luck

## Post 37 by The Straight Edge Superstar (Please, allow me to once again explain why you are wrong.) on Saturday, 07-Nov-2009 12:39:49

Yay I did it!
Many thanks Joanne and Kai!

## Post 38 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 08-Nov-2009 6:38:09

Thanks for this, Kai, but somehow i'm still having trouble. Maybe I'm just a tech tard? Problem is, I waited long enough to do this til WLM wouldn't let me sign in till I'd upgraded. So I had to get the new one. Is there any way to go back to an older version, and then do this?

## Post 39 by The Elemental Dragon (queen of dragons) on Sunday, 08-Nov-2009 8:22:15

the scripting thing i mentioned season was, because, the version of jaws 10 i was using, the wlm scripts were for jaws 9, not sure how that happened, so, i had a friend send me the script for wlm and jaws 10 opened a conversation, opened the script manager, deleted the scipt that was there, opened the txt file she sent it in and coppied it into there and it worked like a charm...

## Post 40 by season (the invisible soul) on Sunday, 08-Nov-2009 18:06:19

Alicia, there's a few thing you can do. you can remove wlm all together, and reinstall the old one, or do a system restore.
i've check on oldversion.com website, but for wlm8.5 only have the beta, doesn't have the full version.
if you need any help to getting the old one, private mail me, i have it somewhare, i can email it to you if thats convinion for you.

## Post 41 by zackmack2000 ( extreme killer of the keys) on Sunday, 08-Nov-2009 20:42:36

i've still got the old wlm 8.5 installer here on my external drive, thankfully for me I aint gotta worry about any of this since i'm using miranda. talk about makeing things a hell of a lot easier for me. this thing sure does.
redneck

## Post 42 by forereel (Just posting.) on Sunday, 08-Nov-2009 21:32:52

Yes simply do a system restore back a few days then go to work.

## Post 43 by b3n (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Friday, 22-Jan-2010 22:55:09

Is this still working for anyone? I'm following the instructions but its still telling me I'm using an old client. If so, would someone mind helping me out or sending me the file they've modified?
Failing this, does anyone kno why when your using a screenreader the order of the words you've written gets messed up? ie: end of sentence is at the begining and begining is at the end?
Miranda isn't the answer btw.

## Post 44 by cumbiambera2005 (i just keep on posting!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2010 1:40:39

It worked for me. I did this as soon as it was forcing me to upgrade, and it still works.
And i don't know why it does that to your typing, bbut my guess is you're using jaws 9 like I am.
I did try the new messenger back last summer and let's just say it didn't last long.
And compatibility mode for windows 2000 just doesn't work, as it wouldn't let me see my contact list.
So I really love this method, highly recommended!

## Post 45 by rat (star trek rules!) on Saturday, 23-Jan-2010 5:27:39

people. you keep refering to the last summer version. it's actually quite nice these days, jaws 10 included as i'm currently forced to use that on this computer. This is my personal thoughts, and you may disagree with me, but i think the reason people don't like the new version is because they refuse to adapt to new software. if you go to win 7 it hates 8.5 so you'll have to learn how to use the new one. come on people