Well...I'm hosting a whole big bunch of skins for the latest MSN Messenger build (6.2.0137) , and thought I would share them with people. They're in .rar format, so all you have to do is extract them to the MSN Messenger directory (Generally C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger for most English versions of Windows) and that's MSN skinned. I would suggest using WinRAR to extract them which can be found at http://www.rarlabs.com. Simply click the skin name to download the skin.

1st Note: I have not included any .dll files in the .rar archives, so anyone can use these skins and keep MSN the same language as they have it just now.

2nd Note: If any of the creators of the skins do not want me to host the updated files, I will take them down, simply e-mail me on andrew@jaymach.com and it will be done

3rd Note: Some of the skins should really have an lvback.gif file. Although I really could get that, I find it rather pointless so I really can't be bothered wasting my time looking for it Sorry.

4th Note: Some of the skins will change the tabs you have over to French ones. (Sorry about that by the way). To fix this simply download the games patch from http://games.mess.be to get the mess.be tabs, or the TabServ patch from http://www.msnfanatic.com/tabserv/ to be able to choose which tabs you have.

5th Note: For those of you wanting to use Multiple MSN's, the polygammy patch found at http://www.geocities.com/vulturzinc/ works like a charm for all skins.

aMac Messenger - Preview - Creation By Toon's

Aqua MSN - Preview - Creation By Xero

Aquafied MSN - Preview - Creation By Jase & Joel

B Bubble MSN - Preview - Creation By Sk3tch

Beer Messenger - Preview - Creatiom By panther_cat85

Boo7MSN - Preview - Creation by BooGhost (Taken down as requested by BooGhost, will link to the new version when it comes out officially.)

Cannabis MSN - Preview - Creation By bidibooum

ChaNinja MSN - Preview #1 Preview #2 - Creation By STR8_JACKET

Clear MSN - Preview - Creation By BooGhost (Taken down as requested by BooGhost, will link to the new version when it comes out officially.)

Cow Messenger - Preview - Creation By Animefan

Crystal MSN - Preview - Creation By EvilSeph

Crystal XP MSN - Preview - Creation By dlb

Darkshade MSN - Preview - Creation By Sk3tch

EMO MSN - Preview - Creation By guitarfreak1988

Ferrari MSN - Preview - Creation By bidibooum

Fumaos Skin - Preview - Creation By Adicto

Futuristic MSN - Preview - Creation By Rolando & apothix

Gant MSN - Preview - Creation By Rolando

Graphic UI Tuned MSN - Preview - Creation By Windows X

GrayScale MSN - Preview - Creation By Martini

Green Skin - Preview - Creation By crank

Green Tribaled Skin - Preview - Creation By M42D

Halloween MSN 6.2 - Preview - Creation By Spike

Halo MSN - Preview - Creation By gigablade77

iChat MSN - Preview - Creation By theunknown

IsWag Skin - Preview - Creation By ranicx

Juventus MSN - Preview - Creation By Zambrotta

Kitty MSN - Preview - Creation By vlsk

Korilla Messenger - Preview #1 Preview #2 - Creation By Maniseb

Korilla Messenger v2 - Preview - Creation By Maniseb

La Teverne MSN - Preview - Creation By Njone03

Longhorn MSN - Preview - Creation By Rolando

Love MSN - Preview - Creation By bidibooum

Mac OSX MSN - Preview - Creation By theunknown

Matrix MSN - Preview - Creation By Shady

MessBase MSN - Preview - Creation By Gobliz

Milk Messenger - Preview - Creation By sosodamn

Mind Killer Messenger - Preview - Creation By sanguinius

MSN'xs - Preview - Creation By jeromebzh

MSN Aqua X - Preview - Creation By Jab Inc

MSN Baby - Preview - Creation By Kitoune

MSN Betanews - Preview - Creation By bidibooum

MSN Créative - Preview - Creation By Toons

MSN Crystal X - Preview - Creation By Jab Inc

MSN Donkey Kong - Preview - Creaton By Hexa

MSN Graffiti - Preview - Creation By Toon's

MSN Halloween - Preview - Creation By Toon's

MSN Le Chat - Preview - Creation By Hexa

MSN Love - Preview - Creation By Toon's

MSN Mac - Preview - Creation By mandy_07_12

MSN Marijuana - Preview - Creation By Toons

MSN Me To You - Preview - Creation By Jerem59150

MSN Messed Edition - Preview - Creation By Rolando

]MSN Meuhsenger - Preview - Creation By Jerem

MSN Milk - Preview - Creation By ireyhl

MSN Minimal - Preview - Creation By PK

MSN Nebula - Preview - Creation By jeromebzh

MSN Nuvola - Preview - Creation By sosodamn

MSN Ocean - Preview - Creation By jeromebzh

MSN Ocean II - Preview - Creation By jeromebzh

MSN Rougemuraille - Preview - Creation By Floman

MSN Sexy - Preview - Creation By Shine

MSN Smallville - No Preview Yet - Creation By zefaya

MSN Smiley's - Preview - Creation By Toon's

MSN Soldier Of Fortune II - Preview - Creation By Toon's

MSN SoniC - Preview - Creation By SoniCmanlove

MSN SoniC Version 2 - Preview - Creation By SoniCmanlove

MSN Stargate - Preview - Creation By Yoman

MSN The Lord Of The Rings - Preview - Creation By Toon's & Koochie

MSN Tribal Tattoo - Preview - Creation By Toon's

MSN Virtual Skipper - Preview - Creation By Njone03

MSN Yeti Sports - Preview - Creation By Toon's

Nemo MSN - Preview - Creation By bidibooum

Neowin MSN - Preview - Creation By Rolando

Pac Paintball MSN - Preview - Creation By Spike

Penguin MSN - Preview - Creation By Rolando

Pink Messenger - Preview - Creation By The Don(click link for offical site please next time ask for it to be hosted we are haveing problems getting the skin working on both xp and win98 so technically the offical release has been on hold. please take this rar down untill further notice from The Don{wich is me} or dreamweaver)

Playboy MSN - Preview - Creation By guitarfreak1988

Rocky.net Messenger - Preview - Creation By relativity17

Simpsons MSN - Preview - Creation By Toon's

Smooth MSN - Preview - Creation By sosodamn

Snow.E2 Messenger - Preview - Creation By sosodamn

Sonic MSN - Preview - Creation By Dr. Download

Star Wars MSN - Preview - Creation By Toon's

Tiger Messenger Brushed - Preview - Creation By YJorkge Luis cA eS

Tiger Messenger Milk - Preview - Creation By YJorkge Luis cA eS

TuX Messenger - Preview - Creation By BuSTa`

Urban MSN - Preview - Creation By Rolando

Urban 2 MSN - Preview - Creation By Toon's

Worms Messenger - Preview #1 Preview #2 - Creation By CRiMi

X-Box MSN - Preview - Creation By Shady

XIX MSN - Preview - Creation By lovecho

Zelda MSN - Preview - Creation By Huuf

Zolex MSN - Preview - Creation By bidibooum

Zolex Old MSN - Preview - Creation By bidibooum


Some skins that I know of that need updating: Blu Beta MSN, HB Skin, MSN Messenger Kamaized, and Pirate MSN

And that's all

weeheee! Thanks man! Just found a new skin to use! (Been using Futuristic for a while)

back to Futuristic

Thanks man! I've been wanting Clear Msn to be like were I can use it! It's awesome! Nice work done!

Actually.... I just took off the skin.... TheBlasphemer's emo patch doesn't work with this version

TheBlasphermer's patch only works with 6.2.0133 as far as I'm aware.

EDIT: Just been made aware that there's a universal patch. It still doesn't work? Seems odd Ah well...sorry about that then...

http://msn.jaymach.com/skins/MSNMinimal6.2.0137.zip
is a link to the new msn minimal with the toasts skinned and other fetures that wernt done in the one u have up there
edit
im downloading the msn minimal thats up there just to see if the preview was of the old version or the one i updated
never mind the version you got is the latest one just the screenshot is old

thankyou so much, ive been looking for skins!!! now they are all in one place!

wow....thanks for the skins.

The sexy msn doesn't support plus, don't any of the skins have installers?

How do i get my original Tabs back instead of the French ones i get when when i install the skin?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Abz2k4
How do i get my original Tabs back instead of the French ones i get when when i install the skin?

---

traxor: I could make installers for them....but I just thought it was rather pointless, as u can just extract it to wherever MSN is installed to instead. And Sexy MSN worked with Plus! fine for me...but if you're saying it doesn't I'll instal it again just to make sure

Abz2k4: Personally I would suggest getting either the Mess games patch (http://games.mess.be) and installing the tabs option as well, or get the TabServ patch (http://www.msnfanatic.com/tabserv/) and just have whatever tabs you want . Note: Read everything on that site so u don't make any mistakes .

Ye i was thinking of doing that, thanks.

JayMach, you should put a not in your first post saying that the tabs with those things are in french and that you need to get the Tab Serv patch to get your tabs back man.

1) Jaymach, not JayMach

2) Meh, I might as well add it. Though it isn't with all skins, just some.

if your gonna use tabserv add my weebl and bob tab i updated it so it looks just like the official site

For the emo-typing problem, StuffPlug does it just fine

quote:

---

Originally posted by traxor

quote:

---

Originally posted by Abz2k4
How do i get my original Tabs back instead of the French ones i get when when i install the skin?

---

You haven't installed the skins, all you do is open messenger how you originally do, unfortunately, these skins don't come with installers.

---

There is Windows X 6.2 but not the latest one.

It's ok i've got it, i downloaded it from the list Jaymach provided.

quote:

---

Originally posted by JaymachRalTir
Crystal MSN - Preview - Creation By Jab Inc

---

is there a patch to restore the tabs that the messenger have (not the ones we made with tabserv ok)

Crystal MSN is a great skin, thanks EvilSeph.

quote:

---

Originally posted by EsManDau
is there a patch to restore the tabs that the messenger have (not the ones we made with tabserv ok)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by EvilSeph

quote:

---

Originally posted by JaymachRalTir
Crystal MSN - Preview - Creation By Jab Inc

---

Actually, Crystal MSN is made by me, and someone updated and released Crystal MSN without my permission, not exactly happy about this..

MSN Crystal is, however, made by Jab Inc, but Crystal MSN is not, Crystal MSN (the one in the screenshot at http://www.zolexmsn.com/Versions/Crystal/) is made by me and I don't want it to be updated and distributed without my permission.

---

hello
thanks for the updates

i got a request, can u update this skin for me?
thanks alot

I saved one of the skins by clicking on 'Save As' then saved it in C:\ProgramFiles\MSNMessenger as msnmsgr.exe, and replaced the old one.

But when I ran Messenger, it opened in a DOS Window instead, then closed.

Anyone know whats wrong? And am I doing this right?

You just extract the file to C:\ProgramFiles\MSN Messenger and open Messenger and it should work. If you can't extract the file you may need to download Win Ace.

Alun: You're not supposed to Save the download as a .exe file. It says quite clearly in my first post that the files are in .rar format, and you need to EXTRACT them the to MSN Messenger folder. Do NOT change the file extension on the downloadable file.

Everyone: Updated my post to include a new skin called La Taverne MSN.

Thanks Abz2k4, all I needed was WinAce

when i use the skin...plus doesnt show, then the recovery screen pops up, when you press recover it opens regular messenger  neone know how to fix this?

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoochTheMan
when i use the skin...plus doesnt show, then the recovery screen pops up, when you press recover it opens regular messenger  neone know how to fix this?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoochTheMan
when i use the skin...plus doesnt show, then the recovery screen pops up, when you press recover it opens regular messenger  neone know how to fix this?

---

i tried it for Ferrari Msn and Cannabis Msn

Are you sure you installed MSN 6.2.0137 before installing the skin? Try uninstalling MSN completely, delete all files in the MSN Messenger folder, reinstal MSN 6.2.0137, and then extract the skin.

When are you going to be updating the rest of the skins you posted?

Skins are dodgy and illegal (violate Microsofts TOS), tbh.  Just be aware of that when using them, k, thx.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dane
Skins are dodgy and illegal (violate Microsofts TOS), tbh.  Just be aware of that when using them, k, thx.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by XxRebelSeanxX

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dane
Skins are dodgy and illegal (violate Microsofts TOS), tbh.  Just be aware of that when using them, k, thx.

---

But, why, however, do over 100,000 people use them and Microsoft hasn't done shit? Skins have been aroiund for years and noone has ever got prosocuted (to my knowledge) for using them.

---

I cant get rid off those tabs that it comes with, i alredy had a tabserv account. and i cant get my tabs back. Any ideas?

Opps just realised that you have to repatch it with the tabserv patch

* Plik slaps madman66 around abit with a large trout

Everyone may have noticed that Rolando's skins have been taken down by request.

And yes, skins are most completely illegal. If Microsoft contact me in any way to tell me to take them all down then I shall. But personally, I don't think they really care that much as long as it doesn't harm their product, not that that makes it any less illegal.

EDIT: Edited out the answer to a previous question as they found out how to solve it themselves.

EDIT 2: Updated my first post to include the 2 new skins I'm hosting (MSN Korilla & MSN Mac).

How about in the screenshots, I know some of them you don't host, but anyways, Show what they will look like in the System Tray? Thats one thing I look for wene I get skins, is to see what the icon in the system tray looks like.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sean
How about in the screenshots, I know some of them you don't host, but anyways, Show what they will look like in the System Tray? Thats one thing I look for wene I get skins, is to see what the icon in the system tray looks like.

---

Although this is technically double posting....just thought I would say I've added another skin....MSN SoniC...a very nice skin for any Sonic the Hedgehog lovers

if i install a skin, realise i dont like it, can i 'install' another skin rite away or do i ave to do sumthing to get rid of the old skin?

Do this

Start> Settings > Control Panel> Add/Remove programs. Double click on Msn Messenger, and it will ask to uninstall or repair. Repair it dont uninstall it. Hope the helps.

ahhh....it's ok; all i have to do is save the new fiel over the old one and it's reskinned. thanks though Sean

Its really starting to piss me off.  I have downloaded the skin Snow Messenger E2, and for some reason i cannot get plus on it...whenever the recovery screen shows up, i press the recover, then it opens regular msn.  Maybe i am not using it properly, i dont know.  Someone plz tell me what i need to get plus to work on it.

I'm bookmarking this lad. Well done

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoochTheMan
Its really starting to piss me off.  I have downloaded the skin Snow Messenger E2, and for some reason i cannot get plus on it...whenever the recovery screen shows up, i press the recover, then it opens regular msn.  Maybe i am not using it properly, i dont know.  Someone plz tell me what i need to get plus to work on it.

---

That would happen if you're not replacing the msnmsgr.exe you have with the one you downloaded.

Updated my first post to include Rolando's great skins again, with their new installers, and also the new version of Neowin MSN.

Also added Green Tribaled MSN, MSN Betanews, and MSN Korilla v2.

As per request from Martini, I have changed the GrayScale MSN .rar file over to the .exe file which he made, as it has an option to just patch the msgslang.dll so that it remains whatever language you have it as.

That Msn Messed is AWESOME tbh the best one I've seen besides EvilSeph's one...So let me get this correct, for rolando's skinns there is a installer for the skinn? So I just download the .exe and run it ?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sean
That Msn Messed is AWESOME tbh the best one I've seen besides EvilSeph's one...So let me get this correct, for rolando's skinns there is a installer for the skinn? So I just download the .exe and run it ?

---

I know this might seem like harsh but do you mind updating the skins to were they have no tab things on there. It gets annoying when you have to get tabserve to get the tabs off .

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sean
I know this might seem like harsh but do you mind updating the skins to were they have no tab things on there. It gets annoying when you have to get tabserve to get the tabs off .

---

No, I mean't have the original tabs on there, the ones on there now are in like french, and its dodgy and only has like 4 tabs on the skins....Now ya get me?

yes, they should be the default ones IMO too....

There not is what im saying. It's patched. I was asking why not update the file to the unpatched thing.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sean
There not is what im saying. It's patched. I was asking why not update the file to the unpatched thing.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sean
Now ya get me?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised
yes, they should be the default ones IMO too....

---

Jaymach, i don't want to be rude or anything, but could you take off Boo7MSN and ClearMSN, i'm planning to re-make them.

ClearMSN transparencies will be modified

and Boo7MSN...... that's a OLD skin i want to fix it up


don't wait for them, i'll do it when i find the time

quote:

---

Originally posted by CookieRevised

*sigh* No wonder that your postcount is so high if you need more then 1 posts to explain something, or because you're never make sense/are clear the first time, or with all the misunderstandings because you don't read posts.
IMHO, you're still the same spammer, only now you do it in a way so your posts can't be pruned.....

---

and strangely, openConvo does not work with Futuristic Msn. seems that the toasts' design are clashing with one another. back to spng open convo notifier

Taken down Boo7MSN, and ClearMSN as requested, and unfortunately I'm too lazy to change the tabs for each any every skin, then reupload them to my host...sorry....besides....all I'd be doing to them would be putting on the games.mess.be patch....so meh....I do know that's not what you were asking for....but like I said....I'm lazy

FrozernFire: openConvo shouldn't have any problems with any of the skins....so I dunno what's happened there....all I can really suggest is using Stuffplug-NG or MessengerDiscovery for the functions of openConvo?

quote:

---

Originally posted by FrozernFire
and strangely, openConvo does not work with Futuristic Msn. seems that the toasts' design are clashing with one another. back to spng open convo notifier

---

seems that it decided to work after 1 day. i think it's because my sis used the comp. maybe she did something

Can you like post these in zip form
??

btw, where can i get tabserv cos msnfanatic seems to be down for me


Edit by Fraisie: Please do not double post. Use the "Edit" button instead.

quote:

---

Originally posted by BooGhost
Jaymach, i don't want to be rude or anything, but could you take off Boo7MSN and ClearMSN, i'm planning to re-make them.

ClearMSN transparencies will be modified

and Boo7MSN...... that's a OLD skin i want to fix it up


don't wait for them, i'll do it when i find the time

---

Updated my post to include another skin called "The Art Of Star Wars MSN"...all the images in it were created by Toon's, but he hadn't put them together into a skin, so I had to do that myself...so if you see anything wrong with it compared to the screenshot then please tell me so that I can fix it.

Note: I know that the black bit in the sign-in window is blue in the version I had to create, but I suck at hex editing, so I can't fix that without asking someone how to

Although this is technically a double post (and mod's, please feel free to merge my 2 posts into one post), I just thought I'd say that I'm hosting anotger 3 skins....Rocky.net Messenger (with a lot more changes than you can see in the preview), Tiger Messenger Brushed, and Tiger Messenger Milk....sorry about the double post again, but it's the only way I can effectively let people know.

EDIT 1: Updated the 1st post to include Longhorn MSN as well, another brilliant skin from Rolando

EDIT 2: Updated the 1st post again to also include MSN Rougemuraille

EDIT 3: Updated the 1st post yet again, now to include Kitty MSN, and Worms Messenger

EDIT 4: Once again, updated the 1st post...it now includes MSN Meuhsenger and Pac Paintball MSN

may i can download that skin?about frarii?

Uhm....I'm not stopping anyone from downloading skins? Just click the name of the skin in my 1st post...


EDIT: Edited the 1st post to include MSN Me Yo You, MSN Le Chat, and a new MSN Mac skin, and renamed the old MSN Mac skin to aMac Messenger.

EDIT 2: Edited the 1st post to include Emo MSN, MSN Halloween, and MSN Halloween 6.2

EDIT 3: Edited the 1st post again, now it includes MSN Milk, and TuX Messenger, a skin based on Penguin MSN.

EDIT 4: Updated the 1st post once more, it now includes MSN The Lord Of The Rings, and EMO MSN has been updated to the new version.

EDIT 5: Once again, updated the 1st post, now it includes Fumaos Skin, Graphic UI Tuned, Halo MSN, Iswag MSN, MessBase MSN, Mind Killer Messenger, MSN Graffiti, MSN Love, MSN Nebula, MSN Soldier Of Fortune II, & MSN Stargate

Well...I'm getting a bit sick of updating my last post in this thread...so I'm making another one ...the 1st post now includes another skin called MSN Donkey Kong...and check my previous post for lots of other updates I made.

quote:

---

Originally posted by JaymachRalTir
Well...I'm getting a bit sick of updating my last post in this thread...so I'm making another one ...the 1st post now includes another skin called MSN Donkey Kong...and check my previous post for lots of other updates I made.

---

The Windows X version over on mess.be is actually an older version...to get the new version (which actually works), you'll have to go to www.windowsx.org...and I actually have quite a lot more skins than is in Windows X...so I continue to host them...and just in case Windows X stops working for some reason as well.

EDIT: I'm hosting 86 skins, with an additional 3 taken down as requested, as opposed to the 50 in Windows X

how do i switch bak to the original msn skin?

quote:

---

Originally posted by DureX
how do i switch bak to the original msn skin?

---

-_- im to lazy.. ill just stay with crystal... its not that bad actually

Although it's not quite the original, Graphic UI Tuned MSN is a nice smoothed out version of the original skin...just if you ever really wanna go back to the normal look.

where can i get a download and preview?

In my 1st post >.>...same as everything else.

can you get skins for msn 7?

I know of a few....but not many....I may host them at the beginning of next month when my monthly limit goes back down to 0

EDIT: Updated the 1st post to now include Beer Messenger, MSN Smallville, Pink Messenger, and Sonic MSN, as well as updating some of the links that no longer worked.

EDIT 2: Updated the 1st post, it now includes Crystal MSN again (YAY! Thanks for letting me host it again ), and an updated Sonic MSN.

i updated emo msn... emo msn

Now hosting the updated version of EMO MSN. Also removed Pink Messenger as requested by The Don as it wasn't working properly on most systems.

quote:

---

Originally posted by joe
can you get skins for msn 7?

---

I do actually already have a list of some skins for the latest MSN 7 Beta (7.0.0425), but have decided not to host them, as a new Beta will probably be released within weeks of me putting them up, so I have decided to wait for the final version of MSN 7 before hosting any.

awww!
Thank you so much!!
I have a question somone have a pooh skin?! I really want one


If somone want,
I have a funny and beauiful skin of penguin! (here Look at the pic)--->
but its combination of two skins the penguin msn & Gant MSN

Just to let people know, updated the list to include Playboy MSN.

Oh and taltalit: Can ya send me that skin so I can host it?

quote:

---

Originally posted by taltalit
awww!
Thank you so much!!
I have a question somone have a pooh skin?! I really want one


If somone want,
I have a funny and beauiful skin of penguin! (here Look at the pic)--->
but its combination of two skins the penguin msn & Gant MSN
http://img107.exs.cx/img107/7844/po.gif

---

Not a major thing, but I've added MSN SoniC Version 2 to the skins list. This is not a replacement for the original MSN SoniC, simply a different varient.

EDIT: Added Aquafied MSN to the list in the 1st post.

Very nice, ive been using most from there from time to time , but i cant use many im running MSN Messenger 7

I'm using XIX MSN, and there seems to be a slight visual bug.

Contacts signing in from WebMessenger have no icon. Does anyone else know of this problem?

what about msn msg 7 beta? any skins for that? (other than the ones on mess.be)(if anyone asked that before, i'm sorry, but i'm too lazy to go through the pages)

quote:

---

Originally posted by supersonicdarky
what about msn msg 7 beta? any skins for that?

---

This list seems fairly redundant seeing as there's a new version of MSN 6.2, therefore, I'm going to stop hosting them. Sorry. If you really want any of them then please feel free to e-mail me. I shall still be hosting the MSN 7 skins however, and all of these skins will be avaliable on TB's SkinManager, which can be found at MSNThemes.com when it starts working again.

Hello there;

I saw a skin ''Ferrari MSN - Preview - Creation By bidibooum''
at first page but ı did'nt understand how it will be install.Can anyone tell?

quote:

---

Originally posted by muhtar
did'nt understand how it will be install.Can anyone tell?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by JaymachRalTir
If you really want any of them then please feel free to e-mail me

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by JaymachRalTir
all of these skins will be avaliable on TB's SkinManager, which can be found at MSNThemes.com

---

that skin's works in 7.0777 version ?

some downloads ain't works

Please read the 5 posts above yours...
Always read threads first before asking something


Also read: "CookieRevised's reply to Want Skins? MSN Messenger Build 7.0.0425 Beta Skins":

quote:

---

People, please read the complete threads before posting. Many questions asked lately in this thread are already answered at the beginning...

----

What are skins:
Skins are exactly what the word says: 'skins' (aka 'altered looks'). They 'wrap around' a normal program to make it look different. If you wanna know how MSN Messenger skins can look, then take a look at the previews in the first post of this thread (if the bandwidth allows it)


How to make skins:
You must be very experienced in hex editing and resource editing. If you don't know what that means, then don't even bother thinking about skinning MSN Messenger, it isn't easy.
For more info visit: http://www.messenger-skins.net/


How to install a skin:
First make absolutely sure you have the correct version of the skin. Skins are version dependent. A skin made for 7.0.425 will NOT work on 7.0.605, etc...

Second, make sure you have a clean install of MSN Messenger, thus without any patches (this isn't always needed, but it often is)...

Then follow exactly the instructions given in the installer of the skin or in the 'readme' file that comes with it...


What's the bussiness with those .RAR and .ZIP files:
Those are archives which contain the actual needed files, and you need an archive extractor like WinZip or WinRar to extract the files from it. Also see the first post in this thread.

But tbh, if you don't know what archives are and how to deal with them, then you maybe aren't ready to start fiddling with skins...


I get a "Could not find offset to match!" error
Do as suggested: uninstall any skin or patch you already have installed. Make absolutely sure you are installing the skin on an original unmodified version of MSN Messenger and that you have the correct version of the skin for your MSN Messenger version.

To have a clean unmodified version of MSN Messenger to install your skin on, simply reinstall/repair the original MSN Messenger.


I can't download the skins from the first post in this thread:
JaymachRalTir, the creator of this thread, has already clearly stated several times that his bandwidth on his site, which hosts the skins, is limited and runs out quickly.

You can still try to click on the preview link to see if it will take you to another site. Some listed skins in the first post have screenshots on their own official site and thus are linked to there. In that way you can browse the official site for that skin and find an installer for the skin if available...

Other sources for skins are:
http://www.msnthemes.com/?act=skinmgr
http://www.rolandunderg.net/skins.php
http://www.messenger-skins.net/


but always keep an eye on the version numbers of the skins; each skin is made for a particular msn messenger version!

Also note that the skins listed in this thread are outdated and not for the latest MSN Messenger.

---