Shoutbox

I've checked 'Start Messenger when I log on to my computer' and 'Open main  window when messenger signs in' but I've noticed when my computer loads to the desktop screen, the main window is always minimized and I have to click the icon at the taskbar to bring up the window.

Is there a way to fix this?

Yes.

Although Messenger does run when you login and opens the main window in the background when it signs in, there's no option to choose between running it in the background (minimized) or open in the foreground.

So why does Messenger run minimized?
If you press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run box, type msconfig and click OK, it'll bring up System Configuration. Clicking the Startup tab, you'll see a list of some of the programs that run when you log on to Windows - Windows Live Messenger should be there. If you expand the Command column and look at Messenger, you'll see it has /background at the very end, meaning it runs in the background rather than open in the foreground.

How can I change this?
To change this, we have to go into the Registry Editor. Press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run box, type regedit and click OK. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and you'll find a string value called msnmsgr; double click to edit it, remove the /background at the end, click OK, then close the Registry Editor. Messenger will now open in the foreground when you login to Windows.

Thank you. This definitely helped me.

Two more options:

Have Messenger remember you and sign you in automatically. Then, the main window will be opened after you are signed in.

If you would not like to do this, an easier way to have Messenger open on startup is to copy a shortcut to it into the Startup folder in your Start Menu. Also disable the startup option in the program for this method.

quote:

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Originally posted by Chris4
there's no option to choose between running it in the background (minimized) or open in the foreground.

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Actually there is. Or rather, it is a combination of options you'd need.

quote:

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Originally posted by Chris4
So why does Messenger run minimized?
[...]
you'll see it has /background at the very end, meaning it runs in the background rather than open in the foreground.

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That's not quite accurate or correct.
It is far more complicated than that.

quote:

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Originally posted by rav0
Have Messenger remember you and sign you in automatically. Then, the main window will be opened after you are signed in.

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That's unfortunately even less accurate than what Chris4 said.

quote:

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Originally posted by rav0
If you would not like to do this, an easier way to have Messenger open on startup is to copy a shortcut to it into the Startup folder in your Start Menu. Also disable the startup option in the program for this method.

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That doesn't make any difference at all in regards to how it will behave.
But it is an alternative for messing in the registry though.
(I guess you meant the later)




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quote:

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Originally posted by xho
I've checked 'Start Messenger when I log on to my computer' and 'Open main  window when messenger signs in' but I've noticed when my computer loads to the desktop screen, the main window is always minimized and I have to click the icon at the taskbar to bring up the window.

Is there a way to fix this?

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First you need to know that Messenger consists of 2 different windows:

1. You have the so called 'main window'. This is not the contactlist in regards to this matter!
   It is the window where you enter your Windows Live Id and would press the 'log in' button.
   
2. You have the 'contactlist'. Although often referred to as the 'main window' it is actually not the same in regards to the described problem.

Second, there are 2 options in Messenger's preferences in regards to the described problem:

1. 'Open main window when Messenger starts'
   
2. 'Automatically connect when there is an internet connection'

So, where does that /background parameter come into play and what does it mean exactly?

It actually works in tandem with the preference option 'Open main window when Messenger starts'.
To be more precise, it only has any influence when you have enabled the preference 'Open main window when Messenger starts'.
When you have disabled it, the /background parameter does absolutely nothing; it is ignored!

The easiest to describe it all and to show what it exactly does is to show you a true/false table with those other two preferences:

/background   'open main win'   'auto connect when internet'     'main window'   'contactlist'

    no              disabled               enabled         =>     minimized         minimized
    yes             disabled               enabled         =>     minimized         minimized
    no              enabled                enabled         =>      visible           visible
    yes             enabled                enabled         =>     minimized          visible

    no              disabled               disabled        =>     minimized           -n/a-
    yes             disabled               disabled        =>     minimized           -n/a-
    no              enabled                disabled        =>      visible            -n/a-
    yes             enabled                disabled        =>      visible            -n/a-

But what about those other two options in the 'main window': 'Automatically sign in' and 'Remember my password'?

These two options are saved per user, where-as the preference 'Automatically connect when there is an internet connection' is for all users.

This means that if either user option ('Automatically sign in' or 'Remember my password') is disabled for a particular user, and that user happens to be the last one who has logged in before, then Messenger can not auto-connect, and thus its window behavior is identical to as if the preference 'Automatically connect when there is an internet connection' was disabled (see table above).

To conclude:

If you want the contactlist to be shown after automatically signing in:

1. First make sure you have entered a Windows Live Id and the proper correct password for it.
   
   
2. In the main window, enable the options 'Automatically sign in' and 'Remember my password'.
   
   
3. Open the preferences window (menu Tools > Options) and enable:
   'Open main window when Messenger starts'
   and
   'Automatically connect when there is an internet connection'
   and press 'OK'.
   
   
4. * Then, if you want the 'main window' (aka the signing in process) to be hidden/minimized:
   
   You don't have to do anything as long as if you enabled the preference option 'Start Messenger when Windows starts'.
   Enabling this preference option will add the /background parameter automatically.
   
   * If you want the 'main window' (aka the signing in process) to be visible too:
   
   
   1. Enable the option 'Start Messenger when Windows starts' in Messenger's preferences and press 'OK'.
      This will add the proper command line to Windows' startup entries.
      
      
   2. Open your registry editor (Win > Run > regedit)
      
      
   3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
      
      
   4. There you'll see the just added key named msnmsgr. Now rename that key (select it and press F2)!
      This is important! If you do not do that Messenger will otherwise remove the key again.
      
      
   5. Now remove the /background parameter from the string value (select the key and press enter).
      
      
   6. Close the registry editor and go to Messenger's preferences again and disable the option 'Start Messenger when Windows starts' and press 'OK'.
   
   
5. Sign manually in to save all changes once.

the exact descriptions of the various options might be a bit different though; I don't have the English version installed here.