Shoutbox

Troubleshooting MSN Messenger
This guide will help you out with most common problems with MSN Messenger in a few steps. All these solutions and more can be found at my own website http://www.msn-problems.com. If it doesn't work start a new topic so others can have a look at your problem.

Step 1: Clean up your PC
To make a good start we will begin with cleaning up your computer. If you are sure it already is you can skip this part and continue with Step 2.
- Make sure your computer is virus free. If you have a virusscanner check your computer for virusses. If you don't have one you can use a free online virusscan. Two good ones are: HouseCall, Panda ActiveScan.
- Use Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy to clean your computer from spyware and adware.
- Another important thing is to have the latest Windows updates and patches. You can download them here.
- The final thing you should do is defragment your harddisks.
Once you are done check if your MSN Messenger works again. If not continue with General Troubleshooting.

Step 2: General Troubleshooting
- Make sure you have the latest stable version of MSN Messenger installed, download.
- Change your password into something different here and try to login again.
- If you have a firewall have a look here to see if it is configured the right way.
- Clear your IE cache and cookies. Start "Internet Explorer", click "Tools", then "Internet Options...". Use the "Delete Cookies" and "Delete Files..." buttons to clear your IE cache and cookies.
- Check your IE Security settings. Start "Internet Explorer", click "Tools", then "Internet Options...". Go to the "Advanced" tab, scroll down to the "Security" section, and verify that "Check for server certificate revocation" is  unchecked. Also verify that "Use SSL 2.0" and "Use SSL 3.0" is checked. Click "OK" when done.
- Download and execute this file to register several dll files that are required by MSN Messenger.

Errorcode: 0x800B0004 or 800b001  (with MSN Messenger 7)
"Signing in to .NET Messenger Service failed because the service is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later."
This error is usually caused by Windows being unable to find a .dll file that is needed by MSN Messenger for security.
To resolve it, you can download this file and run it. It will register all the required .dll files which means Windows can find them.
If you prefer, you can also type the following commands yourself to register the .dll files
First open a command prompt by clicking start, then run. In the "run" screen, type: cmd and press enter. You get a command prompt window now. Now, type the following commands and press enter after each command:
regsvr32 softpub.dll, regsvr32 Wintrust.dll, regsvr32 Initpki.dll, regsvr32 Dssenh.dll, regsvr32 Rsaenh.dll, regsvr32 Gpkcsp.dll, regsvr32 Sccbase.dll, regsvr32 Slbcsp.dll, regsvr32 Mssip32.dll, regsvr32 Cryptdlg.dll.
You can now close the command prompt screen and Messenger should work correctly again.

Errorcode: 0x80004005
"Signing in to .NET Messenger Service failed because the service is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later"
There are two known causes for this problem: the most common one is that the MSN service is down for a while. If you didn't have this problem before just wait a while and see if you can get online again later.
If you keep getting this problem, the cause may be that your email address was blocked from accessing MSN Messenger. You can use this webpage to ask MSN to unblock it. Make sure you refer to the error code you got.

Errorcode: 0x81000301
"We were unable to sign you in to .NET Messenger Service, possibly because of a problem with the service or with your Internet connection. Please make sure that you are connected to the Internet."
This error indicates your password is incorrect, make sure you typed your username and password correctly. Also try if you can login here with your msn username and password, click on the Sign in button then type your username and password. If this fails someone else may have guessed your password and changed it. The only solution then is probably getting a new account and give that a password that is not easy to guess and keep this password safe.
If you can login on the passport.net site, however there may be a problem with MSN Messenger. Try one of the following solutions, please note however that these will delete your custom emoticons and display pictures.
If you use Windows 2000, XP or 2003:
Click on start and then on run. Now, type the following command: %appdata%\microsoft and press enter. Delete the MSN Messenger folder.
If you use Windows 95, 98 or Millenium (ME):
Click on start and then on run. Now, type the following command: %windir%\Application Data\Microsoft and press enter. Delete the MSN Messenger folder.

Errorcode: 0x8100036f
"There was a problem connecting you to MSN Messenger"
Open MSN Messenger and click on tools, then options, then connection tab. Untick the "I use a proxy server box". Try to sign in. If this didn't work tick it again and see if it works now.
Check if your Internet Explorer supports 128 bits encryption. Open Internet Explorer and click Help, then About Internet Explorer. If the Cipher Strength is anything less then 128 bits download and install the Internet Explorer High Encryption Pack.
In Internet Explorer: click Tools, then Internet Options, click Lan Settings in the connection Tab, click the "automatically detect settings" box and hit ok twice to confirm.
If you have a network: try to check if your proxy settings are the same as on a different pc on the network where messenger does work.

Errorcode: 0x81000303
"Sorry, we could not sign you in because the sign-in name you entered does not exist or your pasword is incorrect"
Your password may be incorrect, make sure you typed your username and password correctly. Also try if you can login here with your msn username and password, click on the Sign in button then type your username and password. If this fails someone else may have guessed your password and changed it. The only solution then is probably getting a new account and give that a password that is not easy to guess and keep this password safe.
If you can login on the passport.net site, however there may be a problem with MSN Messenger. First try this: Click start, then run. Type: regsvr32 softpub.dll and press enter.
If MSN Messenger still does not work, try the following. In Internet Explorer go to the tools menu, click on internet options, then on the advanced tab. Go down to the security section, then make sure check for server certificate revocation is off. use SSL 2.0 and use SSL 3.0 should both be on.
If you still cannot sign in, you can try reinstalling MSN Messenger, or even Windows itself.

Errorcode: 0x81000306 or 81000306 (with MSN Messenger 7)
"We were unable to sign you in to .NET Messenger Service, possibly because of a problem with the service or with your Internet connection. Please make sure that you are connected to the Internet."
If you did not have this problem before, this usally means the MSN server is not reachable. It may be down for a while, usually if you just wait a while you can connect to MSN Messenger again.
It may also indicate you have a proxy server or firewall on your network that does not allow MSN Messenger to connect. This is usually the case in companies or schools. Ask the network administrator how you can use MSN Messenger and if they will allow it. You can also use a web based messenger in this case.

Errorcode: 0x81000370
"There was a problem connecting you to MSN Messenger."
This error is usually caused by the security parts in MSN Messenger not working correctly
First, try the following: click start, then on run. Type: regsvr32 softpub.dll and press enter.
If MSN Messenger does not work yet after this, you can try closing Messenger then go to www.passport.net with Internet Explorer (also if you normally use another webbrowser) then click on the sign in button, you may get a certificate dialog. Accept the certificate, now if you start MSN Messenger it should work.
If you did not get the certificate dialog and MSN Messenger still does not work, open the advanced settings dialog in Internet Explorer by clicking on the Tools - Internet options menu and then go to the advanced tab. Go down to the security section and make sure use SSL 2.0 and use SSL 3.0 are both checked.

Errorcode: 0x8100035b
"There was a problem connecting you to MSN Messenger."
This error is usually caused by MSN Messenger being unable to connect through a proxy server or firewall.
Proxy servers are usually placed on larger computernetworks and are used to cache Internet sites and to provide extra security. A firewall is a server or software that filters network packets. If you have a network administrator he or she can probably help with letting MSN Messenger connect through the firewall or proxy server.
TCP port 1863 should be open to allow instant messages to be sent. If you want to transfer files at full speed as well, open TCP ports in the range 6891-6900. Open port 6901 both as UDP and TCP if you want to use audio conversations.

"Sign me in automatically" checkbox is missing in MSN Messenger
The "Sign me in automatically" checkbox is missing and you have to retype your username and password each time to get online in MSN Messenger. This is probably caused by a security setting which does not permit storing passwords on your computer. If you have sufficient rights (you are an administrator) on your computer you can reset this setting by running this file.

Some or all of your MSN Messenger contacts have disappeared from your contactlist
First, try restarting your computer and see if the contacts reappear.
If this does not help, you can see if your contacts are still in the My allow list. In Messenger, click the tools menu, then click options. In the box that appears click the privacy tab. Here you will see on the left a list called My allow list. Here you can add each contact to to your list again. To do so right click on a contact and choose add to contacts
If your contacts are not listed here then the problem is probably on the MSN server. You can try signing in on a different computer to see if your contact list appears, but if this is not the case you will have to add each contact again.

MSN Messenger is slow when sending messages
When you type a message to one of your contacts and press enter to send it, it takes up to 15 seconds to send. Your computer generally does not feel very slow, other programs run fast.
This problem is usually caused by Layered Service Provider (LSP) which slows down your Internet connection.
Software on your computer can insert themselves in your computer's network stack. This is known as Layered Service Provider or LSP for short. Normal programs usually do not do this, most of the time it is spyware that reroutes all your Internet through a server of the spyware company. This way they can analyze what websites you visit or serve extra popups on those sites (without the site being responsible for the extra popups).
Layered service provider injected by malware can make your Internet connection slow, causing a delay as long as 15 seconds in sending messages in MSN Messenger.

I hope this helped. If not, maybe you can use webmessenger until you found a working solution.

©msn-problems.com: You may use these solutions to help out other people (a link with it to msn-problem.com is welcome). But do not steal this post.

Greetings,

Sjoerd

dont have time to read it all but looks like a nice guide

Cool, I only read extracts. But it seems well organised and easy to use; this would be an excellent cross-reference when helping people from time to time...Nice work mate

Yeah....totally excelent thing for nuby to steal to help people when he becomes confused. Seriously if you took all that time to write it then good work.