try deleting your contacts cache
quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
Remove all the cache and storage directories used by Messenger (if they still exist):
C:\Documents and Settings\your_username\Application Data\Microsoft\MSN Messenger\
C:\Documents and Settings\your_username\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Call\
C:\Documents and Settings\your_username\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Messenger\
C:\Documents and Settings\your_username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts\
C:\Documents and Settings\your_username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Messenger\
C:\Documents and Settings\your_username\Contacts\
C:\Windows\Temp\MessengerCache\
The contacts cache is the one in bold, but it won't hurt to remove the other directories as well.