Shoutbox

OK....This is getting annoying, I have lost all ability to see emoticons. If I type the short cut in I see the short cut both in the message window as well as in the conversation window. Although I see the keyboard short cut the person I'm having the conversation with sees the emoticon. If I click on the emoticon in the emoticon window then I can see the icon in the message window but as soon as I push enter I see the short cut for that emoticon. So far I have rebooted my computer, uninstalled MSG Plus! and MSN Messenger then rebooted. Then reinstalled and rebooted. I've done a system restore and I've done a virus scan. Next I'm going to do a desk defrag which is long over due but I don't think that that will do anything. So far I've come up with nothing. Please help me, this is getting rather annoying.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Be sure this option is checked
(Main Messenger window) Tools\Options\Messages -> Show custom emoticons in instant messages

It was and still isn't working.