Cannot change Display Name

I'm running MSN Messenger 6 on Windows 98SE. I'm trying to
change some options - like My Display Name, but it won't
let me save the changes. As soon as I click OK, I get the
message "The number in the minutes box must be 1 or
greater. To turn off the activity detector, please clear
the check box." Problem is, all of the settings / check
boxes in the "My Status" section are greyed out, so I
can't change them.
I have tried uninstalling, downloading messenger again, re-
installing, but no luck.
Please help !

Jonathan
Sun Oct 05 20:41:49 CDT 2003

Greetings Karen,

Try this -- click Start, then Settings, then Control Panel, then Add/Remove Programs and
uninstall MSN Messenger (as you have already).

Then start the registry editor by clicking Start, then Run, enter "regedit" and click OK.

Then go to (they look like small folders) My
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MSNMessenger. Click the 'MSNMessenger' key
(which again, looks like a folder), then go to the Edit menu, and then choose Delete. Say
"Yes" to confirm the operation.

Then try reinstalling MSN Messenger 6.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com


"Karen" <nzleia@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:258a01c38ba9$ba7d17c0$3501280a@phx.gbl...
> I'm running MSN Messenger 6 on Windows 98SE. I'm trying to
> change some options - like My Display Name, but it won't
> let me save the changes. As soon as I click OK, I get the
> message "The number in the minutes box must be 1 or
> greater. To turn off the activity detector, please clear
> the check box." Problem is, all of the settings / check
> boxes in the "My Status" section are greyed out, so I
> can't change them.
> I have tried uninstalling, downloading messenger again, re-
> installing, but no luck.
> Please help !

karen
Mon Oct 06 15:25:41 CDT 2003

Hi Jonathon,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
OK, I have uninstalled MSN Messenger, deleted the
entire MSN Messenger Registry Key, and re-installed MSN
Messenger 6, but unfortunately I still have the same
problem.( I cannot change my Display Name ) I also cannot
change the Start Messenger Automatically setting. Again,
as soon as I click OK, I get the "the number in the
minutes box must be greater than 1" message, and, of
course, the My Status section is still greyed out.

I note that Messenger has kept my Contacts, so it is
obvious that Messenger has installed some other "hidden"
software somewhere on my PC, and the uninstall program
does not remove it.

Please help, I would prefer to keep using MSN Messenger,
rather than have to get another Messaging program.

Regards,

Karen
>-----Original Message-----
>Greetings Karen,
>
>Try this -- click Start, then Settings, then Control
Panel, then Add/Remove Programs and
>uninstall MSN Messenger (as you have already).
>
>Then start the registry editor by clicking Start, then
Run, enter "regedit" and click OK.
>
>Then go to (they look like small folders) My
>Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MSNMessenger
. Click the 'MSNMessenger' key
>(which again, looks like a folder), then go to the Edit
menu, and then choose Delete. Say
>"Yes" to confirm the operation.
>
>Then try reinstalling MSN Messenger 6.
>____________________________________________
>Jonathan Kay
>Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
>Associate Expert
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
>Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
>
>
>"Karen" <nzleia@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:258a01c38ba9$ba7d17c0$3501280a@phx.gbl...
>> I'm running MSN Messenger 6 on Windows 98SE. I'm trying
to
>> change some options - like My Display Name, but it won't
>> let me save the changes. As soon as I click OK, I get
the
>> message "The number in the minutes box must be 1 or
>> greater. To turn off the activity detector, please clear
>> the check box." Problem is, all of the settings / check
>> boxes in the "My Status" section are greyed out, so I
>> can't change them.
>> I have tried uninstalling, downloading messenger again,
re-
>> installing, but no luck.
>> Please help !
>
>
>.
>

Johnny
Mon Oct 06 15:35:02 CDT 2003

Your contacts are not stored on your computer, but on a server...


"karen" <nzleia@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:05d301c38c48$03164170$a301280a@phx.gbl...
>
> I note that Messenger has kept my Contacts, so it is
> obvious that Messenger has installed some other "hidden"
> software somewhere on my PC, and the uninstall program
> does not remove it.
>

JW
Mon Oct 06 16:04:47 CDT 2003

In fact most all of your options are stored on a server so that they are
available to you when you log in from another system. For this reason you
can not change most options such as your name, away time, etc. unless you
are logged in.

"Johnny" <spam-sucks@spam-me.org> wrote in message news:zJydnYUbA_VrTByo
yKYvw@comcast.com...
> Your contacts are not stored on your computer, but on a server...
>
>
> "karen" <nzleia@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:05d301c38c48$03164170$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> >
> > I note that Messenger has kept my Contacts, so it is
> > obvious that Messenger has installed some other "hidden"
> > software somewhere on my PC, and the uninstall program
> > does not remove it.
> >
>
>