I am happy to say that the problem is fixed! :) The simple answer for me
was to do the following:-

click start, then on run. Type: regsvr32 softpub.dll and press enter.

Many thanks to the following for their help. The original post is set
out at the end of this posting - with thanks to Jud in
"alt.os.windows2000" who reminded me to post the problem to
"microsoft.public.msn.messenger" as well as to the person who posted the
message below and to Jonathan Kay who apparently originally supplied the
solutions. Much appreciated.
--

Regards
Echy

Greetings from Melbourne, Australia
www.thatsmelbourne.com.au

Subject: Re: 0x81000370 Sign in Error
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 13:26:53 -0800
From: <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.msn.messenger
References: <Opm70V6KFHA.3296@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl>
<uoGENi7KFHA.3928@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>

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.

courtesy of jonathan kay

Re: MSN Messenger sign in problem - solved by Jonathan

Jonathan
Sun Mar 20 07:35:22 CST 2005

Hi Echy,

Glad to hear it :)
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2005 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

<user@domain.com> wrote in message news:O4X6OAULFHA.3336@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>I am happy to say that the problem is fixed! :) The simple answer for me was to do the
>following:-
>
> click start, then on run. Type: regsvr32 softpub.dll and press enter.
>
> Many thanks to the following for their help. The original post is set out at the end of
> this posting - with thanks to Jud in "alt.os.windows2000" who reminded me to post the
> problem to "microsoft.public.msn.messenger" as well as to the person who posted the message
> below and to Jonathan Kay who apparently originally supplied the solutions. Much
> appreciated.
> --
>
> Regards
> Echy
>
> Greetings from Melbourne, Australia
> www.thatsmelbourne.com.au
>
> Subject: Re: 0x81000370 Sign in Error
> Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 13:26:53 -0800
> From: <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com>
> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.msn.messenger
> References: <Opm70V6KFHA.3296@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl>
> <uoGENi7KFHA.3928@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>
>
> 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.
>
> courtesy of jonathan kay