I'd like to remove the Windows Live Messenger from a computer. It seems to suck an awful lot of memory from my girls low spec desktop and causes it to operate in a very sluggish manner. I tried software removal on the "Control Panel", but it doesn't seem to be listed there. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

It may use another name its the same software that yahoo uses its not MS application only an MS version that I recall it was 8.1 or .3 

Indeed it could use names similar to Windows Live Messenger or a sub-component of Windows Live. When it installs, it wants to auto run everytime Windows starts. Perhaps if it is something you use, you can just go into the options of the application and un-check the box that says "Automatically run when I log into Windows" or something similar to that. That way, it is there when she needs it but not running by default.

Oh if its starting and logging on everytime you start windows in the prefence menu of messager you can select for it not to start or catch icon in the task bar during start up right click and kill it before it starts.  If its not running it won't effect the PC.

In Vista, I believe the option to disable it from starting up in the programs options is reliable, in XP it likes to come back on it's own.

Easy way to disable it for good is rename the file msnmsgr.exe located (in Vista anyway) in \program files\windows live\messenger\ to msn.die or whatever u like. I don't think it's the same location in XP, but it is located in a folder in program files.

You could also run msconfig from Run and uncheck it from the startup list, but sometimes it likes to come back, which is why the above is better for XP.

Thank you all. I'm going to try some of those things tomorrow. Don't be surprised if that leads to more questions. Thanks again.

in XP - control panel >>> add remove - look along the left hand side - windows components - untick the box - next - finish

Then scan down the list of software in add remove. Prolly find it again.

Because only 4.7 in windows components.

If VISTA - can't help ya.