MSN Windows Live Messenger is a popular free instant- messaging service used by millions of Internet users. MSN Messenger offers its own proprietary chat client software for download. Users sign into their accounts on the Messenger software, see a list of their contacts and chat with other users. The MSN or Windows Live Messenger service is free of charge for its users, but is ad-supported. The software displays ads continually under the user's contact lists--but there is a simple way to block any ads from showing on your MSN chat client.
Instructions
1. Launch a Windows Explorer window, or open the "My Computer" Folder.
2. Browse your hard drive until you get to the main Windows folder. Click to open the following sub-directory:
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\
3. Right-click the "Hosts" file and select "Open" from the pop-up menu. When prompted to indicate what software the computer should use to open the file, select Wordpad or Notepad--a simple text editor will do. If this is not one of the default options, click "Browse" to locate "notepad.exe" in your main Windows directory on your hard drive. Click "OK" when done.
4. Add the Windows Live Messenger/ MSN ad servers to your Windows hosts file by copying and pasting these lines of code at the very end of the file:
127.0.0.1 rad.msn.com
127.0.0.1 live.rads.msn.com
127.0.0.1 ads1.msn.com
These are the ad servers that MSN and Windows Live Messenger use to deliver their ads to your computer's software. Adding them to your hosts file will block them from delivering the ads.
5. Save your "Hosts" file by clicking on "File" and selecting "Save." Close your text editor.
6. Restart your Windows Live Messenger client. You should now see a blank space where the ad would ordinarily display.
