Backup Windows Live Messenger Standalone Installer Downloaded from Microsoft

At first I thought it is going to be easy. Just use a packet sniffer to get the link of the Windows Live Messenger setup file but I was wrong. It is much more complicated than that. Using a packet sniffer will give me a link to download a 16.4MB mu_wlmessenger_random_codes executable (.exe) file. When I tried to run the exe file, nothing appears. It seems like there’s a special way to extract the mu_wlmessenger. After many hours of trying, I still couldn’t figure it out. All I know is it make use of WLSetupSvc.exe to do convert mu_wlmessenger.exe to MSI installation file. (If you know how, please share it with me)

Since I couldn’t find the direct link to download Windows Live Messenger from Microsoft, I will use Windows Live Installation to download and I am sure the standalone setup file will be cached somewhere in my hard drive.

1. Download and run Windows Live Installer

2. Accept the agreement, you can uncheck MSN Home and Help improve Windows Live checkboxes and click Install.

3. Select Messenger (17 MB) and click Add to installation button. Wait for Windows Live Installer to finish download and install Messenger.

4. Once Windows Live Installer has finished downloading and installing Messenger, use Windows Explorer and browse to C:\Program Files\Common Files\WindowsLiveInstaller\MsiSources

5. You might see a few filenames Install_{random-numbers-letters}.msi. One of it is the standalone installer for Windows Live Messenger and here’s how to check. The file size is around 16MB. You can right click on the file, select Properties, go to Summary tab. At the Subject, it will state very clearly that it is a Windows Live Messenger setup package. You can backup and rename that file to a name that easily identifies it as Windows Live Messenger installer.

No more wasting time and bandwidth redownloading Windows Live Messenger or even downloading from untrusted/unknown source! This method will work for all products (Windows Live Sign-In Assistant, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Writer, Windows Live Mail ,Windows Live Toolbar, Windows, Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Family Safety) at Windows Live Installer.

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