Install Windows Live Messenger 2009 from .msi files

Introduction

Windows Live Messenger 2009 (aka. build 14.0.8089.726, aka. the final release of beta 9) is normally installed by downloading a downloader/installer called wlsetup-web.exe.

The installer does not support Windows Server 2003 or XP Professional x64 Edition (the 64-bit version of XP).  It also requires Internet access, and it installs a lot of other software which you may consider unnecessary or just annoying.

Instructions

1. At the time of writing, Windows Live Messenger 14.0.8089.726 can be downloaded from:

   • http://wl.dlservice.microsoft.com/download/F/2/B/F2BDDA8A-F285-440B-98CE-BABEE6CA0B0E/en/Messenger-ship-en.cab

   • http://wl.dlservice.microsoft.com/download/F/2/B/F2BDDA8A-F285-440B-98CE-BABEE6CA0B0E/en/Contacts-ship-neutral.cab

2. These two .cab files must be extracted (eg. with 7-Zip).  The first one contains a file Messenger.msi, 25240576 bytes:

   md5:500e43ce39cede387e263ed886d24a74
   sha1:c1f788d01db2cf68e4fe0d0b9ca16f9acae0d0c7
   sha256:bbe74a449db9d88d7bf4348c44865b1a277f30e3f8cf4c2bf6342999d62700c7

3. …and the other .cab file contains Contacts.msi, 964608 bytes:

   md5:4982e5ba667961095f3f7d5ef08fe2e5
   sha1:c63cf45ce1039b23e1d2415cc025a4c1c27d5f60
   sha256:1be50f39fb167be55dca6115ba308f359301bec14de15d7b096a35586d4e0b19

4. Now that you’ve extracted Messenger.msi and Contacts.msi, right-click on each of the files and select the Install option.  The installers will not ask any questions, they will simply close when completed;  it might be finished faster than you expect.  Then simply start Windows Live Messenger from your Start → Programs menu.

Be warned that it is essential to install the Contacts.msi file;  otherwise you will just receive an error 80040154 immediately when you click the Sign In button, but it won’t attempt to connect to MSN’s servers at all.