MessengerSkinner is just that: a software application that plays spiffs up your instant messages with emoticons. You have to manually install MessengerSkinner to get it on your PC, but you don’t have to manually install popup ads, or Trojan Skintrim.

MessengerSkinner may do that for you.

If you’re getting killed with MessengerSkinner popups, I’ll show you how to remove MessengerSkinner for free.

Do You Have MessengerSkinner?

When you’re infected with badware — whether it’s MessengerSkinner, spyware, adware, a Trojan, or a virus — there are a few key symptoms. Have you noticed…

• Slow computer performance: It just takes one parasite like MessengerSkinner to slow your computer dramatically. If your PC takes longer than usual to reboot, or if your Internet connection is unusually slow, you may be infected with MessengerSkinner.
• New desktop shortcuts or switched homepage: Badware like MessengerSkinner may change your Internet settings to redirect your homepage to another site. Badware can even add desktop shortcuts to your PC.
• Annoying popups: Badware can bombard your computer with popup ads, even when you’re not online. Through these popups, you may be tricked into downloading more spyware.

How to Remove MessengerSkinner Manually

Before we get started, you should backup your system and your registry, so it’ll be easy to restore your computer if anything goes wrong.

To remove MessengerSkinner manually, you need to delete MessengerSkinner files. Not sure how to delete MessengerSkinner files? Click here, and I’ll show you. Otherwise, go ahead and…

Block MessengerSkinner sites:

Stop MessengerSkinner processes:

Remove MessengerSkinner DLLs:

Delete MessengerSkinner registry keys:

Get rid of MessengerSkinner files:

Get rid of MessengerSkinner folders:

Note: In any MessengerSkinner files I mention above, “%UserProfile%” is a variable referring to your current user’s profile folder. If you’re using Windows NT/2000/XP, by default this is “C:\Documents and Settings\[CURRENT USER]” (e.g., “C:\Documents and Settings\JoeSmith”). If you have any questions about manual MessengerSkinner removal, go ahead and leave a comment.

How Do You Remove MessengerSkinner Files?

Need help figuring out how to delete MessengerSkinner files? While there’s some risk involved, and you should only manually remove MessengerSkinner files if you’re comfortable editing your system, you’ll find it’s fairly easy to delete MessengerSkinner files in Windows.

How to delete MessengerSkinner files in Windows XP and Vista:

1. Click your Windows Start menu, and then click “Search.”
2. A speech bubble will pop up asking you, “What do you want to search for?” Click “All files and folders.”
3. Type a MessengerSkinner file in the search box, and select “Local Hard Drives.”
4. Click “Search.” Once the file is found, delete it.

How to stop MessengerSkinner processes:

1. Click the Start menu, select Run.
2. Type taskmgr.exe into the the Run command box, and click “OK.” You can also launch the Task Manager by pressing keys CTRL + Shift + ESC.
3. Click Processes tab, and find MessengerSkinner processes.
4. Once you’ve found the MessengerSkinner processes, right-click them and select “End Process” to kill MessengerSkinner.

How to remove MessengerSkinner registry keys:

Because your registry is such a key piece of your Windows system, you should always backup your registry before you edit it. Editing your registry can be intimidating if you’re not a computer expert, and when you change or a delete a critical registry key or value, there’s a chance you may need to reinstall your entire system. Make sure your backup your registry before editing it.

1. Select your Windows menu “Start,” and click “Run.” An “Open” field will appear. Type “regedit” and click “OK” to open up your Registry Editor.
2. Registry Editor will open as a window with two panes. The left side Registry Editor’s window lets you select various registry keys, and the right side displays the registry values of the registry key you select.
3. To find a registry key, such as any MessengerSkinner registry keys, select “Edit,” then select “Find,” and in the search bar type any of MessengerSkinner’s registry keys.
4. As soon as MessengerSkinner registry key appears, you can delete the MessengerSkinner registry key by right-clicking it and selecting “Modify,” then clicking “Delete.”

How to delete MessengerSkinner DLL files:

1. First locate MessengerSkinner DLL files you want to delete. Open your Windows Start menu, then click “Run.” Type “cmd” in Run, and click “OK.”
2. To change your current directory, type “cd” in the command box, press your “Space” key, and enter the full directory where the MessengerSkinner DLL file is located. If you’re not sure if the MessengerSkinner DLL file is located in a particular directory, enter “dir” in the command box to display a directory’s contents. To go one directory back, enter “cd ..” in the command box and press “Enter.”
3. When you’ve located the MessengerSkinner DLL file you want to remove, type “regsvr32 /u SampleDLLName.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 /u jl27script.dll”) and press your “Enter” key.

That’s it. If you want to restore any MessengerSkinner DLL file you removed, type “regsvr32 DLLJustDeleted.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 jl27script.dll”) into your command box, and press your “Enter” key.

Did MessengerSkinner change your homepage?

1. Click Windows Start menu > Control Panel > Internet Options.
2. Under Home Page, select the General > Use Default.
3. Type in the URL you want as your home page (e.g., “http://www.homepage.com”).
4. Select Apply > OK.
5. You’ll want to open a fresh web page and make sure that your new default home page pops up.

MessengerSkinner Removal Tip

Is your computer acting funny after deleting any MessengerSkinner files? I recommend using a program like File Recover from PC Tools. File Recover saves deleted files that otherwise can’t be recovered by Windows operating sytem.

Want to save time finding MessengerSkinner files? Download Spyware Doctor, let it find the MessengerSkinner files for you, and then manually delete MessengerSkinner files.

How Did You Get MessengerSkinner?

Wondering how MessengerSkinner ended up on your PC? If you’re infected with MessengerSkinner or other badware, perhaps you were using…

• Freeware or shareware: Did you download and install shareware or freeware? These low-cost or free software applications may come bundled with spyware, adware, or programs like MessengerSkinner. Sometimes adware is attached to the free software to “pay” developers for the cost of creating the software, and more often spyware is secretly attached to free software to harm your computer and steal your personal and financial information.
• Peer-to-peer software: Do you use a peer-to-peer (P2P) program or other application with a shared network? When you use these applications, you put your system at risk for unknowingly downloading an infected file, including applications like MessengerSkinner.
• Questionable websites: Did you visit a website that’s of questionable nature? When you visit malicious sites that are fishy and phishy, badware may be automatically downloaded and installed onto your computer, sometimes including applications like MessengerSkinner. I recommend you use Firefox web browser, if you don’t already.

Understanding MessengerSkinner

If you’re infected with MessengerSkinner, you should know what you’re fighting. I’ll explain some definitions related to MessengerSkinner.

MessengerSkinner May Be Adware

Adware is software designed to promote advertisements. Often, free utilities may install hidden adware, sometimes to earn money for the author to recover development costs. While adware is not always malicious, it can track your Internet activity and send this and other personal information from your computer to advertisers. When advertisers get this information, you may be a target for pop-up/pop-under advertisements, web browser toolbars, and spam.