Summary: MSN Messenger allows you to save your conversations. But what if you don't have that turned on? Is there a way to recover the conversation anyway? No.
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Can I retrieve old MSN Messenger conversations? |
Instant messaging is very popular - it's immediate and it's easy. But it does have its drawbacks. Most people treat it like quick, throw-away conversations unlike email where we (hopefully) put a little more time and thought into what we write.
But what if you didn't mean to "throw away" that conversation and find yourself wishing you could recall or retrieve what was said? In email you might have your sent mail folder but what about instant messaging?
If you use MSN messenger and have the right setting you might just be in luck.
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MSN Messenger has the ability to keep an indefinite log of all conversations.
In MSN Messenger select the Tools menu, Options... menu item, and then the Messages tab. At the bottom of the dialog is an item labeled: Message History. Select it and your conversations will be recorded in the directory listed in the box below. (Of course you can set that to be whatever you like but the default directory is probably fine for most.)
When conversations are saved in the listed directory you'll find several files, typically one per person that you've had a conversation with. The files will all end with ".XML". Not to worry, Internet Explorer can open these files and will display them properly.
If IE fails to open the file and spawns notepad instead, you can still force it. Right click on the file in Windows Explorer, select Open With..., and then select Internet Explorer.
If you're looking for past conversation archives and they're not present on your own machine then try having the person you were conversing with look. It's quite possible that they have an archive.
Related Links:
Article C1904 - March 11, 2004
HI IV FOUND MSN CONVOS ON MY LAP TOP BUT WHEN I TRY AND OPEN THEN THEY COME UP IN A FUNNY LANGUAGE HOW CAN I OPEN THEN TO READ THEM?
13-Mar-2009
Ok, I just initiated the 'save conversations' mode. I don't see any past conversations. I didn't retrieve old MSN messenger convos.
Is there a another way to retrieve them?
Posted by: A at March 28, 2009 7:35 AMHi there Leo, How do you save your conversations back when you pressed 'Do not save conversations' Because i have tried everything that was possible but it wouldn't work, know anything? if do you great, if you don't then that's fine too :]
Posted by: Tracy at April 11, 2009 10:07 PMare there any programs or something that you can do so that the convos are sent to me by email automaticly?
Posted by: me at April 12, 2009 8:01 PMI cannot see the messages tab when I go to the Tools --options button. Is there another way?
Posted by: sndbdh at April 14, 2009 1:57 AMHi leo .... Im trying to do it ! im on the newest msn and its not working it doesnt let me check and boxes ? Wat to do !
Posted by: Jessica at April 16, 2009 1:20 AMif you save coversations dose it logg if you talk when you put your off line
Posted by: carol at April 17, 2009 10:39 AMCan I recover my lost conversations when I close the massnger with CTrl+Alt+delete bottons ?
Posted by: Naemah at April 19, 2009 4:57 AMHow I can do this please?
Hi Leo, How can I make sense of the content of edb.log files in order to read not saved msn conversations? I can see they have information related to the conversations I need to retrieve, but most of them are in code language.
Posted by: Juliet at May 19, 2009 1:01 AMHi I have msn 8.0 & I'm afraid if there is another file or another place where the convos are saved in. & I did as you said but in the tools, options ... I found that I'm not saving the convos. plz help me and tell me where can these convos can be.
Posted by: selma at May 22, 2009 6:26 AM