For MSN Messenger, is there a way to archive my conversations when I use a public computer or signed in somewhere as a guest user? Can I send the history to my computer automatically without opening the received files of that computer, keep it somewhere in the server somehow? (Without having to copy/paste it to my e-mail every time.)
Well, in the strictest sense, the answer is no ... MSN Messenger archives reside on the local machine, or perhaps the local network, period.
You can archive your conversations, and then take them with you, but a) it's not as easy as what you're asking for, and b) you may not want to do it, anyway.
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MSN Messenger allows you to specify where the local archives are to be placed. Normally they're placed in a directory underneath your "My Documents" directory (with MSN Messenger 7.5, at least). You can customize that location in Tools, Options, and you may even be able to place them on another computer ... on the local network.
That's not very helpful if you're using a public computer, and the only other computers on the local network are other public computers. Once you return home, you can't get to those computers and that network.
So the only place you can save your conversations is on the local computer, or on the local network. How do you get to them at home? You can't, directly. The easiest alternative is, when you are done with your conversation, to locate the files that contain the history (the directory containing them is listed in your Messenger's Tools Options dialog), and email them to yourself as attachments. Then, when you get home, download those attachments to a safe place. MSN Messenger stores the message history in "XML" format, which means that they may be a little messy to ready, but at least you'll have them.
But wait! Before you do any of that, consider carefully whether you want to keep a message history at all when you're using someone else's or a public computer.
Do you remember to erase the history when you're done? If not, you've just left your entire conversation for just about anyone to read. And even if you do delete it, someone can come along after you, and "undelete" the saved messages file using data recovery tools.
My advice?
- If you're really concerned about someone seeing your private IM conversations, don't use someone else's computer, and don't use public/shared computers.
- Make sure that "save history" is turned off in MSN Messenger if you do use someone else's computer.
- If you must have a record of your conversation, and you must do it on someone else's computer, then a) mail it to yourself when you are done, and b) delete saved log from the computer before you leave.
I don't want to sound alarmist, because in most cases, no one really cares what you are saying on-line. But, to be fair, sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where they do. When you use someone else's computer, you have no idea how secure it is. If your privacy really matters to you, you probably don't want to use it at all.
Related:
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Ask Leo! - Just how secure is email, anyway?
Article C2465 - November 20, 2005
I could have done with a way of tracking my ex girlfriends conversations easily like these guys want. I suspected my girlfriend was two timing me with a guy at college, she spent all day with him, talked about him all the time and then spent hours talking to him on MSN at night. I heard a rumour from another of her college friends that she had two timed me, and was telling people at college she was with him. In the end I was so worked up I paid for and installed an application to track her convo's and was proved right. Her conversations were very sexual and they spoke about what they did. When I confronted her she denied it, but then admitted it when I showed her the message logs. She was more annoyed that I had tracked her conversations at all than me finding out, damn cheek. We've now split up so I would say to these guys, you may think you want to know, but do you really?. Think carefully before reading convo's and emails, you may not like what you find out.
Posted by: Kevin at October 15, 2006 10:30 AMkevin wot was the program called u got to track the convos
Posted by: gaz at October 23, 2006 10:32 AMi can't get my messenger
Posted by: angel merejo at January 18, 2007 1:32 PMhey there. i have a bit of a problem. i recently changed my log on password(windows xp) i can not remember it at all. it seems like i typed something and have something else in mu head. is there any way i can retrieve this password, or even log in to access my files etc. my account is the only administator account.
Posted by: cherry at March 19, 2007 4:42 PMhi i want to no if i can save all convos from my msn addys not just 1 at a time i no how 2 do that i want 2 save all ofthem many thanks
Posted by: col at April 7, 2007 2:36 AMLeo, where does messenger store conversations on the computer. Can I look in my registry and see old conversations? I'm not saving them, just wondered if they were stored some where on the computer.
Posted by: Mike at April 26, 2007 12:18 PMjust wondering if there was any way to save a copy of my msn conversations directly to my inbox or a subfolder of my hotmail account (the same one used for msn chatting)? thanks
Posted by: Meaghan at November 13, 2007 8:12 PMCan i see the chat history of MSN or Yahoo in a different computer not in the network?
Posted by: Rohit at August 29, 2008 12:58 PMI mean i log into a computer and later on see the chat history in a different computer.
As when u chat in Gtalk it gets saved in Gmail--Chats...Kindly help
hi can anyone help me , evrytime i chat with my friend on msn , if i got to my history to read the chat again , all what she has said to me has gone , how can she delete what she has said on my history please can someone help me , thanks
Posted by: joyce at October 8, 2008 12:32 AMi want to ask something.Sorry that my English is not very well.
Posted by: Taulant at August 10, 2009 4:38 PMI want to save my instant messages.
I save them but i can't read them.
Can You Help Me Please.
How to read them.