Messenger, SVCHost & more: Short Questions, Quick Answers

Why can I get audio & video with MSN Messenger but not Windows Messenger? As mentioned in my article on the differences between MSN and Windows Messenger, their features are typically out of sync with respect to each other, and obviously not always well coordinated. It's quite possible (and my guess here) that the version of Windows Messenger you're using is probably not using uPNP, which is required to get audio and video through a uPNP compatible router.

I can't get MSN Messenger to use audio through my router - without the router it works fine. My guess is that your router needs to support uPNP, and doesn't. Results are undefined if the router you have does not. Check out the article on Audio Conversations in Messenger.

What Port do I open to enable audio in MSN Messenger? Unfortunately there is no port to open. MSN's audio protocol apparently doesn't work that way. uPNP routers allow MSN Messenger to request the resources it needs dynamically.

How do I get an MSN Messenger Account? Easy: fire up MSN Messenger, click on File, then Sign In... -- at the bottom of that dialog is a link to "Get a .NET Passport". Click on that, and it'll walk you through the process.

Why is SVCHOST using 99% of my CPU? Chances are you have a virus. Several viruses manifest as problems with SVCHOST -- typically it either faults, or eats CPU time as in this question. It's proving a challenge for everyone to repair, while most anti-virus programs can detect the viruses, not all are doing the job to clean it up. Reader comments following the article svchost.exe has generated an error - now what do I do? have been particularly helpful in guiding many folks to a resolution.

What's the minimum tasks set Windows XP? Unfortunately there really is no answer to this question. Each install is different, and will have different requirements. The best solution, while imperfect, is to do your best to understand what each process on your machine is for (see What's this program running on my machine?), and the decide whether or not you need the services it provides. Speaking of services, once you get past the "obvious" running programs, many questions relate to the system services that are left. This site has an excellent XP Services Reference that can often tell you exactly what each service is for, and includes recommendations for whether or not you need it. (Caveat: as I write this the site appears to be down. It's very popular, as you can imagine, so I'm hoping it'll return soon.)

How do I hide a file or folder in Windows Explorer? Right click on the file, select properties, and select the "Hidden" checkbox. Realize that this hides the file from normal viewing, but Windows Explorer can be set to always view hidden files ... so it's not very hidden, now is it?