Email: Microsoft Support

You have got to be insane to expect lay people to document such a compendium as you state below. No mere mortal will ever do so! So your new approach to tech support is to scare people away now? It's easier to turn Luddite and give up computing than to comply with your draconian data devices below.

(I originally sought help deleting obsolete addresses from my MSN Messenger block and allow lists. As usual, it took 3-4 rounds of repeating myself for the techs to grasp what I was saying all along. In the end, they could only offer the conventional solution, which does not work -- this is why I was writing them in the first place. Their ultimate response was to ask me to provide all the information that I excerpt below.)
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Again, I do apologize if the following instructions are quite lengthy, but it is important that you follow them carefully to ensure your concern is resolved. I know how some lengthy steps can be confusing but I would really appreciate your patience in taking the time to accomplish each step.

General Information

- First and last name:
- If you are not the account owner, list the relationship of the caller to the owner:
- If one is available, list an alternative callback number:
- If one is available, list an alternative e-mail contact:

Important Environmental/System Information

- The MSN Messenger client type and version number:
- The full version number of the operating System:
- The full version number and type of the browser:
- The connection Type:

Note: Do the following to obtain this information: From the Main Messenger window, click Tools, click Options, click the Connection tab, and then look under Advanced Connection Information.

- Wired or Wireless connection:
- Indicate whether the account uses a proxy server, and the type of proxy server used:
- Indicate whether the computer on which the issue exists uses one or more of the following: Routers, NATs, Firewalls:

Troubleshooting Information Summary

- Issue Summary:
- The troubleshooting Steps Taken to Date:
- List the steps needed to reproduce the issue:
- The error message:
- The hexadecimal error code value:
- You can reproduce the issue on another computer and a different network type, yes or no:
- The issue occurs for all users on the local computer, yes or no:
- You can reproduce the issue with at test account on your computer or a lab computer when you use the same MSN Messenger version, yes or no:
- The date that the issue first appeared:
- Constant or intermittent issue:
- List recent changes to the computer:

Software Information

Note: List the manufacturer and version number of each type of software that is present on the computer. Indicate N/A for the types of software that are not present.

- Antivirus software:
- Firewall software:
- Download enhancers:
- Popup Blockers:
- Dial-up accelerator (DUA) other than an MSN DUA: