~ ConCon Retriever ~
Frequently Asked Questions
I reformatted/sold/trashed my old computer. I had all the files backed up. How do I restore my emoticons and winks to my new computer?
Note that MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger 8.0 stores data in the same way, but Windows Live Messenger 8.1 and above do it in a totally different way. So the answer depends on what you used in your old computer (nothing to do with the new one)
*** If you used MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger 8.0:
Dynamic contents (winks, deluxe display pictures, and dynamic backgrounds):
Unless you backed up your old MSN Messenger (or WLM 8.0) winks and other dynamic contents with ConCon Retriever (or other tools) into MCO file (or CAB from older ConCon version), there is no way you can restore them. This is because each dynamic content has an associated stamp (digital signature) from Microsoft, which is encrypted, using the Windows user as the key. If you cannot login to this Windows user anymore (eg. you formatted your harddisk), then there is no way to decrypt your Messenger files.
Static contents (custom emoticons (incl. GIF), display pictures, and backgrounds):
Static Messenger contents however, can be retrieved, although their names and key sequences are lost. To retrieve these images, open ConCon, and from in Folder List, select Options - Manually Select Folder, then Save Folder As. You will get all your emoticons, display pictures and backgrounds as image files, from which you can install into MSN Messenger/ Windows Live Messenger using ConCon MCO Editor (create a new MCO, add all the emoticon images etc, and install it).
*** If you used Windows Live Messenger 8.1+:
One way to retrieve your old Messenger contents is to copy the folder [your email] (from the backup files you had from your old computer) into your new computer in Documents and Settings\[user]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Messenger. (To easily find that folder, open ConCon Retriever 2.2, select an email from Folder List and click Open Folder.) If the folder [your email] already exists on your new computer, you may temporarily rename the existing folder instead of overwriting it.
Then open ConCon Retriever 2.2, you should be able to backup the contents of [your email] into MCO file now.
Don't forget to delete the folder [your email] (which now has been backed up) and restore the previous folder name back to [your email] (if you renamed it).
Will ConCon slow down my computer?
No.
ConCon does not install anything to your computer.
ConCon does not run in background.
ConCon does not make any changes to your computer. (ConCon will create an .ini file and temporary/ backup files in its own folder only)
How do I uninstall/remove ConCon?
Simply delete the ConCon folder. ConCon does not leave any junks in any other folders.
MCO stands for Messenger Content Object.
An MCO file is a CAB file containing MSN Messenger/ Windows Live Messenger content (custom emoticons, winks, display pictures, backgrounds, deluxe display pictures and dynamic backgrounds) together with some information (in the file content.xml) to allow the content to be installed into MSN Messenger/ Windows Live Messenger.
ConCon Retriever makes backup of your MSN Messenger/ Windows Live Messenger custom emoticons, winks, and other contents into MCO file(s).
MCO files can be viewed/ edited/ installed into MSN Messenger/ Windows Live Messenger by some other tools, including ConCon MCO Editor.
Currently you should be able to find your PUID somewhere in account.live.com, but Microsoft may change it anytime.
5 Dec 2007: Now you can find it on https://account.live.com/editprof.aspx (Find "Unique ID" on the bottom)
See MCO Editor FAQ.