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Encrypted messages

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:17 pm
by Jigsaw
Hey everyone, I need some help with Messenger (the one before skype took over) encrypted conversations. I have a few lying around, and Windows can't open them. I know they should be opened with Messenger, but Messenger is no more.. Is there possibly any way to decrypt and read these files? Their extension is *.ple btw.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 4:30 am
by Dark-Assassin
If it is possible, you could try downloading a much older version of Windows Live Messenger to read them.
Though, I am not sure which version to be exact. Also not sure if the later ones will bug you to install Skype.

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:49 pm
by Jigsaw
Yeah I know I should, but the thing is, that you can't get WLM from any official sites, and 99% of other sites are ripoffs..:\ Besides, any version of WLM instantly connect to the servers and ask for an update, bugging you to install them, and not willing to even log in until you do. Yeah, Microsoft are bastards. Can you (or anyone) possibly point me to a safe link that has an old enough version not to bug me, but new enough to be actually able to read those files?

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:51 pm
by Ænima
http://msghelp.net/showthread.php?tid=99291

Literally the first Google result for ".ple file".

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:53 pm
by Jigsaw
Wow. Thanks. I was actually looking it up, and there wasn't anything. I feel stupid. Whatever, thanks.

EDIT: it doesn't start :0 just shows up for for a fraction of a second in a very small size then BOOM it disappears...

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:56 pm
by Ænima
It's okay, no worries. You're welcome.

Also, you might want to look into this too:
http://msghelp.net/showthread.php?tid=7 ... #pid814456

It's the decrypting tool which apperantly comes with Live itself.
Jigsaw wrote: EDIT: it doesn't start :0 just shows up for for a fraction of a second in a very small size then BOOM it disappears...
You're supposed to run it via command line. Aka Command Prompt aka DOS.

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:02 pm
by Jigsaw
Yeah, tried it like this, it doesn't disappear, but Windows gives me an error (PLEDecrypter.exe has stopped working)

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:15 pm
by Ænima
Try the second program I posted (it should be in your Live program files folder somewhere). Then use this command line:

Code: Select all

"Log Viewer.exe" -decrypt="<full path to log that needs to be decrypted>"

RE: Encrypted messages

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:01 am
by Jigsaw
Didn't work, however I managed to get an old version of "Messenger Plus!" and it had an openable Log Viewer.exe. Thanks for the help though.