To make your msn work more or less like the MSN Messenger older 
than Version 4.6, you need to change four things.

First, you need to change the way that MSN Messenger sorts contacts, 
and then you need to make some changes to the appearance of the 
conversation window.  To change how MSN sorts contacts:

1.  When in the main MSN window, hit alt t for tools, and then c.  
This will open the sort contacts by sub menu.
2.  Arrow down to online/offline and press enter.

To remove the tool bar and side bar from the conversation windows, 
and disable emodicons:
1.  Open any conversation window.
2.  Press alt v, and arrow down until it says enable emodicons.  
If it says checked, press enter to uncheck it.
3.  Re-enter the view menu, and arrow down until you see show toolbar.
Press enter if it is checked.
4.  Re-enter the view menu and arrow downn until it says show sidebar.
Press enter if it is checked.

You should only have to do this once, but there is a slight possibility
that you will have to do it twice.  After that, the settings should 
remain as you set them.