Each time after Windows XP boots up to Welcome Screen or Logon Screen for user to log on to Windows desktop, you’ll find a message under you user id that you have certain number of unread mail messages. This problem is only associated with users who starts to use Microsoft’s related email clients or services, such as Microsoft Outlook and Windows Live Hotmail.

It’s pretty useless and something annoying to display the number, besides its a little too un-private as it also display user’s email address together. Its quite easy way to fix it.

The most easiest way is to use TweakUI PowerToys, it can be downloaded from Microsoft Download Center. After installing the TweakUI, run the program, locate and select Logon in the left pane. Then click on Unread Mail. Unselect and uncheck the Show unread mail on Welcome screen option. Wow! no more funny tricks from Microsoft.

If you don’t mind tweaking the reqistry, there is also another way to fix it. To do so, run Registry Editor (regedit.exe), and the navigate to the one of the following registry keys:

For current logged on user:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\UnreadMail

For all users on the computer:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\UnreadMail

Now find a value data named MessageExpiryDays. If it’s not found, create a new DWORD key named MessageExpiryDays. Set the value of “MessegaExpiryDays” to 0, and save the setting. Just like this.

Once done restart you PC, unread emails count notification will no longer be displayed.