Need AOL Instant Messenger Help

[sq764]

I have been having many problems with AOL Instant Messenger.. I can sign on, but when I try to click on a name and send an IM, I get a 'signature error' and it forces me to close AOL IM..

Any ideas??

(It was working fine up until about 3 weeks ago, then it gradually got worse and now I cannot even use it at all.. I am running Windows XP and Comcast DSL)

[JustRalph]

sq

Post the entire message that you get.........

there are several signature errors with aim. it depends on which one you are getting "exactly" on what needs to be done to fix it

[sq764]

I get this:



AppName: aim.exe AppVer: 5.9.3690.0 ModName: kernel32.dll
ModVer: 5.1.2600.1106 Offset: 00016b97

[JustRalph]

sq

that is one of the most popular problems with AIM

it means that the Instant Messenger software is probably corrupt. Most people who have fixed it have uninstalled and re-installed to fix it. But........many report it coming back again.

Have you done an uninstall and reinstall?

try it, if not. Let me know..........

[sq764]

yes, reinstalled several times.. same error

I get the erro, then the AOL IM icon on top of my IM box.. weird.. same error though..

[JustRalph]

Let me look into it a little harder......... I will post back

are you reinstalling with the same version?
go get this one

http://www.download.com/AOL-Instant-Messenger-AIM-/3000-2150-10316798.html?tag=lst-0-1

[sq764]

still no luck...

[Equineer]

Originally posted by sq764
yes, reinstalled several times.. same error

I get the erro, then the AOL IM icon on top of my IM box.. weird.. same error though.. For apps like AOL IM, when piggyback re-installs don't fix the problem, the next step is to be sure and completely un-install the app before the re-install.

A complete un-install often requires extra steps after you do the normal software un-install. Residue app configuration stuff often remains in files and also the registry after un-installs.

I don't use AOL IM, but maybe someone else has been through this and can guide you through the steps to ensure that you are doing a "clean" re-install.

[so.cal.fan]

The man who put together my PC for me told me NEVER, EVER download anything on your machine with AOL attached to it.
I never asked why, I just assumed he knew that it wasn't a good idea.

[JustRalph]

both right........so.cal and Eqiuneer.,,,,,,,,both right.


Sq.

the problem you have now, is how to figure out what other program has changed, causing your aol im to die . did you install anything recently that may interfere? Your problem is that you probably have two programs that don't like to share dll's or they don't like to share dll's that window is protecting (windows protects them and won't let them change in some circumstances) therefore a completely different program may have changed a dll or the like, that is causing your aol software to die.........

go back and look hard at what you installed around the time the program started puking..........remove and reinstall whatever program you installed and aol im. make sure you reboot after every uninstall, reinstall........btw, I found some others with your same problem.....who never fixed it. They blamed it on the aol IM software being a beta version. They gave me the same version you did..............

[sq764]

i give up..

[JustRalph]

Originally posted by sq764
i give up..

a bunch of people have from what I am finding.....some fixed it by wiping their computers and starting over........sad to say.....this is a common problem with much of the software produced by aol.