Posted 1 week, 1 day ago at 10:57 am. 2 comments
This issue has been floating around for a couple of weeks now. It has not been addressed by AOL at all. Some users will receive “Unable to save your changes at this time.” error messages when trying to edit their AIM Profiles. This usually occurs when all profile information has been mysteriously deleted.
Workarounds & Fixes
No workarounds to this problem have been discovered yet. If you receive this error message, you can post comments below and we can try to troubleshoot it. If you discover a workaround, please comment below.
Unable to change Private Profile to Public
Also we’ve been receiving reports about users unable to switch between private and public profiles because the options are grayed out. Please keep in mind that until your screen name hits its sixteenth birthday, you will not be able to change it to a public profile.
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago at 12:29 am. 0 comments
Recently, there has been a rise in AIM Spam links being sent out to everyone. Most of the messages go along the lines of:
Someone has an AIM CRUSH on you!
Click here - to find out who it is
I just got a free iPhone in the mail. Want to get your free iPhone? Go HERE and find out how!
I’ve got a bit of crush on you! But if you wanna find out who I am you gotta play along with my game! First, go here and you’ll find out more!
Although Spam messages are certainly not new. This recent influx has annoyed people to no end. You can essentially protect yourselves and other persons using AIM on your computer by trying out these methods.
If they have been annoying you, call up and complain to the “Mobile Messaging” company at 1-800-416-6129
Link Preview Plugin
Link Preview plugin is one of the first place winners in the Open Aim Top Coder Contest. Essentially Link Preview lets you preview an image of a website before you actually visit it. Now it certainly won’t protect you from viruses but you can use it to get an idea of where these spammy links are sending you to. More likely than not, if its an adult site you’ll be bombarded with popups as soon as you reach.
Gundoff: Malicious Link Question
Gundoff plugin essentially asks you if you really want to go to the link. Using bright red text and an ominous warning, the plugin will more likely prevent newer computer users from clicking on links. Still it won’t stop viruses, but at least you won’t get infected by accidentally clicking a link.
Blocking Them
The best way to not receive any SPAM from random screen names is to block everyone not on your buddy list.
- Click Edit
- Click Settings
- Click Privacy
- Click Allow only Users on my Buddy List
- Click Save
Now only people on your buddy list can IM you. We do know that certainly this is not the most effective way but this will do until someone out there creates a plugin that pre-screens all IMs and closes the conversation if it detects spam. Yes I know there is a plugin for this on Trillian but Aim 6 still needs one.
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago at 10:11 pm. 6 comments
Well it seems the Translate plugin has struck yet again. First it was “orbidden” and now every message you receive in AIM says translate. For Example:
Me: Hello
You: Translate
You: Translate
So again with the same steps as before you will need to disable or uninstall the Translator plugin.
How to Stop AIM from repeating the word “Translate” with every IM
- Click on Edit
- Click On Settings
- Click on Plugins
- Uncheck Translator
- Click Save
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago at 2:44 pm. 2 comments
About every few days, someone experiences a few problems with installing Aim 4.7 for Mac. This isn’t entirely your fault but its time to put Aim 4.7 into perspective as to why this happens and what you can do about it. The Error message they receive is:
Unable to unarchive “aim.bin” into “…”
(Error 45 - Operation not supported.)
Aim 4.7: Why you should not install it?
Aim 4.7 is currently the last GM release for Macs. Aim 4.7 was released on February 18th, 2004. Now take a moment to think about what year it is today… Great! Now that we got that squared away. Lets now look at the problems most people have with AIm 4.7
- Aim 4.7 for Mac randomly signs off
- Aim 4.7 for Mac randomly quits while Away.
Aim 4.7: How to Install it?
Well if you still don’t want to heed my warning about installing it, and you receive the message that you are unable to unarchive “aim.bin” or AIM opens the Firefox browser when you run the installer, you can fix this problem by downloading Stuffit Expander.
You can download Stuffit Expander and fill out the information on that site so that you may install Aim 4.7 For Mac that was released in 2004.
What are other ways to install Aim for Mac?
Well I’m glad you made it this far. Fortunately for you there are several programs out there that you can obtain for FREE that were updated in 2008. Here are some of them:
- iChat: You can also Video Conference
- Adium: The Best Aim Program for Macs
- Aim.app: The newest Aim For Mac Program AOL is working on.
Posted 2 months, 4 weeks ago at 12:23 pm. 2 comments
Two quick issues that have been reported this week but I didn’t get time to cover them completely.
[Apr 13 08] We have received word that the Status Button has now been put back
Why were the Status and Unsend buttons Removed
The Status button and Unsend Button are now removed from the AOL Webmail. The AOL Mail blog reported that they had to remove these two features “because of the way these features were implemented, they were preventing us from achieving the best product performance”
Where can I find the Status and Unsend Buttons
They are still located in AOL Desktop and AOL 9.1
The status button has returned in Webmail.
Posted 4 months ago at 3:07 pm. 5 comments
As Randy Falco, CEO of AOL, gets closer to his dream of making AOL the most profitable advertising network, users were treated with a brand new ad inside the buddy info. These ads now take up a considerable amount of space at the bottom of the buddy info. The window is now stuck at a much larger width than before
This did not set off well with the AIM userbase, as there have been complaints about this new ad system:
“THANK YOU PEOPLE FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THIS IS!!! I HATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO THE BUDDY INFO BOX, I CAN’T STAND IT!! ITS ANNOYING AND POINTLESS AND MAKES THE BUDDY INFO LOOK LIKES ITS NOT ABOUT BUDDY INFO AT ALL” ~DanceStar
“EPIC FAIL FOR AIM.” ~nj
“AIM MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO WAKE UP” ~a concerned mother
” SUCH A SMALL CHANGE AND I WANNA RIP MY EYES OUT >> GET RID OF THE ADS !” ~Robby
“Your actually doing negative advertising for these companies. SCREW VERIZON…the first company to buy the ad. I make a point to never buy any product of people you advertise for. STOP ALREADY.” ~jimmy
As you can see from all those CAPS LOCKS, people are enraged over this! I did notice that there was not much complaints against the text ads AOL placed in the buddy info, maybe they should reconsider implementing that instead.
In other news, AIM has added more integration with AIM profiles by adding a “Profile Buddies” tab in the Buddy Info.
Also Note AimAdHack now removes these Ads.
Posted 5 months, 1 week ago at 1:33 pm. 11 comments
A very frequently asked question. Not that its hard to do but I guess people can’t find it? Anyways follow the steps below on how to get rid of Aim Dashboard:
Disable AIM Today or Aim Dashboard from Popping Up In Internet Explorer
- Open Aim 6.5
- Click Edit
- Click Settings
- Click Sign In / Sign Out
- Click None
- Click Save
Disable AIM From Starting When Windows Starts
- Open Aim 6.5
- Click Edit
- Click Settings
- Click Sign In/ Sign Out
- Uncheck Start Aim When Windows Starts
- Click Save
You’ll need to do this to each and every screen name you have on the Sign On screen as its different settings per screen name. And thats all there is to this. BYE!
Posted 6 months, 1 week ago at 11:21 pm. 5 comments
Usually, I consider this a bug but it has taken so long to get fixed that now I wonder if its actually a fix.
After upgrading from Aim 6.1 to Aim 6.5 the buddy updates box that shows when your away messages updated has gone missing.
The buddy updates box now only shows for RSS feeds, Aim Share, and Aim Profiles. However, all update entries still show up at settings.aim.com, just not in the buddy info.
If you want something there to show up, just update your profile, add an rss feed, or even share a link, and the box will come back but only for those entries.
Note: If you add an Aim Share link, there is currently no way to remove it from listing until it expires and that can take a long time.
Posted 6 months, 3 weeks ago at 2:17 pm. 0 comments
So who is McLovin12Four, and how did he get on your buddy list? McLovin12Four is another Official AIM Bot that advertises for the movie Superbad.
If your buddy list has the category “AIM Bots” you should see him on your buddy list today.
If you do not want to see AIM Bots on your buddy list, delete the category by doing the following.
1. Click to Highlight the Aim Bots Category.
2. Right Click and Press Delete
Posted 7 months, 1 week ago at 9:15 pm. 49 comments
AIM Host Issue [Resolved]
Agh aren’t we having way too many AIM problems lately. A message displaying “Connection Timed Out” is affecting Aim 6.8, Aim Webmail, Aim Lite, practically all versions of AIM. By reports of users there seems to have been an outage on June 17, 2008, but it should be cleared up by now.
This was fixed the same day and it was found to be an AIM Host Issue.
If you are still affected by the outage and need to sign onto Aim, Try Aim 5.9
Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago at 3:20 pm. 2 comments
Hi We’re Back! So some of you have been receiving messages about some buddy inviting you to their buddy profile. Its not such a terrible thing to do but if you get many invites you might get annoyed. There are two sets of messages, follow the one that pertains to you:
AIM: Hey! Good news! Somebody says they are your buddy and wants you to show up on their AIM Profile.
1. Visit Aim Profile Edit
2. Click Privacy And Settings
3. Uncheck Notify Me Via IM If I have Buddy Requests…
4. Click Save!
AIM Pages Invite: Someone has invited you to be a Buddy on their profile. Want to become a part of their network? Find out who it is now.
1. Visit My Buddies Settings
2. Uncheck Notify me of AIM Pages Buddy Requests
Posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago at 4:28 pm. 8 comments
During this week, we’ve been seeing a number of reports for chatroom error, “Invite or Request Timed Out”. The information known so far is that it affects Aim 6.5 and all versions of Aim. This issue does not happen to all members which might likely be an AOL server issue that needs to be fixed by them. Stay Tuned for More Information.
Posted 7 months, 4 weeks ago at 9:02 pm. 2 comments
Does your Buddy list have extra words below the screen names? Are you tired of seeing what song your buddy is playing?People have asked how they can remove these status messages so here is what you need to do.
To Remove Status Messages or Away Messages
1. Click View
2. Click Status Messages
Now your Buddy List will be clean like in previous versions.
Posted 8 months, 1 week ago at 1:34 pm. 29 comments
Update November 1, 2007
Orbidden IMs are probably caused by the Translator Plugin but then again things got complicated after it occurred without the translator plugin installed. So lets go over some of the symptoms you are having, there has not been a known fix to people without the translator plugin.
1. Aim Freezes for a more than 20 seconds
2. Every new additional IM you get states "Orbidden"
3. The Hard Drive loads excessively.
This problem is Unsolved and no true fix has been found, you can follow the suggestions below but it may or may not fix your problem.
It was hinted to a while ago but was hard to find people to test out theories to get back to you quickly. In trying to fix this problem you’ll just have to disable or change the Translation to NONE. This bug usually occurs randomly where every new IM you receive states the message, "Orbidden" .
Suggestion: How to Disable the Translator Plugin if you Recieve "Orbidden" Messages
1. Click on Edit
2. Click On Settings
3. Click on Plugins
4. Uncheck Translator
5. Click Save
There you have it.
Posted 9 months ago at 2:08 pm. 67 comments
Updated March 21, 2008
F.A.Q
The Story So Far
During a mandatory security update, Aim 6.5.4.16 was released onto the masses. After Windows Vista users updated to the newest version of Aim, a red X in the lower right corner showed the message, “Connection Status Unknown: Server Execution Failed.” Previously this error occurred after a Windows Update, but was later patched by Microsoft. Now, this error message is accompanied by the inability to play Mp3s in both Windows Media Player, and iTunes. Also other issues occurred with Steam Applications which run the games “Half Life 2″ and “Team Fortress 2″ leaving users unable to connect to the servers to download the game.
After a few months a new workarounds were found and supported by other members. Microsoft later released a patch on November 20th, 2007, but it may not fix this problem 100% of the time. When this particular bug became hugely popular, AOL and Microsoft teamed up to fix this problem. Unfortunately not much is known about the status of that fix. However recently AOL has supported the UAC method described below in the list of workarounds. Workarounds suggested by users are highlighted in the comments section in red.
Who Does this Bug Affect?
So far this bug has many different variables on who it affects. For the most part it has affected users who have installed Aim 6.5. In other situations, some users did not install AIM and received this error by installing Mozilla Firefox, or ViewPoint Media Player. The only connection seen so far is that only Windows Vista users are affected. Unfortunately it is not known as to why some Windows Vista users get this bug, although “allegedly” it may be linked to Vista’s UAC controls. We have not received much information on this as it has not been fixed within the Vista SP1 Patch.
How can I Help Find the Cure?
You can help find a cure for Server Execution Failed by posting in this thread. Please read the instructions prior to posting. Whether you have Aim 6.5 or not, you can still post in this thread.
How Can I Fix this problem?
There are four workarounds that will allow you to carry on normal activities but with some side effects. Choose the one thats best for you.
The XP Compatibility Wizard is the newest workaround for this issue. The main purpose is to prevent this bug in the first place by running Aim 6.5’s installer as an XP program.
The System Restore Method is the safest workaround for this issue. The main goal is to restore before Aim 6.5 was installed. If you cannot restore back, you will have to Reinstall Windows Vista using your CD.
The User Account Control Method is the most recommended workaround. By turning User Account Control on, you should in theory be immune to the server execution failed bugs when you install Aim 6.5. During Testing it was found that this method has worked in fixing the problem for example. However it does not work for everyone and so we recommend you try it out at least and post back your results
The Local Service Method is the most riskiest workaround. It will add the Local Service group to Administrators making you highly vulnerable to attacks if your not careful. You should follow this method as a last resort in case you need to backup files before you reinstall the Windows Vista operating System.
The Sound Drivers Method will restore sound and music issues for Windows Vista. You can find the steps to fix this problem by scrolling down to the comments section. It is highlighted in red.
What are the Symptoms for this bug?
1. Vista Displays a Red X saying that its not connected to a Network even though it is.
2. Connection may say “Connection status: unknown. Server execution failed.”
3. WMI Problems or is Corrupted
4. Windows Media Player won’t be able to play Mp3s
5. No sound can be heard from computer
6. Windows Security Center reports errors
7. Windows Security Center may not find your AntiVirus Program
8. No Network Activity is reported even though it exists
9. Windows Zero Configuration Problems
10. Steam Apps from Valve Software (i.e Half Life 2) will not download.
11. Windows Media Player cannot access the file. The file might be in use, you might not have access to the computer where the file is stored, or your proxy settings might not be correct.
12. iTunes stops working.
13. Xbox 360 Streaming Connection To PC does not work.
14. Creative Zen Vision M, or other MP3 players will not connect.
15. I must say this list is freakin long…
XP Compatibility Method
1. Download Aim 6.5 from Aim.com
2. Save the Installation File to your computer where you can retrieve it. DO NOT run this program
3. Click the Start Button, click Control Panel, then click Programs and finally click Use an Older Program with this version of Windows.
4. Click the Radio Button: I Want to Locate this Program Manually. Click Next.
5. Click Browse and locate the Aim 6.5’s installation file.
6. Select Windows XP (Service Pack 2), and click Next.
7. DO NOT Select any Display Options and Click Next.
The System Restore Method
1. Type restore in the Start Menu Search Box
2. Select System Restore
3. Choose a Restore Point before the Installation of Aim 6.5
4. Select a System Restore before Aim 6.5 was Installed
5. Confirm and Restart your Computer.
If you do not have a restore point or disabled system restore.
Reinstall your Windows Vista Operating System
User Account Control Method
The User Account Control suggestion was provided by easydoesit36. You can find his post here.
1. Uninstall Aim 6.5 and Viewpoint Media Player
1. Click Start Button
2. Click Control Panel
3. Click User Accounts & Family Settings
4. Click Turn User Account Control On. [Provide Admin Password]
5. Checkmark “Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer“
6. Click OK
7. Restart Computer
8. Install Aim 6.5
Voila everything turns back to normal!
Local Service Method
This is the Most Riskiest Workaround
Original Solution Modified, but Originally Provided by blueshot
1. Click Start Button
2. Right Click on “Computer”
3. Click Manage
4. Under System Tools Click Users & Groups **STOP**
Solution provided by Silver6477
If your computer does not show Users & Groups Read Below. You may skip this section if you have Users & Groups.
Boot the Computer in Safe Mode!
4a. Click the Start Button
4b. Type “CMD” without quotations
4c. Right click on CMD that shows up and click Run As Administrator
4d. Type the text below:
net localgroup Administrators NT Authority\Local Service /add
If the Code doesn’t work uninstall AIM 6.5 and reboot the Computer and try again
Solution provided by blueshot
5. Click Group
6. Click Administrators
7. Click Add to Group
8. Click Add
9. Click Advanced
10. Click Find Now
11. Double Click Local Service
12. Click OK
NTAuthority/Local Service should show up in the list
13. Click OK, and Close Computer Management and Reboot
You can also try to run CMD as Administrator and type in
net localgroup Administrators /add Local Service
Where Can I Go For Additional Help?
In the meantime you can discuss new methods to fix this problem by clicking on these links below.
[Aim discussion] [Microsoft discussion]
