# Help retrieving Aol conversation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-retrieving-aol-conversation/87655>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 16, 2001, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-retrieving-aol-conversation/87655 "2001-10-16T04:25:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ottoerotic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ottoerotic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ottoerotic)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-retrieving-aol-conversation/87655/1 "2001-10-16T04:25:15Z")

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I just had a conversation with a buddy on aol that i really wanted to save, However when he said goodbye i closed the window out of habit. Is there any way to get this back, i.e. is it stored in any temp file. If it makes a difference, i don’t have full AOL just the instant messanger. Thanks in advance

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**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-retrieving-aol-conversation/87655/2 "2001-10-16T04:46:28Z")

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Having worked at AOL for a good number of years I can tell you that you are out of luck. If you use the client software you can log IM’s-Chats. Otherwise you have no way to log stuff.

Eric

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**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-retrieving-aol-conversation/87655/3 "2001-10-16T06:19:29Z")

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Do you have a PC? **If** your conversation is stored in a temp file somewhere, you **might** be able to find it with the Windows “Find” function. It has an option to search for files containing a certain text string.

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**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\
**Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-retrieving-aol-conversation/87655/4 "2001-10-16T10:40:42Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sleestak \*  
> \*\*Having worked at AOL for a good number of years I can tell you that you are out of luck. If you use the client software you can log IM’s-Chats. Otherwise you have no way to log stuff.
> 
> Eric \*\*

You worked at AOL…?

I’m sorry