# I need ICQ help NOW! please **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2000, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961 "2000-02-09T05:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/1 "2000-02-09T05:29:00Z")
Help, please anyone who is any good with icq even marginally. Here’s my problem: I can’t send or receive files from ANYONE at all, nadda. The msg that keeps coming up for either seding or receiving is “Can’t allocate a TCP listen port for incoming events.” Now, when I tried to send to a friend who is behind a firewall, it said that the both of us were behind firewalls and to use a SOCKS Proxy server. But I know for a fact that being in a residence that I am NOT behind a firewall and that there is no proxy server to use. I have all my other ICQ settings how they are supposed to be, I’m on a LAN connection, and have all the plugins I’m supposed to. I had downloaded version 99b on top of 98a, this is when the problem started, so I deleted both versions, everything gone, and re downloaded 99a new. I really don’t want to delete and download a 3rd time. can someone suggest something? Please with a cherry on top 😃 😛 * * * I am a fire whose flames lick and spit at the boundless sky forever desiring wonderous consummation -me ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/2 "2000-02-09T05:36:00Z")
Several web sites are getting their servers pounded by denial-of-service attacks right now. Your error “Can’t allocate a TCP listen port for incoming events.” sounds like something that may be produced by a DoS attack (which overwhelms a server with data packets). Your ICQ server may be one of the ones being affected or it may have been disabled deliberately in an attempt to block one of the attacks. If your configuration has worked before, I would suggest simply waiting until later and trying again. ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/3 "2000-02-09T05:40:00Z")
hmm, could be, but the problem has been since I downloaded it, about 4 weeks ago or more. I have since tried many times with no success ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/4 "2000-02-09T05:42:00Z")
I was having problems with ICQ earlier, but mostly random disconnections, watching other users in my list pop in and out sporadiacally. I am definitely not an authority, but I think it’s just a temporary problem and no amount of re-installing is going to fix it. * * * The most rewarding part was when I got my money! -Dr. Nick Riviera ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/5 "2000-02-09T05:42:00Z")
oh yeah, everyone that’s on the same server here at school, is having no problems sending or receiving files-thought that might be important ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/6 "2000-02-09T05:46:00Z")
sorry :o I always forget stuff. I’m the only one who seems to be having this problem, either in rez or not in rez doesn’t matter. ☹ I’m the only one who can’t get the freakin’ files and it’s frustrating the hell out of me * * * I am a fire whose flames lick and spit at the boundless sky forever desiring wonderous consummation -me ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/7 "2000-02-09T05:47:00Z")
I know this is not the technical answer that you want (and probably a big no-no on the SD boards), but I had that problem a while ago (over a year) and here’s how I fixed it. I went into the connection tab on the preferences option and changed the connection to the wrong thing (in my case I changed it from a modem connection to a LAN and said I WAS behind a firewall, which I’m not). Then I went back and changed it to the right setting and it worked just fine after that. Go figure. * * * “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/8 "2000-02-09T05:52:00Z")
tried that, sorry ☹ you tried though ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/9 "2000-02-09T05:54:00Z")
You may have tried this already, but did you try to access a different ICQ server? Here’s a list of them off a random search I did… [ICQ SERVERS](http://www.nordicwebdesign.com/icq/servers.htm) * * * The most rewarding part was when I got my money! -Dr. Nick Riviera ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/10 "2000-02-09T06:01:00Z")
I’m going to try that right now, thankx _kiss_ 😛😉 * * * I am a fire whose flames lick and spit at the boundless sky forever desiring wonderous consummation -me ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/11 "2000-02-09T17:00:00Z")
I tried about 5 different icq servers, they all work fine, but they don’t fix my problem. very frustrated…mmmaaaaaaa, ick * * * I am a fire whose flames lick and spit at the boundless sky forever desiring wonderous consummation -me ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/12 "2000-02-09T17:09:00Z")
Presumably Prose, you don’t want help from Americans ? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/13 "2000-02-09T17:35:00Z")
Prose, I have the same problem. I get that message whenever I try to iether send or receive a file transfer or initiate a chat session. ICQ had always been working fine until I upgraded to v99b. I haven’t needed file transfer badly enough to do the troubleshooting (you can email files almost as quickly), but there is a supposed fix posted on an ICQ message board here: [http://www.angelfire.com/mb/icqfiletransfer/](http://www.angelfire.com/mb/icqfiletransfer/) Let me know how it turns out. ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/14 "2000-02-09T17:36:00Z")
Check out these pages- [CNET HELP](http://www.help.com/cat/3/314/318/tip/1795.html) [ICQ HELP](http://help.icqx.com/faq/filetransfer.html) * * * The most rewarding part was when I got my money! -Dr. Nick Riviera ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/15 "2000-02-09T19:47:00Z")
When did the SDMB GQ board become the freakin’ Tech Support Hotline? * * * **Marge** : Your father is… resting. **Bart** : “Resting” hung over? “Resting” got fired? Help me out here. ---
**Author:** ![Prose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Prose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prose)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-icq-help-now-please/6961/16 "2000-02-09T21:16:00Z")
thankx guys, I’ll try those other links with cherries on top! for the others who are being so snide-sheesh it’s a msg board, not ur life=but that thread has been done already * * * I am a fire whose flames lick and spit at the boundless sky forever desiring wonderous consummation -me