# My old ICQ chat logs are stored in hard-to-read dat files...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-old-icq-chat-logs-are-stored-in-hard-to-read-dat-files/296750>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 29, 2005, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-old-icq-chat-logs-are-stored-in-hard-to-read-dat-files/296750 "2005-03-29T09:21:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-old-icq-chat-logs-are-stored-in-hard-to-read-dat-files/296750/1 "2005-03-29T09:21:55Z")

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I checked Google to find a program that will convert them to something more readable and came across this: [http://www.headstrong.de/software-icqrinfo.shtml](http://www.headstrong.de/software-icqrinfo.shtml)

Unfortunately, it doesn’t recognize my DAT files at 99a/b or 2000a/b DAT files. ☹

Any suggestions? These chat logs are about 6 years old from my high school days and I’d just love to read over them again.

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-old-icq-chat-logs-are-stored-in-hard-to-read-dat-files/296750/2 "2005-03-29T09:56:48Z")

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ABC Amber do lots of conversion software including this [ICQ converter](http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/abcicq.html) which you can test for free.

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**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-old-icq-chat-logs-are-stored-in-hard-to-read-dat-files/296750/3 "2005-03-29T10:34:05Z")

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Thanks, **don’t ask**! 🙂

Right after I posted this thread I continued looking and I actually found something that worked.  
[http://hitu.host.sk/icqhr.php](http://hitu.host.sk/icqhr.php)

The HTML page output isn’t the best though, so I might check out your suggestion.