# Need help from the techies.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-from-the-techies/26667>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 24, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-from-the-techies/26667 "2000-07-24T18:20:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-from-the-techies/26667/1 "2000-07-24T18:20:50Z")

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I recently downloaded the newest test version of AIM. Big mistake.

About 5 minutes after I get online, I get a blue screen of death or two. At best, AIM crashes. At worst, it takes Netscape or my entire computer with it.

Is anyone else having this problem? Do you know how to fix it? I’m getting pissed off because I don’t have AIM at home anymore. Went back to their website and tried to DOWNGRADE, but I couldn’t find a way to do it anymore. The only place I could find to DL the old version was for people who never had AIM at all, and involved registering on the spot. Since I have a screen name I’d like to keep around, that’s unacceptable.

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**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-from-the-techies/26667/2 "2000-07-24T18:23:41Z")

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never used AIM, only yahoo. could you reregister under a different name, then change the user name once’s it’s installed. I know yahoo allows for the possibility of different users on one machine.

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**Author:** ![astrangefish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbce88/32.png) [@astrangefish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astrangefish)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-from-the-techies/26667/3 "2000-07-24T18:25:37Z")

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Ahhh… AIM bites.

I had loads of trouble with the newer version, but I run a Macintosh so I can’t really help.

Why not re-sign up, download the old version and just use your original sign-up name when you lauch AIM for the first time?

Worked for me.

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**Author:** ![wacky\_ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/58956e/32.png) [@wacky\_ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wacky_ninja)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-from-the-techies/26667/4 "2000-07-24T18:26:52Z")

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actually, what oldscratch is saying works  
register a new name and password…once yo uahve downloaded the old version, just log in with your old name and whatnot. it works fine that way.

just make sur eyo uuninstall the new version first

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**Author:** ![ChrisP\_One\_Kenobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@ChrisP\_One\_Kenobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisP_One_Kenobe)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-from-the-techies/26667/5 "2000-07-24T18:27:09Z")

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I think, if it isn’t too big, that I could send you the version that I have in a .zip file. You would have to uninstall the new AIM. Then when you reinstall the version that I have sent you, just put in you old user-name and password. I think.