# New A.I.M. for Mac- issues?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 17, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645 "2008-12-17T22:14:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/1 "2008-12-17T22:14:52Z")
There’s a new [A.I.M. for Macintosh users.](http://www.aim.com/get_aim/mac/latest_macosx.adp).
Downloaded. Installed supposedly properly. No love- it crashes when I try to sign in, and quits.
Did a Restart. Uninstalled, and did a fresh download and install. Nothing. Anyone else tried this? It says it supports from 10.4.8 upwards, and I use 10.4.11 .
Hmph ! Any one installed it successfully ? How?
Cartooniverse
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/2 "2008-12-17T22:35:23Z")
Don’t have any answers for you, but there are about a thousand AIM clients for MacOS X that are better than the official one.
The built-in iChat supports AIM, as does [Adium](http://www.adiumx.com/), [Fire](http://fire.sourceforge.net/) and [Proteus](http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/12319).
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/3 "2008-12-17T23:43:18Z")
True. But AFAIK, only AIM and AOL supports the WeeMees.
And they are so very cute. 🙂
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### Author:  [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/4 "2008-12-18T00:43:03Z")
It works fine for me, but what I don’t like about it is that the buddy list displays everyone, including even those who are not online. To see who is online I have to scroll through a long list looking for the names with black font instead of gray italics. Is there any way to fix this? I didn’t see any relevant options in the preferences.
Also, I didn’t see an option for having chats automatically logged, which I wish it had.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/5 "2008-12-18T01:03:31Z")
What OS are you using?
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### Author:  [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/6 "2008-12-18T05:51:07Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#):
>
> What OS are you using?
10.5.5
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/7 "2008-12-18T16:30:13Z")
Well. It’s a mystery, and a bit of a drag. I use that IM’ing software above all others and was happy to be offered the upgrade. I just removed, trashed, emptied trash, restarted machine, and did a fresh download and install.
Identical issues.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/8 "2008-12-18T16:35:42Z")
Check your Crash logs - look for any obvious startup item names mentioned.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/9 "2008-12-18T20:21:13Z")
Not sure what that means. I know where to look for Startup Menu items on the Mac, but what’s a Crash Log?
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/10 "2008-12-18T20:43:16Z")
The install from yesterday, in my Applications, is called " AIM 17-08-45 ". Huh?? The new install from middle of last night is just called AIM.
There are choices for the Default AIM Client.
1. AOL Instant Messenger (SM) (4.7) [That is the old AIM I am using now. 4.7]
2. iChat (3.1.9)
3. AIM 17-08-45 (1.0 )
4. None
None of these options allow it to sign on.
This is only a portion of the Problem Report for AIM. I assume this is the Crash Log you refer to?? Anyone understand this language?
======================================================
Date/Time: 2008-12-19 15:31:06.389 -0500
OS Version: 10.4.11 (Build 8S165)
Report Version: 4
Command: AIM
Path: /Applications/AIM.app/Contents/MacOS/AIM
Parent: WindowServer [66]
Version: 1.0 (46)
PID: 17932
Thread: 0
Exception: EXC\_BAD\_ACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN\_PROTECTION\_FAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000000
Thread 0 Crashed:
0 \<\<00000000\>\> 0xfffeff20 objc\_msgSend\_rtp + 32
1 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x907c0dc0 \_CFArrayReplaceValues + 372
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x92bf4454 -[NSCFArray insertObject:atIndex:] + 224
3 AIM 0x01043840 AccOcPreferencesHook::SpecifierToArray(unsigned short const\*) + 196 (icplusplus.c:28)
4 AIM 0x01044178 AccOcPreferencesHook::GetValue(unsigned short const\*, tagVARIANT\*) + 352 (icplusplus.c:28)
5 AIM 0x01198730 AIMCC::TAccPreferences::GetValue(wchar\_t const\*, tagVARIANT\*) + 380 (icplusplus.c:28)
6 AIM 0x010425e8 -[AccOcPreferences(Ext) typedValue:forKeyPath:] + 300 (icplusplus.c:28)
7 AIM 0x0104269c -[AccOcPreferences(Ext) unsignedValueForKeyPath:] + 40 (icplusplus.c:28)
8 AIM 0x01027cc8 -[AccOcExecutor(PrivateExt) actions] + 44 (icplusplus.c:28)
9 AIM 0x01027b0c -[AccOcExecutor executeActions] + 36 (icplusplus.c:28)
10 AIM 0x0105501c -[AccOcSession(Ext) signOffSync:] + 56 (icplusplus.c:28)
11 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x000e1ea8 0x1000 + 921256
12 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x000e3db0 0x1000 + 929200
13 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x0005dfb0 0x1000 + 380848
14 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x0005de28 0x1000 + 380456
15 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x001fe188 0x1000 + 2085256
16 com.apple.AppKit 0x938418b4 -[NSApplication sendAction:to:from:] + 108
17 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x00099d0c 0x1000 + 625932
18 com.apple.AppKit 0x938417e8 -[NSControl sendAction:to:] + 96
19 com.apple.AppKit 0x938416c8 -[NSCell \_sendActionFrom:] + 156
20 com.apple.AppKit 0x9385b664 -[NSCell trackMouse:inRect:ofView:untilMouseUp:] + 1020
21 com.apple.AppKit 0x9385b24c -[NSButtonCell trackMouse:inRect:ofView:untilMouseUp:] + 564
22 com.apple.AppKit 0x9385ac70 -[NSControl mouseDown:] + 536
23 com.apple.AppKit 0x937fc4e0 -[NSWindow sendEvent:] + 4616
24 com.apple.AppKit 0x937a5524 -[NSApplication sendEvent:] + 4172
25 com.apple.AppKit 0x9379c960 -[NSApplication run] + 508
26 com.apple.AppKit 0x9388d458 NSApplicationMain + 452
27 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x000042e8 0x1000 + 13032
28 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x000031cc 0x1000 + 8652
29 com.aol.aim.desktop 0x00002ed0 0x1000 + 7888
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/11 "2008-12-18T20:46:10Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#):
>
> Not sure what that means. I know where to look for Startup Menu items on the Mac, but what’s a Crash Log?
Sorry, I didn’t have time to get into this in detail this morning.
Launch Applications-\>Utilities-\>Console
Then
File-\>Open Quickly-\>~/Library/Logs-\>AOL crash log (or AIM, or whatever).
The log will be filled with all kinds of gibberish. But, even non-programmer types can often spot suspicious key words. You can also copy the crash log and PM me, and I’ll see if I can spot anything.
ETA - I see you found it.
Have you dumped your old preferences? I see indications it might be a preference problem.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/12 "2008-12-18T20:48:21Z")
Talk bout yer simulposts… 😃
Should I PM you the whole log?
ETA: Will dump Preferences, re-start machine.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/13 "2008-12-18T20:50:30Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#):
>
> Talk bout yer simulposts… 😃
>
> Should I PM you the whole log?
>
> ETA: Will dump Preferences, re-start machine.
You can send it to me, but see what dumping the prefs does first.
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/14 "2008-12-18T21:33:55Z")
Quit any running mail App. Toss the Plist. Reinstall while mail is not running. Launch, Quit, Start mail, launch again.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/15 "2008-12-18T23:11:01Z")
The Preferences Folder under Library under House…is…HUGE. Tons of things in there. Am I to Trash the entire Preferences folder?
If so, I’ll do it. Are my Preferences re-set as I use other Apps?
Will do what **Morbo** said, once Preferences issue is cleared up.
Determined to make it work !
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/16 "2008-12-18T23:57:14Z")
If I were going to guess, I’d say to just trash:
com.aol.aim.plist
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/17 "2008-12-19T00:28:57Z")
> [@Morbo](#):
>
> Quit any running mail App. Toss the Plist. Reinstall while mail is not running. Launch, Quit, Start mail, launch again.
Nope. I did toss the Plists. One was plist, one was plist for desktop. Followed all steps above.
Plist gone, because fresh install did not already “know” my member names. Tried to log in. It’s still saying “connecting”, which it will do until I hit Cancel. Software closes up again too.
Other ideas? What did I miss?
ETA- did what **UncleRojelio** said in terms of chosing the Plist.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/18 "2008-12-19T00:33:07Z")
And, still trying each Default AIM Client ( What does this mean, anyway? ).
None work.
And, oddly, the member name I am using doesn’t “stick” when I try to log in. It is as though no new Plist has been created, even though I’ve launched the new AIM software. Shouldn’t a Plist be created when I launch the software?
This is…perhaps…the 5th download at this point. All have been banished to trash and deleted.
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/19 "2008-12-19T19:00:47Z")
Hmmm…you’ve stumped the band at this point. I’d suggest searching for existing posts / posting this on the maxfixit forums.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-a-i-m-for-mac-issues/477645/20 "2008-12-20T00:24:53Z")
I registered and posted into the proper forum there. Thanks.
Really quite vexing !!