# Yahoo messenger **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772 "2000-01-28T17:25:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lauralee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lauralee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lauralee)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/1 "2000-01-28T17:25:00Z")
I started using YM a while back, and everything was hunky-dory. Chat with lots of friends all the time. Great. Then, as of 2 days ago I can’t send messages or respond to anyone who messages me. So, today I uninstall YM, and try to reinstall it. It won’t install. I go through the downloading, and then a window is _supposed_ to pop up and walk me through the easy installation process (yeah, right.). The window never pops up, and Yahoo Messenger is nowhere to be found. If anyone knowledgable about this sort of thing could help, I’d really appreciate it!!! ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/2 "2000-01-28T19:09:00Z")
Laura, you might try going to control panel, add/remove programs and see if Windows still has Yahoo Messenger installed. Remove it there if that’s the case or try manually executing the downloaded install program. email me direct if I can be of more help. ---
**Author:** ![Lauralee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lauralee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lauralee)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2000, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/3 "2000-01-28T21:38:00Z")
I’ve tried that already. The regular Windows 98 version wouldn’t download at all. The Beta version for Windows 98 downloaded, and I saved it to C:Windows/temp, then installed it manually. It still won’t let me send or recieve messages. It doesn’t give me any error messages. I double-click on a friends name and it does absolutely nothing. They YM me, I hear the little alert sound, but no message window comes up. Can’t conference either. I ran Norton Anti-virus several times and it swears I don’t have one. I don’t know what else to do. ---
**Author:** ![Lauralee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lauralee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lauralee)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/4 "2000-02-03T16:34:00Z")
Hey Padeye, I saw that you added me on your friend list. I tried to add you to mine, but apparently that’s another one of those things I can’t do. Sorry!! If you’ve got AIM, I’m on there too. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/5 "2000-02-03T21:06:00Z")
I had a problem very similar to this recently with a different application. I wasn’t able to reinstall until I cleared out all references to the app in the Windows Registry. I think TechChick can help with this sort of thing. Are you out there techchick? Enright3 ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/6 "2000-02-03T21:12:00Z")
lauralee, go here [http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10107-100-897145.html?tag=st.dl.10001\_103\_1.lst.titledetail](http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10107-100-897145.html?tag=st.dl.10001_103_1.lst.titledetail) It will sweep all the dust out of your registry. First, please check with someone completely in the know, but I think this might work for you ---
**Author:** ![Lauralee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lauralee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lauralee)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/7 "2000-02-03T21:17:00Z")
Thanks for the advice y’all… Yahoo’s tech support is _supposed_ to be getting back to me… but it’s taking a while. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yahoo-messenger/6772/8 "2000-02-03T21:19:00Z")
Scratch that, Lauralee…that link is only good for win95/NT. If you goto [download.com](http://download.com) and search for variations of “Registry clean” you should be able to find one.