AOL Instant Messenger 4.8 no longer connects

[Drugwash]

I got the warning too today in Miranda IM 0.10.24.0. Maybe the newer Miranda NG could work but I simply don't care - if they push me they don't get obedience, they get the finger.

[sdfox7]

On 17/02/2016 at 7:19 PM, Gabby said:

Looks like I'm in the same boat with you, Andrew, but in a different version. The classic AIM  5.9.6089. I was one of the people who saw the updates for AIM 7 Jan 1st, 2007 and never upgraded. Call me stuck in my ways but I'll never see AIM for anything except 5.9.6089 (and lower).

Unfortunately for me, downgrading my OS isn't a possibility, and even if it were, I'm not sure if it'd even help this version in particular.

Like you said, Andrew, I'd considered this another of AOL's many stunts (how many times did they say they were discontinuing it? I've lost count) but after googling and finding this thread, I sincerely doubt it.

If anyone finds this thread or knows how to hack AIM 5.9.6089 to continue connecting post-March 15th, I'd be very grateful.

I have 5.9.3861 on my FTP (August 5, 2005). Can you let me know if you still receive the message on your platform with that version? http://sdfox7.com/win98/aim59.exe

I also have some old 1.x version designed for 16-bit Windows 3.1, if you're interested:  http://sdfox7.com/win31/AIM10.EXE

[sdfox7]

On 17/02/2016 at 7:19 PM, Gabby said:

Looks like I'm in the same boat with you, Andrew, but in a different version. The classic AIM  5.9.6089. I was one of the people who saw the updates for AIM 7 Jan 1st, 2007 and never upgraded. Call me stuck in my ways but I'll never see AIM for anything except 5.9.6089 (and lower).

Unfortunately for me, downgrading my OS isn't a possibility, and even if it were, I'm not sure if it'd even help this version in particular.

Like you said, Andrew, I'd considered this another of AOL's many stunts (how many times did they say they were discontinuing it? I've lost count) but after googling and finding this thread, I sincerely doubt it.

If anyone finds this thread or knows how to hack AIM 5.9.6089 to continue connecting post-March 15th, I'd be very grateful.

I wonder if setting your system clock one year early would work!

[Drugwash]

It's about the protocol handshake, not the computer date/time. Even if protocol version could be faked on the client side the handshake would fail because they will modify it on their servers.

[sdfox7]

On 02/03/2016 at 7:03 PM, Drugwash said:

It's about the protocol handshake, not the computer date/time. Even if protocol version could be faked on the client side the handshake would fail because they will modify it on their servers.

It sounds like we need to spoof the version that the client reports; either via Program Files or a registry edit. Fake it 'til you make it!

[shinobi]

Ah, I really hope something can be figured out. I'm getting a bit nervous, haha. Fingers crossed. I'd try to figure something out myself, but...I really don't know where to start. I'll be stubbornly hanging on to version 6 for as long as I can until then.

[sdfox7]

On 17/02/2016 at 7:19 PM, Gabby said:

Looks like I'm in the same boat with you, Andrew, but in a different version. The classic AIM  5.9.6089. I was one of the people who saw the updates for AIM 7 Jan 1st, 2007 and never upgraded. Call me stuck in my ways but I'll never see AIM for anything except 5.9.6089 (and lower).

Unfortunately for me, downgrading my OS isn't a possibility, and even if it were, I'm not sure if it'd even help this version in particular.

Like you said, Andrew, I'd considered this another of AOL's many stunts (how many times did they say they were discontinuing it? I've lost count) but after googling and finding this thread, I sincerely doubt it.

If anyone finds this thread or knows how to hack AIM 5.9.6089 to continue connecting post-March 15th, I'd be very grateful.

For what it's worth, I just ran the 16 bit AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) 1.0.414 from 1997 on Windows 95, and connected successfully without any warning messages that I would be unable to connect as of March 15.

[Drugwash]

Maybe they only send the notification once per user ID. I got the notification once five days ago, never connected again until a couple minutes ago when there was no other notification. The client is the same: Miranda IM v0.10.24.0. So don't get your hopes high.

[shinobi]

Well, it happened - AIM kicked me off version 6. Really not liking the newest version. If anybody figures out a way to make the old versions work again, which I doubt at this point, that would be just amazing, haha. Even so, at the very least I suppose I'm glad AIM didn't shut down altogether. Still...was hoping it wouldn't happen after all. Too bad, huh?

[Gabby]

After a little bit over a week of still being able to use AIM 5.9 (perhaps because of a mistake by AOL?) I am now having issues connecting. Signing in is almost an infinite loop but every stage says "Connection interrupted".

It's odd because my friend who still uses 5.9 is still able to connect and I can see them online from mobile AIM app.  Not sure what's going on.

Going to try to restart and maybe even reinstall AIM, but I don't have any high hopes.

Can anyone else who has been booted off confirm that the error message says "Connection interrupted"? Then I'll at least know if this is really the end. Or the true beginning of the end.

[kuja killer]

Hello, i saw this topic via google searching about this recent phenomonom, and i signed up to commet here, this is the only place with an "active" dicussion right now.

I've been using AIM 5.5.3595 all the time most of my life, and i absolutely refuse to use any "higher" version ...and i was able to use it just fine until this really stupid "going away" message. It seems i was able to continue using it just fine no problem beyond March 15 ....until today March 23. I have a couple people who still use AIM once in awhile that i talk to

But now i cant because of this stupid crap...i dont want to use 7.x ever. I had my AIM 5.5.3595 custom hacked as "dead aim" which included logging and other features like removing all the ads from the window and so on. (from 2004 i think) ..i thought maybe my modified "dead aim" is what kept my past the march 15 deadline.... but i guess not now.

If anyone out there in the hacking world is able to come up with a solution to continuing using 5.x ...please i would be eternally grateful, i'm even willing to pay money if possible. (if that statement is against forum rules, i sincerely apoligize) ...i dont want to give up my AIM 5.

*edit* i thought i could make it work by using the more recent connection server that "ksc.aol.com + port 80" in connection settings rather than the login.oscar  ...but no

I will check this thread at least once a day.. hoping for any update on this situation..

Edited March 24, 2016 by kuja killer

[Gabby]

We're in the same boat, Kuja. I'm using DeadAIM too, which is probably why I was able to connect until today too.

I don't have enough know how to attempt to do it, but I really would if I could.

[DocLexus]

Caught this topic while Google searching, so signed up to post this reply.

Have been running AIM 5.9.6089 w/ AIM Ad Hack (to eliminate ads and other crap from AIM) and AIM Encrypt style SSL certificates (for secure IM communications) for many years.  Like others in this thread, received messages about this version of AIM expiring on Mar 15, which actually lasted until Mar 23.  Knowing that AIM Encrypt was never made compatible w/ newer versions of AIM (perhaps called AIM Triton), I didn't even consider upgrading to the latest AIM client.

Instead, found a simplistic (and seemingly lightweight) enough IM client called Pidgin which is compatible w/ numerous IM protocols (AIM, Yahoo, MSN, GoogleTalk, ICQ, and much more).  It supports plug-ins, including a separately downloadable and installable one called Off-the-Record Messaging (OTR) which supports advanced encryption of IM convos.  For more details on setting up the OTR plug-in, see this link.

With Pidgin and the OTR plug-in, am able continue communicating via AIM, securely.

P.S. I realize that this thread has been posted in a Win 9x/ME forum.  I've been running AIM 5.9 on Win7 (and thus installed the latest version of Pidgin under that OS).  According to this post, Pidgin 2.7.x and higher IS NOT Win 9x/ME/NT4 compatible (where the latest version, as of this writing, is 2.10.12).  Older Pidgin versions can be found here, although I have no idea whether they're AIM compatible, and if so whether they support whatever protocol AIM is now enforcing.

[Xirix]

Same issue here, I was using AIM version 5.2.3292, just got the March 15th notification and it won't let me sign on. I like others in this thread have been using this specific version for both nostalgia and the look of it, I don't like new AIM.

If anyone ever finds a way to get these old versions working again, please do post. (Using Windows 7 tho)

[polymer]

this is so frustrating. I use, what I call a dinosaur MAC ... it's running OS 9.2.2 because I have this excellent design software that I use daily. This computer can't handle the internet much less a newer version of AIM. we use AIM to talk between employees and transfer files... newer computers use newer versions of AIM. The dinosaur MAC is running AIM 4.7, we don't need anything fancier... and we don't tech support so I don't understand why AOL would just lock the program out entirely rather than say, "hey, no, there's no tech support for that" if someone contacts them for it.

I need something that works like this AIM on an old computer to continue to work efficiently. I hope someone comes up with a way to connect it.