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Is there any way to save my MSN history directly to an online location?

Saving MSN Histories

MSN Messenger, now known as Windows Live Messenger, has a feature for saving message histories. This feature is not turned on by default. If you want to save your histories, you must go into the Tools > Options menu and click on the Messages option. Once in the Messages section, find the Message History section and place a mark in “Automatically keep a history of my conversations.” Just below that, you’ll see an option labeled “Save my conversations in this folder.” Typically, you would browse to a location on your C drive and select it as the storage folder for your MSN histories. However, you want an online storage folder, so we’ll need to get creative.

Creating an Online Storage Drive

Several online storage and backup services allow you to map your online storage account as a network drive on your computer. You will need to sign up for an account with one of these services that feature “virtual network drives.” A virtual network drive appears on your computer as a drive letter just like your regular hard drive and CD drives. For example, if you had an OnlineStorageSolutions account, your computer would have a local drive letter, let’s say the “H” drive, that is mapped to your online storage account. So, instead of choosing the C drive and a subfolder to store your MSN history, you would instead choose the drive letter for your online storage account, in this example the “H” drive.

You will first need to find an online storage account that allows drive letter access. While a number of online storage services offer free personal accounts, finding one that allows uploading of files via a drive letter for free is tougher. OnlineStorageSolutions charges $19 per year for this service.

Another option is to try the free account offered at DropBox.com. DropBox offers 2 GB of free online storage. It works by synchronizing the local “DropBox” folder with your online account. In this case, you would instruct MSN Messenger to save the history file in your DropBox folder. From there, Dropbox would upload it to your online DropBox account.  

Accessing Your Saved MSN Histories

Once set up with an online virtual drive, your MSN histories will automatically be stored online where you can access them from any computer. Accessing the MSN histories will depend on the online account that you have set up for this purpose. For example, if you use DropBox, you’ll need to sign in to the DropBox.com Web site with your user name and password where you can then access your files.

I am having a problem with Windows Live Messenger. This has been an issue ever since I got the PC on both Windows Vista and Windows 7. The PC is not even a month old and Windows Live Messenger installs fine. Sometimes I can access it on a rare occasion. Most of the time it is running the process tree when I look but still can’t open up the actual program. I try closing it from the Task Manager and reopening but it doesn’t help. I can click on the icons over and over and it just loads more instances of the messenger. I have no idea what’s causing this. Any ideas?

Many users have had issues with Windows Live Messenger and its predecessor MSN Messenger failing to load properly. One of the most common issues is with the router though it’s also possible that you have a bad installation on your computer. Let’s take a look at some steps you can try.

Reset the Router

The first step is to reset the router. Your router should have a reset button on it. If not an actual button, there may be a tiny hole in the back where you can insert an unbent paperclip. If your router does not have a manual way to reset it, simply unplug it from the power source and let it sit for a minute or two. Plug it back in and see if the problem resolves itself. Resetting the router has solved this issue for many Windows Live Messenger users.

Repair Windows Live Messenger

You can also try repairing your installation of Windows Live Messenger. Go to Start and type “Programs and Features” into the Search bar and then click its link under Programs (or go to Control Panel > Programs and Features). Find Windows Live Essentials in the list of installed programs and click on Uninstall/Change. Choose the Repair option and click Continue. This will repair your installation of all Windows Live Essentials programs, including Windows Live Messenger.

Update Windows

Whenever a program fails to respond as expected, it’s not a bad idea to update your operating system to take advantage of any potential “fixes” that may have been issued by Microsoft. For example, if an external program or device is known to interfere with Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft has created a patch that fixes the issue, the patch will be released as an Update. Go to Control Panel > Windows Update and check to see if any updates exist addressing this issue.

Use the System File Checker Utility

You can also try running the System File Checker which will scan your operating system for file corruption which could be interfering with your computer’s performance. Press the Windows Flag key and the ‘R’ key at the same time to open the Run dialog and then type in: sfc /scannow

Follow the prompts to allow the System File Checker to scan your computer for missing or damaged operating system files. You may need your original installation discs to replace these damaged files.

Uninstall and Reinstall Windows Live Messenger

Another option is to try uninstalling and reinstalling Windows Live Messenger.

When trying to access MSN Messenger I get the message, “Host files contain Windows Live Messenger related entries - may interfere with name resolution.” How can this be fixed to allow access to MSN Messenger?

MSN Messenger Symptoms

In further conversations with the questioner, it turns out that this computer is used by several users, all of whom sign into the computer using the same user account. All of the users except for one can sign into Messenger without a problem, but one user consistently receives this error message. Another interesting symptom is that when signed into this particular MSN Messenger account, the CPU usage spikes to over 100 percent.

MSN Messenger vs. Windows Live Messenger

MSN Messenger has since been replaced by Windows Live Messenger. If you haven’t already, upgrade to the latest version of Windows Live Messenger. While this may not solve the individual user’s error message, it might. Plus, you’ll have the latest fixes and all the bells and whistles offered by Windows Live Messenger.

Troubleshooting the Host Files Error

Since this error is specific to a single user account, it’s not likely an issue with the computer’s set up. While many MSN Messenger users have solved a similar error by rebooting their routers, this didn’t work in this situation. Most likely, something is going on with this one user’s MSN Messenger settings. Once you upgrade to Windows Live Messenger, you can run the built-in Connection Troubleshooter to see if it can solve the problem for you automatically. Do this by clicking on the Show Menu button, then click on Tools followed by Options.

Now, click on the Connection link in the left side pane and then click on the Connection Troubleshooter’s Start button. You can also click on Connection Settings > Advanced Settings to run a few diagnostic tests.

Comparing Settings

If the Connection Troubleshooter doesn’t solve the problem, consider comparing every single user setting in the Options dialog with those of another user. Which settings are different? Perhaps the user’s display photo is oversized and gobbling up system resources as Messenger tries to display it? Maybe the other users’ Connection Settings are set up to use a proxy server and this user’s account is not set up that way (or vice versa). Look for anomalies.

For example, Microsoft recommends deleting the entries under SOCKS in the Connection > Advanced Settings section as a troubleshooting step when you can’t connect to Messenger.

Clear DNS Cache

Finally, try “flushing the DNS cache.” Go to Start > Run and type in: cmd

Press Enter and then type: ipconfig /flushdns

Press Enter one more time.

I use MSN messenger to talk and see my brother in another city via webcams through MSN. A smaller window appears on the side of my computer’s MSN home page that shows who is or is not logged into Messenger. I can see who is logged in and then I can double click that person’s name and another window comes up showing options that include a webcam that allows us to communicate via webcams. My wife’s work laptop has a webcam installed and she also has access to a MSN account that comes up like mine as it is based on the MSN messenger home page. She does not see who is or is not logged into MSN messenger. When I try to connect with her and her webcam she does not receive the nudge or anything. What needs to change on her computer? She cannot get the webcam to work.

Work Restrictions

Since this is your wife’s work computer, it is possible that the IT department may have restricted access to MSN or even disabled the webcam. Because of this possibility, your wife may want to read up on the company’s computer usage policy to make sure that this isn’t by design. If there are no restrictions, then let’s look at other possibilities.

MSN Messenger Settings

Assuming your wife’s MSN Messenger is set up with a list of contacts, the first thing to do is look at your wife’s MSN Messenger’s settings. Launch MSN Messenger and then click the “Change Contact Layout List Layout icon. It’s the second icon next to the “Search Contacts” bar. This opens the Options screen. Once the Options screen is opened, you can change a variety of settings including alerts and nudges. First, click on Personal and make sure that “Allow others to see that I have a webcam” is marked.

Next, click on Alerts. Make sure that the option for “Display alerts when contacts come online” is marked. Once that’s selected, click on Sounds and choose a sound for “nudge” that will get your wife’s attention.

Now, click on Privacy and add yourself to the list of allowed contacts. If the box that says “Only people in my Allow List can see my status and send me messages” is marked, then you must be listed in this area or else you will automatically be blocked and your wife will never know that you are trying to contact her.

Finally, close this options box and then click on the next icon which is the “Show Menu” icon. Click Tools > Audio and Video setup. Here, you will set up the webcam. The first screen tests the speaker and microphone settings. Go ahead and click Next to open the webcam. You should see the default webcam’s image on screen. If not, click the dropdown box to find the laptop’s webcam. Click Finish once it’s set up.

Webcam Troubleshooting

Most likely, one of the above settings will do the trick and allow you and your wife to communicate via MSN and your webcams. If you think the webcam is not functioning, you may need to check it out in the Device Manager. Go to the Control Panel, click on System followed by Device Manager. Go to the Imaging Devices category and expand it. Double-click the webcam and see if any error messages show up. If you want to try updating its device driver, click the Driver tab followed by Update Driver. Follow the prompts.

I have a unit Linpus Lite Acer. The problem is Buddy Messenger Yahoo. If I sign in, it is showing messenger failed. But if I’m using MSN, it is working fine. What to do with this?

Perfect for use with mobile phones, eBuddy is an online messenger that can be used with AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Facebook, MySpace, ICQ, and Gtalk. Unfortunately, errors sometimes crop up when updated versions come out, the home server has issues, and other random problems occur. The fact that it is messenger-specific error suggests that it is a problem related to the software used for Yahoo.

Failed eBuddy Login on Yahoo: Username

The first strategy to follow here is to make sure that the login that you are using is accurate. An inaccurate username for the login is the most common reason for errors showing that the messenger has failed to connect. In fact, it is an easy error to make since the different messengers have semi-different guidelines for usernames.

When signing in on eBuddy for Yahoo, you need to login using your Yahoo! email address information. Make sure that you include the portion of the email address that follows @ or the login will not work. Also, type in the complete address rather than relying on saved login usernames.

Failed eBuddy Login on Yahoo: Password

Even though you might remember your password for logging in on Yahoo, you can double check that you have the correct password by selecting the “Forgot my Password” link. Once you have gone through this process, try logging in again.

Failed eBuddy Login on Yahoo: Newest Version

Reading the chatter on the net, it appears that the latest version of the eBuddy app created a few problems for many people. The general consensus was that rolling back to the earlier version would solve the problem. It’s an option - not the best one, I agree, but it should work around the problem.

Failed eBuddy Login on Yahoo: Update Operating System

Occasionally, operating systems incorporate updates that change their protocols, interfering with previous set up such as Yahoo! Messenger. Make sure that you have the latest update for your operating system since that could be the fix that you need. One other strategy that you can try is to remove the “Acer Communication” suite patch by searching for it under “Live update>history” and locating it to uninstall it. If you can then log in to Yahoo, then you’ll know that the problem is with Microsoft and time should resolve the issue.

Failed eBuddy Login on Yahoo: Yahoo Servers

Occasionally, Yahoo! updates its servers and connectivity issues such as the one you are describing occur. I understand that a Yahoo has recently upgraded their servers and might still be doing so. If this is the case, then this is the reason why you are receiving the error message. It is possible that a patch for this problem might be needed or simply the passage of time for all of the upgrades to take effect. My suggestion is to keep trying to connect.

How can I bring the Yahoo text chat back? That chat is old.

Why Retrieve Old Yahoo Text Chat?

In some instances, people wish that they could recover an old Yahoo Chat text. Perhaps they want to review the information it offered. Or maybe they enjoyed a joke or humorous comment that it contained. For whatever reason, sometimes it is nice to be able to recover an old Yahoo text chat.

How to Retrieve an Old Yahoo Text Chat: dexrex

Although I have not used dexrex and I cannot vouch for its usefulness, I did come across it on the Internet. This application is designed to retrieve old chat texts from your old instant messenger conversations. They have a motto or tagline that states that they will save one message at a time. It is supposed to work with a whole slew of instant messenger services including AIM, Skype, Jabber, Google Talk, and Windows Live. If you opt for this route, you will need to sign in using your Yahoo! ID as well as your personal password. You’ll also have to download and install a file that will do the work of retrieving your old Yahoo text chats. It’s a painless process and you get all the instructions you need. It can’t hurt to try. This application allows you to store your old chats in a dexrex account, but to do so, you need to have Java installed on your computer.

How to Retrieve an Old Yahoo Text Chat: Settings

If you are lucky, your settings have already been configured to save message archives. If not, at least you can enable it to save your text chats in the future. To do so, follow these simple steps:

• Open up Yahoo Messenger.
• Select “Preferences.”
• Select “Archives.”
• Select the settings according to your needs. For example, select “Yes” to save all messages and/or “Yes” to save all call history.
• Select “OK.”

To read your message history once you have enabled it to be saved, just follow these directions each time that you want to read or review them:

• Open up Yahoo Messenger.
• Select “Contacts.”
• Select “Message Archive.”
• Select “Message.”