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Can't log in to AIM account via iChat

Changed the password on my AIM account and now cannot log in via iChat. It keeps giving me the screen to enter my password which says, "AOL Instant Messenger Login - iChat can't log in to AOL Instant Messenger because your login ID or password is incorrect." I know I have the right username and password, because I can log in no problem on the web and via downloaded AIM app. It's just iChat that can't make the connection.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on May 26, 2010 2:54 PM

Reply
10 replies

May 27, 2010 11:35 AM in response to MainTitle

Hi,

GO to the Applications/Utilities folder
Open Keychain Access.
Find your AIM name in the list of password.
Double Click or use the "i" button to show the Info screen.
Tick the Show Password box.
IN the new Screen confirm your Admin Password and use the allow Once button.
The Password should now appear and you can correct it if required.

NOTE:- if you changed it you may have two (or more) entries in the Keychain stating your AIM name. It will then depend which one iChat is calling on too fill in the password box in the Preferences.

Now, before starting iChat delete com.apple.ichat.AIM.plist
This will force ichat to read the Keychain for the password.

User uploaded file

7:35 PM Thursday; May 27, 2010

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

May 27, 2010 12:00 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi Ralph,

Thank you for your help. No love here. Verified the password (there is only one) in keychain, deleted the .com.apple.ichat.AIM.plist pref, started iChat and got the same result - I get the the AOL Instant Messenger Login popup window. When I re-enter my password the popup returns and tells me it it incorrect. I know iChat is working, because I can log in to another AIM screen name, no problem.

I can log into the account using the desktop AIM software. Last night I left AIM logged in to the account. This morning I got these messages from the system...

AOL System Msg: (6:10:27 AM) You (MY SCREEN NAME HERE) are now signed into AOL(R) Instant Messenger (TM) in 2 locations. To sign off the other location(s), reply to this message with the number 1. Click here for more information.
AOL System Msg signed on at 6:10 AM.
AOL System Msg signed on at 7:54 AM.
AOL System Msg signed on at 8:06 AM.
AOL System Msg signed on at 8:23 AM.
AOL System Msg signed on at 9:19 AM.
AOL System Msg signed on at 10:27 AM.

I didn't use the computer until around 10AM.

Could it be that my account is compromised? It appears that someone else is logging on from another location.

May 27, 2010 12:30 PM in response to MainTitle

Hi,

It is a Possible that it is compromised but that is the least likely.

What constitutes a double login can vary depending on your set up.

1) Most common is the work and home computer scenario (two computers) where one is not logged out. (I will come on to Fully Logging out)

2) Second app.

Less common.
Logging in via AIM Express, Social Network site or possibly Tokbox if linked to your AIM account.

Logging in to the AIM web site and not altering the default Login period and not exiting with Logout first.

There are level of Login.
Some of these apply even if your computer is Off.

I will start with those that apply when it is On.
First. So called default state for iChat when opened.
You start iChat it logs your accounts as being On-line.
Consider this as Login+
This can then be varied with Invisible, Available and Away (With or without Status Message).

Next.
How iChat Works by default if you have the Menu Bar icon visible.
This does not Log you as Off line On Quit.
The reason for this is iChat is capable of accepting Off Line Messages.
This can launch iChat if the computer is On ( A support app called iChatAgent handles this monitoring and that level of being logged in)

You can change this behaviour in iChat > Preferences > General Section by Selecting the "When I Quit iChat, Set the Status to Off-Line"

Other Logins.
You can of course set iChat in th Accounts part of the Preferences to allow Multiple Logins for AIM (Or at least those that Login in to AIM) names.

This is turn can be via several means as partially mentioned.
Another app is common.
The Home/Work Computers scenario
or just generally having tow computers.

There are others such as logging in to the AIM web site to change setting there on your Account (OFF-line Messaging can only be turned ON again here, setting Screen Linking for the AIM App can be done here)
The Account page has a default Login period of two weeks if you quit the page before Logging out first.

To resolve some of this set iChat to Not allow Multiple Logins.
This will pop up the message if something or somewhere else is logged in when you restart iChat.
(keeping your iChat or AIM app open overnight does not stop the second login typing a 1 to the AIMSysMessage IM and replying to log you out.)

Also set the setting in the General Section to Log iChat Off Line on Quit.

Double check any possible logins that you may have.

At this stage I would also change the password for that Screen Name.
Use this page to do that.
(It pays to play safe rather than be sorry).

Once you have this Screen Name logged in via iChat again try the option about a SSL login (in Server Settings)
This server is not as stable as the main server but may provide some help/added Security.
If the server goes down iChat will connect not Using SSL and has to be manually reset.

Hope this helps.

User uploaded file

8:30 PM Thursday; May 27, 2010

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

May 27, 2010 2:08 PM in response to MainTitle

Hi,

When it comes down to it this may be a Keychain issue.
The Keychain tends to duplicate entries when you change passwords or make other attempts.

What we have to then consider is which one is iChat looking at.

Do this with iChat shut down
Open Keychain Access in Applications/Utilities
Look through the password list for your AIM Name.
Double Click it or use the "i" Button.
In the info screen that appears tick the Show Password Box.
In the confirmation Dialogue Box enter Admin Password and use the Allow Once.
The Password should now appear.
1) Is it correct ?
2) In the Access Tab is iChat allowed (by Default "Any App" or listed in Allowed Apps).

Is there a second or third entry for your AIM screen Name ?
If so repeat the above.
Delete any that don't apply

Passwords can be edited and closing the window saves the changes.

Now Delete com.apple.iChat.AIM.plist
This will force the .plist to be rewritten on iChat Start up - reading the password from the Keychain.

Restart iChat.

User uploaded file

10:07 PM Thursday; May 27, 2010

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

May 27, 2010 2:28 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi Ralph,

Did all the step you suggested..
1) verified the password is correct
2) keychain allows access to iChat
3) no additional keychain entries for my AIM account
4) deleted com.apple.iChat.AIM.plist
5) started iChat

Still not working. I get the AOL IM Login window asking for my password. When I type in the correct password and click Log In, the window disappears and reappears asking me for my password again... and again...

May 27, 2010 2:35 PM in response to MainTitle

Hi,

Try it this way.
Go to the iChat Preferences > Accounts and delete the stars where the password shows.
Also deselect "Use this Account" (so it does not try to Login on Start up)
and set it not to Allow Multiple Logins.

Shut down iChat.

Restart iChat.
go to the Preferences and enter the the Password and reselect "Use this Account"

This "Roundabout" should also rewrite the .plist

Does this work ?
Do you get a message you are Logged in another location ?
If you do reply with a "1" without quotation marks.

It may be a while before I reply to your next as it is late here.

User uploaded file

10:34 PM Thursday; May 27, 2010

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

May 28, 2010 10:02 AM in response to MainTitle

Ralph, thank you for your help. I went online and reset my password to my old password and now everything works again. I don't know why I wasn't able to get iChat to use the new password, even after verifying it was correct in keychain and re-typing it into the pop-up.

I carefully followed all the steps you suggested and as a last ditch, even deleted the keychain entry, deleted my account in iChat, removed ALL the iChat prefs, rebooted the computer and re-created the account. No love. I even tried creating my account on a friend's computer to see if it was a problem on my laptop, but got the same result on his computer - iChat wouldn't log in using the new password. Yet, I was able to log in online and using the AIM desktop app with no problem. Very strange. That tells me that the problem is not local on my computer but maybe has something to do with the way Apple interfaces with AIM. Just a guess...

Anyway, I guess if I want to use iChat with this AIM account, I'll have to stick with my original password.

Thank you again for your generous help. All the best.

Can't log in to AIM account via iChat

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