iChat Buddy List disappeared, cannot add new contacts

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iChat Buddy List disappeared, cannot add new contacts

Today, when I left for work, I was logged into iChat and everything was working fine. Then my internet modem reset while I was connected, which auto-kicked me out of iChat. I didn't log in again until I got home from work, at which point I discovered all my iChat buddies (and groups) were completely gone. My iChat buddy list window is now completely blank. If I add a new contact, it will not show up in the buddy list. It will not allow me to drag a contact from the address book to the buddy list. I have tried deleting apple.iChat.AIM.plist and apple.iChatagent.plist and neither of these has resolved the problem. I have restarted iChat, restarted my Macbook, still nothing.

Please help!

Macbook Pro (2008), Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 14, 2011 10:16 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 14, 2011 10:33 PM in response to chrisd86

I am having the exact same problem!

When I was on iChat in the afternoon, it worked fine. I went to school, came back, logged onto iChat, and this happens.

Buddy list completely erased, and when clicking the add button to add someone, it wouldn't work.

I have a window open when I log on, cause I usually chat to my girl. I tried messaging her, and I got an error saying, : The message "hello" could not be delivered. Your privacy preferences are set so they prevent you from communicating with this person.

That's just complete bull, cause I checked my settings, and everyone can IM me! I don't get whats wrong. Does anyone have a solution?

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Answer 2

Mar 14, 2011 11:09 PM in response to chrisd86

Figured it out.

Just click on iChat, and Log out of (username), and than log back in. It restored it like that.

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Answer 3

Mar 15, 2011 2:31 PM in response to chrisd86

Hi,

Welcome to the  Discussions

You may find that in iChat > Preferences > Accounts > Security tab that all your Buddies are either in the Block List or that Allow Specific People is active but no-one is in that list.

It may also pay to Set the Account not to Allow Multiple Logins.
This may generate a AIMSysMessage (Buddy Name) suggesting you type a 1 as a response to Log Out any other login.
This should formerly "Close" the Work Login and give you access again.

9:31 PM Tuesday; March 15, 2011

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

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Answer 4

Mar 28, 2011 9:49 PM in response to chrisd86

I too am having exactly the same problem. I have tried:-
- logging out and back in;
- removing the account and re-adding it;
- restarting iChat;
- restarting my laptop;

Nothing has worked so far at all. All my contacts (only a hundred or so) are gone. They were there yesterday and I think the only thing I have done is upgrade to 10.6.7.

Help!

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Answer 5

mvint

Level 1

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Mar 28, 2011 9:58 PM in response to David Hargreave

I've tried everything you have and am having exactly the same problem! It's so frustrating! Let me know if you get any info please

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Answer 6

Mar 29, 2011 11:36 AM in response to David Hargreave

Hi,

Do you see the Buddy List at all ?
Does it say Jabber or the Description you gave it in th Accounts part of the Preferences ?

(If it a Bonjour Window and there are no other Macs it will be blank).

Is it marked in the Account section of Preferences to "Use this Account" ?
And to Automatically log in at iChat launch ?

What are the setting in use in the Security tab of accounts if this is an account that logs in to AIM ? (you will not have this tab for Jabber/Google accounts)

10.6.7 did not update iChat itself.

7:36 PM Tuesday; March 29, 2011

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

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