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User profile for user: Malik666
Malik666 Author
User level: Level 1
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Messages won't connect to AIM/ICQ/Jabber

Since 10.8.5 (or very close to its release) my Messages won't connect to all services except iMessage (which you can't "connect" manually, it just is connected if you got the account).


My main window looks like this:

User uploaded file


No matter what I do: I killed about 23 com.apple.ichat. preference files (interestingly I must have missed some because my accounts were still in). I checked my firewall, Hands Off! and loaded up a guest account with the same results. Adium will connect to Jabber w/o any problem, all my other internet connections work. Just Messages stopped suddenly. I's appreciate any help.

Messages-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Sep 17, 2013 9:15 AM

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User profile for user: Eric Root
Eric Root
User level: Level 10
684,015 points

Posted on Sep 17, 2013 10:18 AM

Try booting into the Safe Mode. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application uninstaller. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.

Safe Mode


Safe Mode - About

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User profile for user: Eric Root
Eric Root
User level: Level 10
684,015 points

Sep 17, 2013 10:18 AM in response to Malik666

Try booting into the Safe Mode. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application uninstaller. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.

Safe Mode


Safe Mode - About

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User profile for user: Malik666
Malik666 Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Sep 17, 2013 11:53 AM in response to Eric Root

Thank you! It seems to work in safe mode but now when I rebooted, it's back to "bad". Furthermore my -1 windows (friends) is gone and won't show up (but my OSX is behaving VERY strangely with windows/icons since a very long time, I guess I just got a bad Mac and this is another matter).


I can't get it to show up. Since my messages-window is still there (-0) I can see on the bottom left that 4 accounts are still switched off: http://snapplr.com/vhnp


Can't change that. Now: how do I find out WHICH 3rd party tool causes this effect? I'd guess maybe it is Hands Off! more likely than anything else. It's too bad I got to deinstall it. I'll keep you guys posted.

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User profile for user: Malik666
Malik666 Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Sep 17, 2013 12:06 PM in response to Eric Root

I already got it! Hands Off! old version was the problem seemingly! 2.07 was the one I had, 2.08 is the recent (I didn't install that one yet).


Sorry Eric: I misclicked on "this helped me" and Apple won't seem to let me change that. So even though it was your first tip that helped, I'll click "solved" on the latter so you get the points you deserve! Thanks again!

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User profile for user: Ralph-Johns-UK
Ralph-Johns-UK
User level: Level 9
76,789 points

Sep 17, 2013 1:05 PM in response to MrKippel

Hi,


Do you have any third party firewall like the Original Poster turns out to have ?


User uploaded file
9:05 pm Tuesday; September 17, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

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User profile for user: Ralph-Johns-UK
Ralph-Johns-UK
User level: Level 9
76,789 points

Sep 17, 2013 1:19 PM in response to Malik666

Hi Malik666,


MrKipple posted before you found out what your issue was.

On the basis he started by saying "Me Too" I was asking if the issue was in fact the same - a third party Firewall.



User uploaded file
9:19 pm Tuesday; September 17, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Reply
User profile for user: MrKippel
MrKippel
User level: Level 1
5 points

Sep 17, 2013 2:04 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Yes, as OT, I have Hands Off! too. After reading upgrading Hands Off! worked for Malik666, I have checked my version, but was already last version (2.0.8), so what I tried was to uninstall it and install it again, keeping all the configuration and rules, and it worked: Messages connects now.


In short, what I did was:


  1. Hands Off! -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Uninstall -> Normal (So all configuration and rules are kept)
  2. Reboot
  3. Reinstall Hands Off!


And everyting is working again.


Thanks all of you for your help.

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User profile for user: Ralph-Johns-UK
Ralph-Johns-UK
User level: Level 9
76,789 points

Sep 17, 2013 2:12 PM in response to MrKippel

Glad to hear it was the same thing and you have it working.



User uploaded file
10:12 pm Tuesday; September 17, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Reply
User profile for user: Ralph-Johns-UK
Ralph-Johns-UK
User level: Level 9
76,789 points

Sep 18, 2013 11:34 AM in response to Malik666

Hi Malik666,


Actually I am set to Threaded view.

User uploaded file


However a thread that gets a bit longer than this one will stop showing the individual posts in this staggered manner.


At the top of an Apple Support Communities page use the "Your Stuff" items > Then Preferences in it's menu.

This takes you to a two tabbed page.

You need General Preferences.

User uploaded file


It may pay to start another thread about the computer losing it's Communities Login.

I spend about 3 hours each evening here and only have to login once.



User uploaded file
7:34 pm Wednesday; September 18, 2013


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Reply

Messages won't connect to AIM/ICQ/Jabber

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