Q: Logins between Messages and AIM anomalies
I am running Yosemite 10.10.5. I have two AIM screen names, one is my Apple ID (say, myname@mac.com) and one is registered with AOL (say, myname123 with email address myname123@aol.com). I've used both of these ID's in bot AIM and iChat/Messages for years.
In Messages, I have the AppleID-registered AIM account (myname@mac.com). It works fine. The other one, myname123 no longer works, the error from Messages is "Unable to verify account name or password." I've deleted the myname123 account and tried to add it again, same error.
In AIM.com and the AIM app, the opposite problem exists. I can login as myname123, but not as myname@mac.com. The website and app both say "Oops there is a problem on our end" when signing in as myname@mac.com.
Some additional info:
I've tried using Trillian. Like the AIM desktop app, Trillian allows the AOL-registered scream (myname123), but not the Apple-registered myname@mac.com.
Seriously, I am almost ready to just ditch the AIM account that matches my AppleID, but I'd prefer to not lose all those contacts. I don't want to have to use TWO chat apps (Messages plus Aim or Trillian). Is this something I should contact Apple support about?
MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), 16GB, 512 GB SSD
Posted on Sep 1, 2015 4:10 PM
Quick followup...
I worked with Apple Support last night on this.
On being able to add an AIM-registered screen name to Messages, we identified a bug in the Messages "Add Account". If you Add Account, then choose "AOL" from the "Choose a messages account to add..." list, you can very easily get the error "Unable to verify account name or password" when you enter an email address (like myname123@aol.com" and password and click "Set Up".
But, if you choose "Other messages account..." instead of choosing "AOL", you then choose "AIM" from the dropdown, enter a Username like "myname123" (NOT email address like "myname123@aol.com") and password, the account is properly added. Don't ask me why these two paths don't yield the same result.
I hope this helps someone else.
As for why the AppleID-registered AIM name cannot be used to login on AIM.com or the AIM app, Support believes that when AppleID-AIM accounts were restructured in 2014, mine might have just had an error. I have a call with Apple today to straighten that out.
Posted on Sep 2, 2015 6:06 AM




