ICQ is driving me insane - problems...

Shag

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
323
0
0
I have been using ICQ 2000a for a while now, with no problems at all. All of a sudden, I am unable to send or receive any ICQs - any time I try and read or send a message, icq.exe dies with a fatal error. I tried reinstalling 2000a on top of my current install - same problem. I tried installing a new copy of 2000a and bringing over the database - the DBConverter dies with a fatal error. Tried installing 2001a and bringing over the db - DBConverter dies.

So, I go to my secondary pc (with a working 2000a install) and try to upgrade to 2001a, so I can upload my contact list and then download it on my primary pc. DBConverter dies with fatal error (what a POS).

Now, I am unable to do anything at all, because anytime I try to connect to ICQ, I get the message:

"Rate limit exceeded. Please try to reconnect in a few minutes."

So, I'm going nuts now. I REALLY don't want to lose my contact list, as I have about 200 people on it. Anyone have any ideas what I can do, or what my latest message means?
 

J3anyus

Platinum Member
Mar 30, 2001
2,774
0
76
I have no idea really, but I do have a suggestion. You could try switching over to Trillian. It's a client that does ICQ, AIM, MSN, and Yahoo Messenger all in one, and it's fully skinnable. It can take your ICQ database and import it so it has all your contacts. Might want to give it a try.

J3
 

Rand

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,071
1
81
Back up your ICQ username files, contact lists etc. to another location on your HDD
Uninstall ICQ.
Remove all references to ICQ.Mirabillis from your registry.
Reinstall the SAME version you were previously using.
Put the ICQ username files, contact lists etc. back into the directory they were prior to uninstalling it. Do NOT use the database converter to do it, merely back up the files and put them back into the appropriate directory by yourself. If your using the same version of ICQ you won't need to convert them so there is no need to use the database converter.
Register your ICQ username on the PC, it should pop up with all the information you previously had stored as it's already in the files for it.

The "rate limit exceeded" message should only ever occur if you've hacked ICQ to use multiple instances of the program at once, OR if your UIN is being used on multiple PC's at the same time.