icq99a - getting my old UIN back (help)

[Unsickle]

I reformatted my HDD and had problems logging in to my icq account. I did a search and it turns out that AOL/ICQ stopped allowing older versions of ICQ to register old UINs.

Anybody have a way around this? I really don't want to "upgrade" to their crappy newer versions.

Thanks.

 

[McMadman]

Are you sure that they blocked older versions from being able to register a uin on icq?

 

[MotleyCrue]

I had the same problem last month when I got a new hard drive and loaded windows up on it. I use icq99b, and when I tried to get it going with my old uin, it would try to register it to the network, but it keep timing out. I was able to get a new number though, so that allowed me to see what it puts in the registry. I had saved the db files of my old number so I put them back in the right place. Then I looked in the registry, and found where it put the icq uin info. Mine was in HKEY_CURRENT_USER->Software->Mirabilis->ICQ->Owners, there I found the number of the uin I just created. Rename the directory to your old number, and also the Name field to your old number and then restart windows. Then the next time I started icq, i was using my old number with no problem.

 

[McMadman]

I tried to unregister and re register and it wouldn't allow me with 99b, what didn't make sense is I could register a new number no problems

 

[Unsickle]

1. Register a new user
2. Copy down the UIN of that new user
3. Close ICQ, open registry editor (run regedit)
4. Search for that UIN. Should be one folder with your UIN as the name.
5. Rename that folder to your old UIN
6. Put your old DB files in the NewDB folder.
7. Open ICQ. You should have your UIN back, with your contact list too.

 

[BCYL]

I just formatted my gf's PC last week, and when I was installing programs for her after the format, she wanted ICQ 99a instead (cuz it's what she's used to)... so I installed it for her and register without a problem... so I dont think it's ICQ who blocks registering with older versions...

 

[McMadman]

I think this may be a temporary problem, you would think if they were blocking older versions there would be some sort of message about it.