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AOL Crashed, Now What?- Pt 2 Written by: Dan Daily
Hi Gang! Last time, as you recall, we discussed how to install a new copy of AOL using the backup Organize folder and getting the new copy to contain all your personal information. Today we'll discuss installing a new copy with folders from your old copy. This, of course is assuming you don't have the backups. .
So, AOL Crashed, It Won't Start, It Won't Run; Now What Do You Do? 2 Now is a good time to start praying. LOL Without the backup copies to draw from, this is a very touch and go situation. That means, it may work, or it may not work. It is my experience as a tester, this method is usually reliable. It has failed often enough however, to prompt me to keep backups. Procedure; This is very similar to last weeks method, again we will assume that your AOL is down, won't run, and probably won't uninstall. The first thing that you must do is to open your AOL directory from "My Computer/C:" Right click on the organize folder, copy and paste it into a separate folder that you create. (Out of the AOL directory) Once this is done, repeat the procedure for the Download file. (This is assuming that you are using AOL's download file) If there is a 4095 folder or an AOL50 folder, do the same for these. It is important to copy the Organize and Download folders, NOT DELETE, AND NOT CUT! We want these folders to also remain in your old copy of AOL just in case it will uninstall. OK, all done? Next step, clean out the AOL Internet adapters; go to "Control Panel/Network." Delete everything in here that says AOL on it. Or click on the AOL tray icon/system information/utilities/uninstall the AOL adapters. We want a new set of adapters for our new copy. Remember, if you ever have problems getting on the Internet, as in won't? These can be deleted anytime. AOL will always rebuild them whenever is senses they are missing. The next thing to do is rename your old copy of AOL. If it's AOL5, rename it to AOL5b. (If you're wondering why, check out last weeks edition.) From "My Computer" just right click on the AOL5 folder, select rename, and rename it. It's time to install our new copy of AOL. If you had an AOL50 (AOL5) or a 4095 (AOL4) folder that you copied, open it now. Double click on the setup icon, and away we go. If you are installing from a CD, NOW's the time. Install the new AOL under the same name as your old copy was originally. If it was AOL5 use that, it's the default. When AOL asks you, tell it you are a new member. I realize this is the long way around, but it's very important not to upgrade from a damaged copy. VERY IMPORTANT! Any corrupted folders will be transferred, or it will just crash. OK, when you get to the sign on screen; AOL will ask you if you have a screen name, tell it yes, and type it in. AOL will ask you for your password, type that in. Now we're online, your other screen names will now be automatically added to the new organize folder. Again; besides this, your new AOL is both dumb and stupid. Browse around a little while, make sure this copy is working fine. It's OK? Alright, exit out, and close it. Now comes the tricky part. From "My Computer" open your new AOL5 directory. Understand, this is touch and go. Rename your new Organize folder, to "Organize1." Rename your new "Download" folder to "Download1." (The ones that your new copy just installed.) The reason you do this is to protect these two new "GOOD" folders. If your old ones are bad, these must be here to replace them with. But only do the "Organize" folder first. One step at a time. OK, it's now renamed? Good, now go to where you have your old one stored, (from the old AOL that won't work.) copy and paste it into the new AOL directory. You won't get the windows warning message, because you no longer have an Organize folder, you have Organize1. Done? Good, exit out and restart your new AOL. Did it start? Yes? That's a good sign, before you sign on, switch around screen names, check your favorite places, your PFC's, and your address books. All there? Great! Sign on. Everything still is working? All right! Exit out and close AOL. Back at "My Computer" again. Open your new AOL, now you can now delete the "Organize1" folder. Step one is over: Now rename the "download" folder to "Download1." Just as you did the last time, copy and paste your old "download" folder into your new AOL. All done? As before, exit out and start AOL, did it start? Wow, you just got really lucky. (Now start keeping those backups!) Check file open and make sure your stuff is all intact. It is? Great! All done. Now go through the uninstall routine discussed last week to get rid of your old copy of AOL. Remember! Don't uninstall the wrong one! God, please don't do that. If gives new meaning to the word, "pissed off." Believe me, I've done it! If any of the above didn't work, AOL probably crashed, let's say the "Organize" folder was bad, get over it, the data is gone forever. Go back to "My Computer," delete the "Organize" folder, and rename the "Organize1" folder back to "Organize." It must be done in this order, Windows will not let you rename a folder to one that already has it's name, so you must delete "Organize" first. The same thing applies to the Download Folder. When all this is finished, it's time, before you do anything else; make backups of your important folders now. For the procedure on how to do this, go to my archives and read "Problems with AOL that don't have to be problems." Danny's Daily's of the day;
From the desk of Dell Tech Support: A customer called to say he couldn't get his computer to fax anything. After 40 minutes of troubleshooting, the technician discovered the man was trying to fax a piece of paper by holding it in front of the monitor screen and hitting the "send" key.
I hope this helps you on your road. Your Road? Yes, Your Road To Computer Sanity Danny
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