Mac Messenger will not sign in..

[Hutchy]

Help!..

My dad recently got a mac and installed Microsoft Messenger. It wont sign in, the wheel just keeps spinning and then it says cant connect.

I have now re-formatted my mac with Snow Leopard, installed Microsoft office and now *mine* wont connect either!!

I thought it may be a firewall problem but we both have different routers (and live in different houses).

I have also tried various versions of it to no avail!

please help, this is one problem that has me beat.

 

[Hutchy]

can anyone offer any hope on this please?

 

[forcefieldkid]

It could just be the msn server being a bitch as ever.

Try using a made for mac app like Adium or aMSN, they will let you log into the msn account and are just generally better than Microsofts Mac Messenger. See if the problem still persists on those.

 

[Hutchy]

amsn works a treat. How strange. Im sure Messenger used to work all the time on my Tiger>Leopard>Snow Leopard upgraded computer but as soon as I done a clean Snow Leopard install that was it.

I've searched the net, deleted preferences etc but it still wont connect.

 

[forcefieldkid]

The thing is so glitchy it could be anything really.

Take the time to get used to aMSN or even Adium. I used to use Messenger for Mac all the time before I really knew my Mac, knew Macrumors or knew there were alternatives and thought using something else wouldn't feel right. I didn't like the aMSN interface much but its handy to have for the webcam support. Adium worked well for me though and now I don't have Microsofts version on either Mac.

 

[Hutchy]

I agree... amsn has a 'dated' looking interface but works ok. ( although its crashed a few time but no probs) Adium looks better but my offline contacts don't seem to be there.

 

[forcefieldkid]

I agree... amsn has a 'dated' looking interface but works ok. ( although its crashed a few time but no probs) Adium looks better but my offline contacts don't seem to be there.

They're hidden by default. Go to View and I think its something like "Show Offline Contacts".

Adium has tons of preferences which is why I like it, can mess around and get it just how you want it. Which isn't possible with a/msn.

 

[Hutchy]

Hey cool, Adium it is then, just got it working. Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[forcefieldkid]

No worries.

Might also want to have a look through some Adium Dock Icons if you think the duck is too cutesy, I did