Topic: I Hate AOL!

[Garden Manager]

I have been running AOL 9.0 for months/years without much in the way of problems. Recently the '9' browser has become temperamental at best and i discovered a newer version called AOL 9.1. After a particularly frustrating session i downloaded and installed the new browser. To summarise it would not work, refusing point blank to load  and present a sign on screen. Instead it kept telling me to reboot my computer.

I then uninstalled 9.1 hoping to revert back to 9.0. Now 9.0 would not work, so removed all AOL software from the PC and did a clean install of 9.0. Guess what? Still nothing. The older software was now telling me to reboot every time i tried to open it. As a last resort i once again uninstalled 9.0 and downloaded 9.1 again. Still no good (didn't really expect it to).

Feeling very frustrated i used Firefox to access the AOL message boards for help (more reliable than 'Live Help'). I found this totally changed to my last visit and could not find what I wanted at all. Just before the message boards stopped working! ARRRGGGHHH!!!! At this point I came here for help. I am hoping someone can offer some advice please.

Whilst i am not totally without the internet (I have use of Firefox), I use the AOL software to access Emails, and the vast majority of my favorite places/bookmarked websites are on AOL so it is a nuisance more than anything not to have the AOL Browser.

[Sinbad7]

Have you tried installing 10.1?

Sinbad

[hellohelenhere]

My advice is to abandon AOL altogether, use Firefox or any other browser, and escape the clutches of AOL forever. They are just appalling! My Dad finally escaped from them and has a *much* better internet experience now.
Their software seems to have tentacles everywhere in your PC, it's actually quite hard to eliminate. Do you have a techie friend who can help you get rid of it? Use some other software to download your mail: Outlook, Eudora, etc - or there's a list here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-mail_clients

AOL will make it seem as though there are no alternatives, but this is not the case. That's just one of the reasons that they are EVIL!! :-d

[flowerofshona2007]

It took me ages to get my migration code from AOL !!!!

[Lauren S]

It took me ages to get my migration code from AOL !!!!

I'm still waiting after 2 weeks.

Who did you go with instead of AOL..?

[Garden Manager]

My advice is to abandon AOL altogether, use Firefox or any other browser, and escape the clutches of AOL forever. They are just appalling! My Dad finally escaped from them and has a *much* better internet experience now.
Their software seems to have tentacles everywhere in your PC, it's actually quite hard to eliminate. Do you have a techie friend who can help you get rid of it? Use some other software to download your mail: Outlook, Eudora, etc - or there's a list here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-mail_clients

AOL will make it seem as though there are no alternatives, but this is not the case. That's just one of the reasons that they are EVIL!! :-d

Thanks for your reply.

I am/was quite happy with AOL and used it for most things internet including email, for which AOL is my main provider (don't have any other email accounts). As a result i cannot use outlook express or outlook to view and send emails. The only way i can view my emails at the moment is through AOL web mail (on the AOL Website).

As far as ISPs go I may be stuck with AOL for the moment. I am not the main account holder or bill payer and the person who is both of these will not consider changing. That said if i found a decent alternative, providing the same level of access at the same price or cheaper but is more reliable than AOL, then I think they might be persuaded. Any recommendations?

AOL 10.1? Is it any good? Any chance it will actually work when 9 and 9.1 no longer seem to on my PC?

[hippydave]

Ive been with tiscali for 5 yrs now with very few problems in that time, i pay no line rental get free local and national phone calls and 8mb download speeds. works with all browsers i use firefox and google chrome and access my emils from any pc using their web base mail client.
I can only go on the service that i have received but all ISPs have their plus and minus points but not paying BT line rental is a big plus to me £120 in my pocket not BTs

[hellohelenhere]

'The only way i can view my emails at the moment is through AOL web mail (on the AOL Website).'

Another of the ways in which they are evil!
I get my broadband from Virgin, and have very few problems. They have good customer service for the most part. There are occasional brief outages, but pretty rare, and I think the same applies with any service. I work online so I have plenty of online hours, on which to base my experience.

You can get an email address elsewhere, and junk your AOL one - my Dad did, and he didn't seem to have any problems with people not being able to contact him. I always advise people to get an email address independent of their internet provider, so that then you aren't tied to them if you see a better deal.

You need POP or IMAP mail if you want to download it to an email programme on your computer (what they call, for some reason, an email 'client') - like Outlook or Eudora. You can then organise your mail much, much better, and read existing mail (and compose new mail) without having to go online.

I highly recommend gmail:
http://email.about.com/od/freeemailreviews/tp/free_pop3_email.htm

You do want to make sure that you don't get an address that will expire if you neglect it for a while: you can see the expiry times for different providers here:
http://email.about.com/od/freeemailaccounts/f/login_how_often.htm

I had some yahoo addresses, for example, but they've all expired from lack of use. :-)

I hope this is of help - ask away, if I can help further.
cheers
H

[Garden Manager]

Just signed up to Google mail. One less thing to rely on AOL for. Lets see how it goes.

[Garden Manager]

You need POP or IMAP mail if you want to download it to an email programme on your computer (what they call, for some reason, an email 'client') - like Outlook or Eudora. You can then organise your mail much, much better, and read existing mail (and compose new mail) without having to go online.

How do I get POP or IMAP email to use outlook express? AOL is still my ISP and it doesn't appear permit POP type email on its service. I have to access Gmail through my Firefox browser. Thanks.

EDIT: How do i get ANY email account to work on outlook express? I have tried both GMail, Hotmail and AOL webmail and none of them will work.

[windygale]

Hi GA, Strange as i've upgraded to the new version of AOL9.1 from 9.VR and I dont have any problems sofar,
i've had it on here from when it came out first,
Did you have 9vr software on your computer first before upgrading to 9.1,
Did you contact the AOL tech people and asked for their help, as they helped me, ring them on 08444995555,
have you Vista or Xp on your computer, you don't say,
Aol 10.1 is a trial software, sofar, i think,

[hellohelenhere]

GA, here are some instructions for setting up Outlook Express. It should work whatever your ISP is.
http://www.whiteoakdesign.com/how-to-setup-outlook-express.html

[Garden Manager]

Hi GA, Strange as i've upgraded to the new version of AOL9.1 from 9.VR and I dont have any problems sofar,
i've had it on here from when it came out first,
Did you have 9vr software on your computer first before upgrading to 9.1,
Did you contact the AOL tech people and asked for their help, as they helped me, ring them on 08444995555,
have you Vista or Xp on your computer, you don't say,
Aol 10.1 is a trial software, sofar, i think,

I have XP not vista. AOL 9.0VR was still installed when i first tried installing 9.1 but have since tried installing 9.1 on its own. No i have not contacted AOL help. I have not found them particularly helpful in the past, particularly when 'phoning (the help chat room is only marginally better).

[windygale]

Hi GA, I think you have answered your own questions,
your problem may be that you dont have Vista,
AOLs software are now more for Vista,
the 9 is for XP, you may have been lucky to upgrade to 9vr,
but  as for 9.1 & 10.1 i don't think so, when i contacted aol tech, i was told  that I need to have vista as my OP software,

[flowerofshona2007]

I changed to BT and its fine :)

[hellohelenhere]

All the more reason to dump AOL. :)

[Garden Manager]

Hi GA, I think you have answered your own questions,
your problem may be that you dont have Vista,
AOLs software are now more for Vista,
the 9 is for XP, you may have been lucky to upgrade to 9vr,
but  as for 9.1 & 10.1 i don't think so, when i contacted aol tech, i was told  that I need to have vista as my OP software,

Thanks. Makes sense now. Flipping Vista! Yet another way of making us upgrade to it. Dont like Vista one bit, the longer i can stay with XP the better.

Now how can i get AOL9.0 back working again? Contact AOL i suppose.

[hellohelenhere]

My guess is that AOL will not be helpful, and by trying to get the old version running, you're flogging a dead horse. They'll be in league with Microsoft, to make you buy new software!
Just dump them and get a new provider. Yes, I am biased - I really, *really* don't like AOL, and I never even used them myself - just saw what a misery they made of my Dad's internet experience, and how vile their business practices are. Entrapment and monopoly!

[telboy]

GA, agree with Helen wholeheartedly with regard to AOHell. You will be lucky to rid yourself of all the programme but would be wise to change.
Good luck!

[Larkshall]

Get things right, ISP's are for Internet Service. The best way for email is to set up your own domain. I did this ten years ago after being messed about several times. I also manage five domains on server space which I rent. My own, a Driving School, a Computer Group, and two for a cycling club. In the last ten years I have had little trouble. 18 months ago I ditched Microsoft Windows and now only use Ubuntu/Linux on line, that avoids the virus problem.