Hi YM Group, I thought I had done this before but after someone contacted me off list, I searched through the archives and couldn't find my post so I guess I've just added bits and pieces of this information in various replies over the years but here is how I prepare my computer before downloading a new version of Yahoo Messenger (YM).
Uninstall old version of YM using Add/Remove programs YM uninstaller. Reboot computer. Run a GOOD registry cleaner. I use and recommend WinASO Registry Optimizer HYPERLINK http://www.winaso.com/downloads.html http://www.winaso.com/downloads.html which is FREE to download and use as long as you like, but the trial version has a limitation that is more of an annoyance than anything else, that tries to get you to pay for the unlimited version but if you don't mind dealing with the annoyance, it works as good as the paid version. I've been using the FREE trial version for several years since version 1.0 and it's now up to 3.09. I've never had a single problem using it to clean and optimize my registry. The downside/annoyance of the free trial version is that it will only clean 10 items each time it is run. The first time you run it, you may find several hundred items that need to be fixed so you will have to run it dozens of times. After that, if you run it 1-2 times a week, it will be much quicker, easier and keep your computer from being bogged up as much with junk. After cleaning/fixing your registry, reboot your computer. Another FREE registry cleaner is offered as an online scan from Microsoft by going to the Windows Live OneCare Safety Center HYPERLINK http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/cleanup.htm http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/cleanup.htm and run the Clean Up scan. DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE ACTUAL ONECARE PROGRAM that is advertised on that page. It's not needed to use the free scans and it's not that great of a program anyhow... compared to other free security software that is out there. Now download and SAVE (to "desktop" or your favorite file folder for saving things where you can find the download after you reboot) the full version of Yahoo Messenger from HYPERLINK http://www.filehippo.com/download_yahoo_messenger/ http://www.filehippo.com/download_yahoo_messenger/ or your favorite safe program download site. DO NOT chose "RUN" during the download and DO NOT RUN or execute the full version after it is downloaded. The full version of YM is around 10MB in comparison to the Yahoo Messenger "official" installer that is only around 484kb when downloaded from HYPERLINK http://messenger.yahoo.com http://messenger.yahoo.com. It's this "installer" version that causes so many problems, IMO. Because when you run it, it then starts downloading other bits and pieces of the program and if there are any glitches in your internet service or with Yahoo servers (and we all know there are those! ;-\), you can end up with a bad download with various bugs. When you download the full version from FileHippo or another download site, after you download it and get ready to run it, there should be Publisher listed, which should be Yahoo! Inc in a blue link which is to a digital verification site to verify that you have a legitimate version of the program. This works for most programs you may download although there are many that will not have this digital verification capability and when you go to execute one of these "unsigned" programs, you will get a little warning message on the box. If I know I downloaded the program from a reliable site, I don't worry about this but if you are not sure, you should never run a program without a digital signature attached. Many other programs have a way to run a check-sum on the download to make sure you got the download in full without errors but I've never seen this available with YM. Usually, if you have the digital signature, it means things went smoothly and you have a full version without errors. If you use CCleaner, you should run it now to clean out your temporary files and TIF files. I am not going into all the aspects of CCleaner in this post but for most folks, it can be dangerous or remove things they did not want cleaned if they do not go through and become very familiar with the program. This is why I like WinASO as a registry cleaner. Even a rookie can run the registry optimizer without causing problems to their computer... at least it's never caused me problems in hundreds of times of running it. If you don't use CCleaner and did not use the Windows Live OneCare Safety Center Cleanup Scan, you should use your web-browser Tools to empty the TIF files. Then run a Search on your computer for all temporary files and remove them manually. If you don't know how to do this, then you should download CCleaner and become familiar with CCleaner and use it for this purpose or use the Windows Cleanup online scan. Feel free to ask me here and I'll tell you how I have my CCleaner set up to run it daily to keep the junk files off my computer. Reboot the computer and leave all other programs turned off except for anti-virus and firewall. Then, if you downloaded YM full version to your desktop, simply click on it to execute the program. If you have a firewall, you should get a pop-up asking for access, from the YM program installer, to the internet. Permit this and if you use Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall, put a check mark in the box to allow it on a permanent basis. You can always go back to the SKPF user interface and delete this permission later. Choose the "CUSTOM" install instead of Yahoo's recommended install. This makes sure that all you install is YM and not all the other junk they try to get you to install like tool bars, etc. I choose CUSTOM install on ALL programs that I install on my computer to make sure I don't install junk I didn't want. The CUSTOM install still gives you the option to install other things but it doesn't force them on you without your knowledge. This is common practice on all FREE programs as a way to help them pay for their free program. Google, MSN, Yahoo and other companies pay to have their toolbars and desktop search programs included in the downloads. Reputable download sites and programs give you the option of opting out of these add-ons. Now, once the YM program is installed on your computer. Reboot again. Rebooting is important to computers as it's a way of letting the computer put everything back into place. If you are in the habit of leaving your computer on for days at a time, if you find it getting sluggish, a reboot will normally speed it back up again. Now start up YM and go through your preferences, setting things to work how you like them. Become familiar with the Messenger Menus and the Preferences Menus and ask questions here about anything you may not understand. The last thing that I do with any new install of YM is go into the C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger folder and find the file Yupdater.exe and change the name to Yupdater-OLD.exe. You can also use your firewall to simply block Yupdater.exe from connecting to the internet but many folks do not utilize their firewalls in an advanced mode so Yupdater.exe would have access unless you went into your firewall and blocked it. This way with changing the file name, your installed version of YM will not automatically update to any newer release of YM without your express consent as YM will not find the Yupdater.exe file when it tries to contact Yahoo like it will do on a regular basis if you don't block it or change the file name. If you decide you are not happy with your current version, you can then repeat the steps above and download a more recent version and install that version. I've found that allowing Yupdater.exe to connect to Yahoo, it constantly stays in contact with Yahoo whenever YM is in use. I've verified this with my firewall. I'm not sure why an updater process would need to stay in constant contact with the manufacturer. Even my Antivirus, Antispyware, etc., only contacts their updates once a day for new malware definitions. None of my other programs on my computer stays in constant contact for updates. They either run on a monthly basis or some other time interval. Certainly, Yahoo isn't releasing daily updates so YM should not need 100% access to Yahoo servers, IMO. Hopefully, if all went well, your newly installed or reinstalled version of YM will be much more stabile and cause less problems for you and you will not need to update to new versions as often. I still run YM version 7.5 and it is very stabile on my computer compared to some of the stories I read about daily and with the people I help on a daily basis here and on other forums and my friends and neighbors. I hope this helps and feel free to ask any questions you may have. I'll probably put this on my blog with some screen shots of WinASO and CCleaner and how I have my CCleaner set up so it does not clean things some people actually want to keep and I'll post a link when I do. Lenny Vasbinder 504-621-1870 FREE and automatic online remote backup of your documents, photos and files... HYPERLINK https://mozy.com/?ref=SY4ZSI https://mozy.com/?ref=SY4ZSI Check out how simple and secure it can be to use the Mozy remote backup system. Mozy will back up your most important files and folders every day/night while you aren't using your computer. No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.4/825 - Release Date: 5/30/2007 3:03 PM
