AOL was unable to connect

To repair the ACS on a computer running Windows 7, take the following steps:

1. Click the Start globe, in the search box type services.msc and press Enter on the keyboard.
2. Click Continue at the UAC prompt.
3. In the list of services, locate AOL Connectivity Service, right-click it and select Stop from the menu.
4. Close the Services window.
5. Click the Start globe again and select Control Panel.
6. Select Large icons in the View by drop-down list on the right-hand side.
7. Double-click Folder Options.
8. Select the View tab.
9. Tick the radio button for Show hidden files and folders.
10. Untick Hide protected operating system files. Click OK.
11. Click the Start globe again, and this time select Computer.
12. Double-click Local Disk (C:).
13. Double-click the Program Data folder.
14. Then double-click the AOL folder.
15. Double-click the ACS folder.
16. Right-click the folder labelled 1.0.
17. Click Delete from the menu.
18. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
19. Restart AOL.

To repair the ACS on a computer running Windows Vista, take the following steps:

1. Click the Start globe, in the search box type services.msc and press Enter on the keyboard.
2. Click Continue at the prompt.
3. In the list of sevices, locate AOL Connectivity Service. Then, right-click it and select Stop.
4. Close the Services window.
5. Click the Start globe again and select Control Panel.
6. Select Classic View from the panel on the left and double-click Folder Options.
7. Select the View tab and ensure that Show hidden files and folders is selected.
8. Untick Hide protected operating system files and click OK.
9. Click the Start globe again, and this time select Computer.
10. Double-click Local Disk (C:), and then double-click the Program Data folder.
11. Double-click AOL and then double-click ACS.
12. Right-click the folder labelled 1.0 and select Delete.
13. Click Yes to confirm the deletion and restart the AOL software. Then, follow the steps below to set up a new broadband location.

To repair the ACS on all other versions of Windows, take the following steps:

1. Right-click the AOL icon in the system tray (in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, next to the system clock).
2. Select One-Click Fixes.
3. Locate Repair ACS and click the Fix it For Me button next to it.
4. Click Continue.
5. Once it has completed, click Done. Then, follow the steps below to set up a new broadband location.

To configure your Windows 7 firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Click Start and select Control Panel.
2. Select Large icons in the View by drop-down list on the right-hand side.
3. Click Windows Firewall.
4. Click the Allow a program or feature through Windows firewall link on the left-hand panel.
5. Click Change settings.
6. Tick the following programs: AOL 9.0 VR, AOL System Information and AOL TopSpeed.
7. Click OK. Your Windows Firewall is now set to allow the AOL software.

To configure your Windows firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Click Start and select Control Panel.
2. Select Classic View from the panel on the left.
3. Double-click Windows Firewall.
4. Select the Exceptions tab.
Windows Vista users: Select Allow a program through Windows Firewall.
5. Click the Add Program button.
6. Select AOL and click OK.
7. Click the Add Program button again.
8. Select AOL System Information and click OK.
9. Click OK again.

To configure your McAfee® Personal Firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Right-click the McAfee Personal Firewall icon in the system tray (in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen).
2. Select Options and then click Internet Applications.
3. Select AOL and click Allow Full Access.
4. Repeat this for all AOL programs that are listed in Internet Applications.

To configure your McAfee® 2007 firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Open the McAfee Security Suite.
2. Click Internet and Network.
3. Click Configure and then click Advanced.
4. Select Program Permissions.
5. Select an AOL application that is blocked and then click Grant Full Access.
6. Repeat this for all blocked AOL applications.
7. Click OK and close the McAfee Security Suite.

To configure your Norton 2003/2005 firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Open Norton Internet Security/Personal Firewall.
2. Click Personal Firewall.
3. Click Configure and then select the Programs tab.
4. Select AOL Program Files and set them to Permit All.
5. Click OK and close Norton Internet Security.

Note: We have had some reports that the AOL software will not work with Norton Firewall. If this is the case, leave the firewall disabled and contact Norton technical support about the issue.

To configure your Norton 2007 firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Click Start and select Control Panel.
2. Select Classic View from the panel on the left.
3. Double-click Windows Firewall.
4. Select the Exceptions tab.
Windows Vista users: Select Allow a program through Windows Firewall.
5. Click the Add Program button.
6. Select AOL and click OK.
7. Click the Add Program button again.
8. Select AOL System Information and click OK.
9. Click OK again.

Note: We have had some reports that the AOL software will not work with Norton Firewall. If this is the case, leave the firewall disabled and contact Norton technical support about the issue.

To configure your ZoneAlarm 2.6 or 3.0 firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Right-click the ZoneAlarm icon in the system tray and select ZoneAlarm Control Centre.
Note: If the ZoneAlarm icon is not present, you can run the program from the Start menu.
2. Click the Security or Firewall button.
3. Using the slider bar, set the Internet Settings to Medium.
4. Click the Program button.
5. Right-click WAOL.EXE (AOL) and select Remove.
Repeat this for the following files:
-- aoltpspd.exe
-- AOLacsd.exe
-- AOLDial.exe
6. Restart the AOL software and when ZoneAlarm asks to grant it access, click Yes.

To configure your BlackICE firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Open BlackICE Advanced Application Protection Settings.
2. Click Tools and then click Find.
3. Type waol.exe and click Find Next.
4. Once the file is found, check that Application Control and Communications Control are blank.
5. Repeat this process for the following files:
-- aoltpspd.exe
-- AOLacsd.exe
-- AOLDial.exe
6. Close the window and try connecting to the internet again.

To configure your PC-cillin firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Open PC-cillin and select the Advanced tab.
2. Select Internet Traffic Control from the menu on the left.
3. Ensure that the Halt Internet Traffic button is not active.
4. Click Settings and then click Personal Firewall.
5. Click Security Level and make sure the security level is not set to High, as this will block incoming and outgoing traffic.
6. In the Exceptions List under the Description column, select AOL Connection.
7. Close and exit the Settings window.
8. Restart your computer and try to sign on to the internet again.

To configure your AVG Firewall to allow the AOL software to connect to the internet, take the following steps:

1. Open the AVG Control Centre.
2. Highlight Firewall and then click Configure and Applications.
3. If any AOL entries are listed, highlight each one and select Allow.
4. If no AOL entries are listed, click Add Application.
5. Click [ ... ], next to the Application Path box.
6. Navigate to C:\Program Files\AOL 9.0\.
7. Add and allow aol.exe, aoltray.exe and waol.exe.
8. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\.
9. Add and allow aoltpsdp.exe.
10. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\ACS\.
11. Add and allow aoldial.exe, acsd.exe, and aolacsd.exe.
12. When all of the AOL applications are added, click OK.
13. Close the AVG Control Centre.