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 Sunday, 22 November 2009
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Cannot send email

You may not be able to send email for any one of several reasons. After trying the first solution, check to see if you can send email. If you are still unable to send email, continue using the suggested solutions until the problem is fixed.

You may wish to print or save a copy of these instructions as this page may not remain visible as you go through the suggested steps.

Information you need
You will need to know what version of the Microsoft Windows operating system is installed on your computer. If you do not know how to find this information, follow these instructions: How to determine which version of Windows I have.

Close other programs

Sometimes other programs or processes may interfere with the AOL software. Try shutting down all running programs in the task list, and reconnecting to the internet. This process is very repetitive. Do not restart the computer during the process or else you will have to start from scratch.

1. Hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys on the keyboard, and then press the Delete key.
Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7: Click Task Manager and click the Applications tab.
2. From that list of programs, it is only necessary to keep running Explorer, Systray and RunDll, if they appear.
3. Highlight the first program in the list that isn't any of the necessary items above and click End Task. This will return you to the desktop.
4. Another window may appear, saying 'This program is not responding', click End Task.
5. Repeat the same steps to close the programs until only Explorer and Systray (and RunDll if present) remain in the list. Remember to leave your anti virus and firewall software running also.

Note: If you are unsure what applications are required by your computer, please contact your computer manufacturer.


Run a quick restore


This will reset the AOL software to its original state. It's faster than uninstalling and reinstalling the AOL software.

Run a Quick Restore via the One-Click Fixes

Note: This step is for AOL 9.0 and 9.0 VR users only.

Windows 7 - Run AOL System Information in compatibility mode

1. Click the Start globe and select All Programs.
2. Right-click AOL System Information and select Properties.
3. Select the Compatibility tab.
4. Tick the box labelled Run this program in compatibility mode for.
5. Select Windows XP (Service Pack 3) from the drop-down list.
6. Click OK.

If you have One-Click Fixes installed on your computer, you can use the link below to run a quick restore. Otherwise, follow the steps below to manually run the quick restore:

Use the One-Click Fix to run a Quick Restore*

Run a Quick Restore manually

1. Right-click the AOL icon in your Windows system tray (at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, next to the clock).
2. Select System Information.
3. Click Utilities or AOL software.
4. Select Quick Restore and click Proceed or OK.
5. Click OK when prompted.

*To use this fix, you'll need to first download the One-Click Fixes. To run the fix you must be using the AOL software or Internet Explorer. One-Click Fixes are unavailable for Windows Vista and Macintosh users.


Delete any unnecessary screen name files


The AOL software stores information, such as emails, in a file with your screen name as the file name. It creates additional files with different extensions to provide faster access to the contents. Removing these additional files may fix problems caused by damage to them.

The AOL software will automatically create new copies of these files if they are missing.

Note: This step is only applicable to AOL 9.0 and AOL 9.0 VR users.

To delete these additional filesusing Windows 7, take the following steps:

1. Close the AOL software if it is open.
2. Right-click the icon used to start the AOL software and click Properties.
3. Select the Shortcut tab and click the Open File Location button.
4. Locate and double-click Shortcut to Organize.
5. Highlight all the files that have an extension after them, such as, screenname.aby and screenname.abi. Select only the files that have a three-letter extension after them. Do not select the files with no extension.
Note: To select more than one file at a time, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking each file you wish to select.
6. Right-click the highlighted files and select Delete.
7. Click Yes to confirm.

To delete these files, take the following steps:

1. Right-click the AOL icon in the system tray. This is located in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, next to the clock.
2. Select System Information and then select AOL Software from the menu on the left.
3. Click Open Data Folder.
4. Double-click the Organise folder.
5. Highlight all the files that have an extension after them. For example, screenname.aby and screenname.abi. It is important to only select the files that have a three-letter extension after them. Do not select the files with no extension.
Note: To select more than one file at a time, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking each file you wish to select.
6. Right-click the highlighted files and select Delete.
7. Click Yes to confirm.


Check your email controls


Email controls can restrict the types of email that you can send and receive from your AOL email. To check your email controls, take the following steps:

1. Go to http://parentalcontrols.aol.co.uk and sign in using your master screen name and password.
2. Select the screen name for whom you are checking the email controls.
3. Scroll to the Email Controls section and check if anything is being blocked there.
4. Make any necessary changes and click Save.