Ever wanted to remove the ads from AIM? Well, here's how to delete the ads and the ad space from the top of your AIM buddylist!


Jon8RFC's ad-removal patches for the AIM 5 series


FIRST, check your version of AIM. At the top of your buddylist, click on Help > About AOL(R) Instant MessengerTM...
Before running the patcher, bring your buddy list forward by clicking on it once, then hit Ctrl + Shift + F4 at the same time.
(This is the best way to ensure that AIM is 100% exited. If you don't exit the way I've explained, the patcher probably won't work.)

Be sure to click on Read Instructions in the patcher if you have any problems : )

AIM 5.0 series AIM 5.1 series AIM 5.2 series AIM 5.5 series AIM 5.9 series
5.0.2867 ad-remover 5.1.3009 ad-remover 5.2.3074 ad-remover 5.5.3415 ad-remover 5.9.3672 ad-remover
5.0.2892 ad-remover 5.1.3028 ad-remover 5.2.3139 ad-remover 5.5.3501 ad-remover 5.9.3690 ad-remover
5.0.2916 ad-remover 5.1.3030 ad-remover 5.2.3255 ad-remover 5.5.3553 ad-remover 5.9.3702 ad-remover
5.0.2938 ad-remover 5.1.3036 ad-remover 5.2.3277 ad-remover 5.5.3572 ad-remover 5.9.3759 ad-remover
N/A N/A 5.2.3281 ad-remover 5.5.3583 ad-remover 5.9.3771 ad-remover
N/A N/A 5.2.3290 ad-remover 5.5.3588 ad-remover 5.9.3782 ad-remover
N/A N/A 5.2.3292 ad-remover 5.5.3590 ad-remover 5.9.3793 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A 5.5.3591 ad-remover 5.9.3797 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A 5.5.3595 ad-remover 5.9.3828 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A 5.5.3598 ad-remover 5.9.3844 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A 5.5.3599 ad-remover 5.9.3850 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A N/A 5.9.3857 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A N/A 5.9.3861 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A N/A 5.9.6082 ad-remover
N/A N/A N/A N/A 5.9.6089 ad-remover



AIM 6
I continue to get requests for AIM 6 (formerly named Triton) patchers, but I don't yet have the free time to do a thorough creation of that.
The way I make patchers doesn't allow for subtle variances in versions, and being the perfectionist that I am, I don't want to leave anybody with a patcher that "should work with most 6.x.xxxx versions" as some patcher creators do.

If I am to make patchers for the AIM6 series, they will all be uniquely made for every single build of AIM 6 ever made, as I did for AIM 5. Otherwise, I would actually write a low-level program that would do the job of my AIM 5 patchers, but check for the build version and then do the ad-removal process I specify for that build.

If (or when) I do create an all-in-one patcher or the plethora of individual patchers for AIM 6, I assure you I will make it lean, clean, and do ad-removal and nothing more. If more is to be done, I will create and title a different patcher.

I was around before "AIM AdHack", and have yet to give my approval to the AIM community for use of the AdHack utility because its original purpose to remove ads evolved into tinkering with much more than ads (and many more files) while retaining the same advertising--this is misleading and inappropriate for users wanting a quick and simple solution. I also have a strong discomfort with the way a build of AdHack performed during my testing, after an AIM user had asked for my revised/updated opinion of the utility. AdHack performed a "search function" for files in an absurd way. I don't understand why the creator chose the route he did, and it was disconcerting that AdHack first extracted and placed multiple, additional files onto the hard drive while it performed the search--for the very files it placed onto the hard drive! I found the files to be harmless, but that practice makes me feel uneasy about the integrity of the creator.

I am a well-known, trusted member of the AIM support community--through my website, email, AIM chat, and multiple AIM forums--and intend on retaining that reputation and rapport with all of you. I will not create and offer utilities that perform actions which I'm new to using, such as the insecure search functions used by AdHack.
With that being said, I cannot recommend a patcher for the AIM 6 series, but I would like to offer a link to ad-removal instructions I composed on the internet's largest chat and IM-support forum, BigBlueBall.com.



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