The following is a quick list of steps to remove AOL from your machine.
I encourage you to go to your favorite seach engine (Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista, etc.) and type in
"AOL removal". There are many resources that explain how AOL disables your machine from being
able to use other ISPs and Email programs.AOL Removal
Removal Tips:
Remove All AOL Adapters/Software
For Win 95, 98, ME
1. Click the Start button, select Settings, then select Control Panel
2. In the Control Panel window double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon
3. In the list of programs, look for anything that includes "America Online" or "AOL"
4. For each AOL-related item, select the item by clicking it and then click Remove
5. Follow the instructions on your screen to remove the AOL program
6. Restart your computer.
7. Right click Network Neighborhood
8. Click Properties
9. Look for "AOL Adapter" and anything including "AOL" or "America Online"
10. Select this AOL item(s) (by clicking it), then click Remove.
11. Restart your computer again.
For Win XP/2000
1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel
2. In the Control Panel window double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon
3. In the list of programs, look for anything that includes "America Online" or "AOL"
4. For each AOL-related item, select the item by clicking it and then click Remove or Change/Remove
5. Follow the instructions on your screen to remove the AOL program
6. Restart your computer.
7. Right click My Network Places
8. Click Properties
9. Right click Local Area Connection
10. Click Properties
11. Look for "AOL Adapter" and anything including "AOL" or "America Online"
12. Select this AOL item(s) (by clicking it), then click Uninstall.
13. Restart your computer again.
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Why must I remove the AOL Adapter?
The AOL Adapter that AOL installs is non-compliant with standard internet protocols. Installation disables the standard Dial-up Adapter that came with your operating system and disables your machine from being able to use ISPs that follow the standards. Furthermore, whenever you start AOL, it checks for this and will reinstall itself if any AOL components have been removed. For this reason, once you get off of AOL, you should not run their software again. Why must I un-install AOL?
If AOL is started, accidentally, via a registry entry or from the Startup list, after other components have been removed, AOL will modify your PC and disable your other network connections. What about my email? AOL uses a non-standard email program. Most mail programs follow the IMAP (Internet Mail Access Protocol) standard. AOL email does not. Therefore, if you want to save your AOL mail, you must forward it or take alternative methods to save it. Once again, I recommend doing an internet search on "AOL removal" as there are a variety of opinions on the best ways to do this as well some shareware that may allow you to import your email into a standard email program. AOL does provide an interface to check your mail from a non AOL ISP. Simply go to aol.com and sign in. What about my email address book? One way to 'import' your address book is to send an email to everyone in your AOL address book and also send it to your new email address. Once you receive this in your new email program (Outlook, Eudora, etc), set the option "Add everyone I respond to to my address book". (Every mail client I have seen has this option somewhere within it.) Then, once you open this email do a "Reply All". This will add them to your new address book. You do not have to actually send this. Note: AOL imposes limits on the number of contacts you can use in a single mailing so you may have perform this multiple times. As noted before, there may be downloadable shareware on the internet that can also import an AOL address book into a IMAP compatible product. |