Installing 9.0 on Windows Vista

Some of you have left comments on the blog about not being able to download and install Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 on your Windows Vista PCs. Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 does run on Windows Vista and should work fine. To help, I thought I would describe the download and installation process, pointing out some of the trickier parts.
For best results, we recommend downloading and installing Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 while you’re logged in as Administrator on your Windows Vista computer (click here for instructions). This is not a requirement for installing 9.0 but it could help you avoid some obstacles during installation.
After you click the yellow “Download Now” button on the Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 download page, a small Windows dialog box will appear, asking if you want to Run, Save or Cancel the file download. Click Run. Another window will pop up asking if you want to run this software. Click the “Run” button again.
Here’s where it can get a little complicated… Windows Vista uses a security control called “User Account Controls” (UAC), to help ensure that it has your permission to add or run new software on your computer. A few moments after clicking the second “Run” button, your entire screen is dimmed out and a single Windows dialog box appears. The window says “A program needs your permission to continue” and lists the Yahoo! Suite Installer by Yahoo! Inc. Click the “Continue” button to get through this screen and continue with your installation. From there you should see the first screen of the 9.0 installer.

If you aren’t getting to the first screen of the Yahoo! Messenger installer, then your Vista User Account Controls may be interfering with your installation. Try turning off the User Account Control by going to your Control Panel, then selecting “User Accounts”. In the User Accounts window, click the “Turn User Account Control Panel on or off” link and follow the steps (you can always turn it back on after you finish installing Yahoo! Messenger 9.0). After turning it off, close all your internet browser windows, then reopen your browser and try installing Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 again.
After going through the installer screens, you’ll come to a final screen where you can click “Done” and launch Yahoo! Messenger. Note that once Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 launches and you sign in for the first time, you may also receive a Windows Firewall warning. This is your PC’s way of making sure it’s ok for Messenger to connect on your behalf. The firewall notice will have two buttons; click the “Unblock” button to continue. You’ll receive another UAC warning about the firewall; click the Continue button to close it. From there, you’ll be signed in and ready to chat. You won’t receive those warnings the next time you sign in.
Installing Yahoo! Messenger 9.0 will not be exactly the same for every Windows Vista user. Depending on your settings, you may or may not see the UAC and firewall windows. If you’re running into different issues, please describe them in as much detail as possible here on the blog (e.g. step-by-step so we can understand where you’re running into an issue).
Thanks,
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager

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