I bought my first Windows Vista last June 2007 (I think).  Ever since, I haven’t been able to make my Limewire (basic) to work.  Imagine that, more than a year of not downloading music.  I survived that.

However, you have to know that I did try to make my Limewire work with my Windows Vista.  I tried several times between June 2007 and maybe June 2008.  Limewire said that Limewire works with Windows Vista but it really didn’t.

They blamed Norton Security - I didn’t use one. They blamed Java - I update my Java all the time. They said, uninstall, delete Limewire files, re-start, install - didn’t work.  They also said to update my Windows, I do that even in my sleep.

A week ago, I again tried my luck.  I’m sure by now they have figured it all out, I thought. Guess what, I finally made Limewire work with my Windows Vista.  My Vista is licensed, by the way.  There are two possible things why my Limewire worked now:

1. I was stupid then and didn’t really know how to make it work.  (I really doubt that, just ask my wife.)
2. Limewire really, finally figured it out.  They just won’t tell, lol.

Anyways, here’s Limewire’s official defense (that Limewire indeed works with Windows Vista):

LimeWire is compatible with Windows Vista. Please make sure that you are running the latest version of LimeWire and Java and all Windows updates are installed.

Many Windows Vista computers that come with McAfee Firewall lose the internet connection when running LimeWire. This is a McAfee bug, not a LimeWire bug. Contact McAfee’s support for an updated version of their software.

I believe that now, because I made it to work.  Here’s their solution:

1. Completely shut down LimeWire by right-clicking the system tray icon located in the bottom-right corner of the screen. (You may need to expand the system tray by clicking the left arrow button).
2. Uninstall all previous installations of LimeWire from Add/Remove programs by going to: Start > Control Panel > Add or remove programs
3. Delete all LimeWire icons and installers from your computer (you may find some on your desktop).
4. Right-click the Start menu, then select Explore. Using the folder tree on the left side, navigate to the following directories, and delete them (you can right-click the folder and select Delete):

   Before deleting these folders, go to Organize > Folder and Search Options > View, then select Show Hidden Files.

   • C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\LimeWire (where username is the name you use to log on to Windows)
   • C:\Program Files\LimeWire
5. Restart your computer.
6. Redownload LimeWire (or LimeWire PRO if you previously purchased it) and run the installer.

I did those to the dot.  Now, I’m back to becoming a happy downloader.