Ubuntu
pidgin package

Problem with Pidgin/MSN

Asked by Jthomas

Hi,
I've been using Ubuntu and Pidgin for a few months now, and I am horrible when it comes to computers. Here's my problem: I'm trying to sign into my MSN account using Pidgin, but Pidgin won't let me and it's acting the same as it does when I'm not connected to the internet. This problem started while I was in the middle of talking to friends, and there was no problem before is just suddenly stopped working. I am connected to the internet, and I've tried every that I can think of, turning Pidgin on and off, restarting my computer, turning it completely off and then back on, and nothing has worked. Please help me!

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Jelle De Loecker (skerit) said : 		#1

I can confirm this, on a lot of computers:

My Ubuntu Intrepid box at home
My Windows computer at work
The Windows computer of my boss

Did microsoft change something in the protocol?
Something seems to go wrong with the retrieving of the MSN address list.

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David Anes (kraptor) said : 		#2

It seems that Microsoft has shipped a new Windows Live Messenger service version... at least that is said in a mail I received in my hotmail account.

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micschk (restruct) said : 		#3

Could it be your internet connection is a bit unstable? eg. a bad wireless connection? Do these problems occur if you connect through a wired connection as well?

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Jelle De Loecker (skerit) said : 		#4

This problem occurs at home and at work, using 2 totally different network connections and a wired connection, anyway.

This can't be a coincidence.

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djfg (djfg) said : 		#5

Here too, it just stopped working this morning.
I was able to connect to my MSN account yesterday.
There's no problem connecting to yahoo and icq.
Probably some modification by m.soft :)

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Francesco (francofienga) said : 		#6

Same thing here since this morning on Ubuntu 8.10.
But I can still connet to msn on a windows xp pc on the same network without any trouble.
I also activated the debug window on pidgin and I've seen it's not a connection issue but an adddress book error:

(11:29:41) soap: ignoring malformed line: P3P:CP="BUS CUR CONo FIN IVDo ONL OUR PHY SAMo TELo"
(11:29:41) msn: Got the Address Book!
(11:29:41) msn: AB Faultstring: Passport Authorization Failed
(11:29:41) msn: AB Error Code: PassportAuthFail
(11:29:41) msn: C: NS 000: OUT
(11:29:41) account: Disconnecting account 0x22b57b0
(11:29:41) connection: Disconnecting connection 0x34201a0
(11:29:41) msn: destroy the OIM 0x3432730
(11:29:41) msn: destroy httpconn (0x3432600)
(11:29:41) connection: Destroying connection 0x34201a0

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diaz8 (diaz8) said : 		#7

Same problem here,

Tried with another client in Ubuntu 8.10 and it does work. So, it is only a problem with pidgin and msn.

Regards.

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Dennis Groisman (d4yn1sh) said : 		#8

i get message tat says 'unable to retrieve msn address book'
what do i do??

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Carstairs (gregcaird) said : 		#9

I have the same message: Unable to retrieve msn address book.
Presumably it is down to new msn that has just come out being incompatible with pigin.
I wonder how long we will have to wait for a fix?

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florent (florent-nicoulaud) said : 		#10

I had the same problem today.

Installing package msn-pecan solved the problem for me.
You also need to change protocol in pidgin to WLM.

I found these useful instructions here :

http://www.lifelog.be/2009/01/12/pidgin-unable-to-retrieve-msn-address-list/

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Dennis Groisman (d4yn1sh) said : 		#11

there is a very simple solution:install msn-pecan in synaptic package manager, restart pidgin, create new account (WLM) and fill in your msn messenger details (may not work if u didnt delete your old msn messenger account)...worked like a charm for me....

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Francesco (francofienga) said : 		#12

Thanks florent!
It works fine now.

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Carstairs (gregcaird) said : 		#13

Well mine has started working again.
I did nothing.

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