The ToyBox

Ricardo Bilton & Gloria Sin
Home / News & Blogs / The ToyBox

How-to: Get Skype working again [updated]

By | May 26, 2011, 8:54am PDT

Summary: Here are instructions from Skype to get Windows, Mac and Linux users back online, after a mysterious outage blocked users around the world from signing in earlier today.

Tweets from Skype users around the world say they are still experiencing sign-in problems this morning, especially those who use Skype on computers that run Windows. Skype seems to have found a fix for the problem and has posted some instructions to help users sign-in on its blog. I was able to log into my own account on both my Android phone and my laptop to make VoIP calls just moments ago so either I was never affected or the outage is really over. Follow these instructions from Skype to see if they can get you back online (also copied below). Let us know in the comments whether Skype is working for you.

[Update] Some users still cannot log into Skype today despite following the instructions below. Skype has just released an update for Windows users, which you can download here.

The Mac update will be available tomorrow (May 27); users are asked to follow Skype on Twitter and Facebook for updates on the upcoming fix.

No new solutions are available for Linux users at the moment. The instructions for a manual update (as outlined below) should do the trick for you, according to Skype.

Instructions from Skype to fix sign-in problems:

Windows

  1. Click Start, type run and press Enter. (On Windows XP: Click Start and then Run.)
  2. Type the following and click OK.

    3. %appdata%\skype

  3. Locate and delete the file shared.xml.
  4. If you cannot find this file:
    1. Click Start, type run and press Enter. (On Windows XP: Click Start and then Run.)
    2. Type the following and click OK.

      3. control folders

    3. In the View tab, ensure that Show hidden files and folders is enabled.
    4. Repeat steps 1-3.
  5. Restart Skype.

Mac

  1. Open Finder and locate the following folder:

    2. ~/Library/Application Support/Skype

  2. Delete the file shared.xml.
  3. Restart Skype.

Please note that the ~ sign means your home folder. You can find your home folder by opening Finder and selecting Go > Home from the menu bar or pressing Command (Apple), Shift and H keys at the same time.

Linux

  1. Go to the following folder:

    2. /home/YourLinuxUserName/.Skype

  2. Delete the file shared.xml.
  3. Restart Skype.

Remember: The Skype folder is a hidden folder - please check Show hidden files in your file browser to view and access it.


Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

More from “The ToyBox”

Topics

Skype Technologies S.A., Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Operating Systems, Linux, Software, Gloria Sin

Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.

Disclosure

Gloria Sin

I have no stocks or investments in any companies or interests which may lead to a conflict of interest in my coverage.

Biography

Gloria Sin

Gloria Sin is a New York-based freelance journalist who writes about the tech toys that you can't live without for ZDNet. She has little patience for poorly designed user experiences, and is not afraid of opening the guts of her own machines for repair or hacking her gadgets for new uses.

She has written for FastCompany.com, Popular Science, Olympic News Service; she currently covers the startup scene in the Tri-State area for NYConvergence.com.

Prior to ZDNet, Gloria was the online editor for Dance International, and dabbled in web design and social media consulting. When she is offline, you will find her at an ice rink living out her figure skating dreams. Follow her on Twitter.

15
Comments
Add Your Opinion

Join the conversation!

Just In

RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
zafer12 12th Aug
expover microsoft internet working at sites with the
- and sohbet odalari - and mynet - mynet sohbet -
turkey the microsoft is a good format is also face -
- metin2 pvp -
operiation facebok - twitter
Behaviour of desdek bigger role in these sites sohbet Microsoft A network connection to the game s dada gubve unwanted surprises
metin2 pvp serverlar -
facesohbet -
and yonja - and facebok - sex sohbet - sex hikayeleri - and- and facebook - and fesbuk - and sohbet - and cet - - and metin2 indir - and metin2 resimleri - and metin2 kaydol - ang metin2 -

fesbok giris
room turkey
twitter sohbet portallari netlog and twitter t?rkce and twitter giris and twitter kaydol
fesbuk

turkiye mt2, metin2 online games serverlar
and and and mt2 pvp server and metin2 pvp server and metin2 and pvp server and metin2 pvp serverlar and metin2 pvp serverler and
pvp serverler and pvp serverlar



istanbul sohbet istanbul sohbet sitesi istanbul sohbet odasi istanbul sohbet odalar?


ankara sohbet ankara sohbet odalar? ankara sohbet sitesi ankara sohbet odas? izmir sohbet izmir sohbet odalar? izmir sohbet sitesi izmir sohbet chat bursa sohbet bursa sohbet odalar? bursa sohbet siteleri bursa sohbet odasi seviyeli sohbet seviyeli sohbet odalar? seviyeli sohbet siteleri seviyeli sohbet kanalalr? yonja netlog twitter face facebook pvp


Bunu mu demek istediniz? Cok guzel bir oyun be?eni ile oynuyorum ama bunun metin2
Metin veya web sitesi adresi yaz?n ya da bir dok?man? ?evirin.
?ptal
Dinleyin
Fonetik olarak okuyun
T?rk?e dilinden ?ngilizce diline ?eviri
I play a game with very nice, but it metin2
metin2 pvp
metin2 pvp serverler

and install servers by lara s depending on the tour game bilrisiniz

tuztanem
manolyam
View in thread
0 Votes
+ -
And we will learn how this is Microsofts fault
facebook@... 26th May 2011
by the usual crowd of Microsoft naysayers in 3....2.....
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
LoverockDavidson 26th May 2011
@facebook@...
Are you implying that SJVN is going to write up another post about this?
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
facebook@... 26th May 2011
@LoverockDavidson
I did not even think of the SJVN factor. I was thinking of DTS saying this never would have happened with Asterisk.
0 Votes
+ -
Only if you want it to be
ego.sum.stig@... 26th May 2011
After all, it's clearly a ploy by Microsoft to get the price lowered on Skype. That or there are a bunch of smurfs from Cupertino attacking it to make Microsoft look bad. Or even majestic herds of penguins sucking the source base dry before Skype gets to Microsoft.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
jeremychappell 26th May 2011
@facebook@... I don't think they've taken over yet. And Skype was never a paragon of reliability.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
facebook@... 26th May 2011
@jeremychappell Do not let the facts muddle your perspective.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
dragon@... 26th May 2011
My Skype neven stopped working!!!
OH that's right, running Vista.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
animageofmine1 26th May 2011
nothing stopped working, why don't you guys shut up and stop bashing M$ ?
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
Cylon Centurion 26th May 2011
@animageofmine1

This isn't a bash....
0 Votes
+ -
They where being sarcastic
Will Pharaoh Updated - 26th May 2011
@animageofmine1
just taking bets on what ABMer's will be first to the punch.
wink
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
adinas 26th May 2011
A few days ago every time I ran Skype (Windows 7) it crashed immediately. deleting shared.xml actually solved it. happy Thanks
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
Grayson Peddie 26th May 2011
/home/YourLinuxUserName/.Skype

Or simply type

~/.Skype

But you know what? I would like to see something like the Mac's version of how to access the application support data, like so:

~/Application Support/KDE
~/Application Support/Mozilla
...and so on and so forth

Or: ~/.AppData/KDE

There are some programs, like a href="http://zynaddsubfx.sourceforge.net/"ZynAddSubFX that ignores the dot before the folder name and then display the folders, making me thinking that the folder structure of the home directory is completely disorganized.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
itsols 26th May
Mine works (Ubuntu 10.04).
Never know if there was an issue since I did not use Skype for at least 4 days.
0 Votes
+ -
Simple 123s for Linuc & Mac..
ricardomardi 27th May
Very telling...isn't it? simple 123 instructions for linux & mac but longer, messier instructions for the Window$ fix.

I wonder in what state Skype as a technology will be after a year at the hands of M$? I trust M$ to ruin it for sure.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: How-to: Get Skype working again?
zafer12 12th Aug
expover microsoft internet working at sites with the
- and sohbet odalari - and mynet - mynet sohbet -
turkey the microsoft is a good format is also face -
- metin2 pvp -
operiation facebok - twitter
Behaviour of desdek bigger role in these sites sohbet Microsoft A network connection to the game s dada gubve unwanted surprises
metin2 pvp serverlar -
facesohbet -
and yonja - and facebok - sex sohbet - sex hikayeleri - and- and facebook - and fesbuk - and sohbet - and cet - - and metin2 indir - and metin2 resimleri - and metin2 kaydol - ang metin2 -

fesbok giris
room turkey
twitter sohbet portallari netlog and twitter t?rkce and twitter giris and twitter kaydol
fesbuk

turkiye mt2, metin2 online games serverlar
and and and mt2 pvp server and metin2 pvp server and metin2 and pvp server and metin2 pvp serverlar and metin2 pvp serverler and
pvp serverler and pvp serverlar



istanbul sohbet istanbul sohbet sitesi istanbul sohbet odasi istanbul sohbet odalar?


ankara sohbet ankara sohbet odalar? ankara sohbet sitesi ankara sohbet odas? izmir sohbet izmir sohbet odalar? izmir sohbet sitesi izmir sohbet chat bursa sohbet bursa sohbet odalar? bursa sohbet siteleri bursa sohbet odasi seviyeli sohbet seviyeli sohbet odalar? seviyeli sohbet siteleri seviyeli sohbet kanalalr? yonja netlog twitter face facebook pvp


Bunu mu demek istediniz? Cok guzel bir oyun be?eni ile oynuyorum ama bunun metin2
Metin veya web sitesi adresi yaz?n ya da bir dok?man? ?evirin.
?ptal
Dinleyin
Fonetik olarak okuyun
T?rk?e dilinden ?ngilizce diline ?eviri
I play a game with very nice, but it metin2
metin2 pvp
metin2 pvp serverler

and install servers by lara s depending on the tour game bilrisiniz

tuztanem
manolyam

Join the conversation!

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

Blog Roll

Blog Archive

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources
ie8 fix