Going mad and going round in ever decreasing circles

[sophie]

Mods, you will probably move this please, but ple3ase leave it for a tiny while OK?

For reason which I won't bore/boar you with, and because I was having problems trying to phone companies in UK and not getting through. There were messages coming up on Skype screen to say I was ringing wrong number (they were not wrong I promise you) then messages on Skype screen to say I had downloaded via a Skype App. Again I promise you I had not, I have been with Skype for donkeys years, almost since their inception and had never heard of an App, using the same User name and password. Skype Customer help line hopeless. So I thought (out of the box) and decided to totally uninstall Skype, start again as if Skype had just been invented and sign in again with NEW email address, NEW user name, NEW password, NEW everything and prepared to lose all the money I had paid in advance in my SKYPE account. So what happens you might ask.................All that happens is that Skype downloads all the stuff that I had previously uninstalled, absolutely EVERYTHING. Hence I cannot phone ANYONE in UK or OZ, insurance companies, banks, the lot. Its as if I hadn't uninstalled SKYPE all. I really do need to contact these companies via the phone asap. How do you reinvent the wheel and start from scratch .........PLEASE.

[ozankoys]

Hello Sophie I find it much less stressful to use my mobile than Skype! I have a Turkcell Maxi package 110 tl per month that includes so many international calls which I have never exceeded plus some internet usage.

[sophie]

I'm sure you are correct in some ways but unfortunately some of the calls to commercial calls to UK can be 55mins and above and I suspect the 110tl per month Turkcell package doesn't allow for that sort of thing. Additionally a family wedding etc in UK with someone moving their Skype facility around via Skype on a smart phone so that I can view what is happening (real time) wouldn't surfice. On top of that the cost of using Skype is absolutely miniscule for the length of time I use it, Thanks for your suggestion though.

[erol]

Telsim Red Bronze package. 109tl per month. Includes 500 minutes to calls TRNC and TR as well as Germany, England, Italy, France (SFR), Greece, Spain, Netherlands, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Portugal, Malta, Albania, Egypt, Qatar, Ireland, India , Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, South Africa and Southern Cyprus. So you could get quite a few 55 minute calls in a month for the fixed price.

Also gives 5GB of wifi data per month and more sms messages than you will ever need.

[Ragged Robin]

I hope I am not going to get myself into trouble for interfering, but I can see Sophie's problem and understand her frustration so clearly.(Call it female solidarity if you like) Sorry gentlemen Your suggestions may be intended to be helpful but what she needs is not a different facility but how to restore access to contacts which she has already set up on Skype!

Sorry Sophie I cant help - I got into such a muddle trying to get onto Skype in the first place (many years ago now) I gave up. However if you need to contact Bank , Insurance Co etc. urgently I suggest you email them and ask them to telephone you (giving them a few times when you will be available and reminding them of the time differences of course). After all you are the customer and it does these institutions no harm to be reminded they should be bearing the cost of contact with their customers (some in fact already have facilities for phoning back customers)

[kerry 6138]

Dont know if this will work, did you go into settings clear data and cache before uninstalling

[jofra]

One possible cause - and remedy - is that Skype has automatically updated/installed its latest version; so (as with many programs (or "apps"!), a cure can be effected by downloading an older version from http://www.oldversion.com or http://www.oldapps.com; removing/uninstalling your current version and installing the older version.
Once (if) you've done that, then choose Tools/Options/Advanced and turn off "automatic updates". Also, don't manually check for updates - or if you do, it may cause the same problems over again!

[sophie]

I might very well try jofra remedy, but I would still love to know if I use one of my other email addresses whether I can convince SKYPE that I am a completely new customer thus loading up new phone numbers other peoples Skype details etc.

erol, this means I would need to change my phone number and I don't particularly want to have two numbers on the go. It does seem a terrific package though but even with my new 6.5 large screen mobile the pictures are going to be tiny in comparison to a large screen laptop.

[jofra]

Just a thought - and I'm sure it won't make any difference - I assume you normally log in to Skype with an email address - do you have/have you tried logging in with a Microsoft account (Hotmail address or similar)....?
I can do using either (usually) my normal email address, but also can do using **joesoap**@hotmail.com, with the matching password...

[kedikat2903]

I have also subscribed to Skype for years. I was unable to use it for any calls, messages etc from 1st of July. My phone and tablet had the same problem. After many tries at contacting Skype I found a Skype forum and posted my problem. After a few texts back and forth with a very helpful person it turns out that my make of phone and tablet are no longer compatible with Skype. The person said this was a Microsoft decision. My phone is a Nokia windows phone. My tablet is a Microsoft surface. Both appliances are from Microsoft. Microsoft own Skype so why they decided to make their own devices incompatible with Skype I don't know. I have a subscription which is renewed every 3 months. It was renewed at the end of June. I cannot get a refund as I had made a phone call after the subscription was renewed. I have cancelled my subscription. I now use viber to call uk. I have a subscription that is actually better than Skype for me as it doesn't need renewing until the money runs out.

[Keithcaley]

I think that Microsoft have 'Lost it'!

I checked on a laptop running Win 7, and the normal old familiar Skype screen is there, displaying a column of contacts and with the usual file, contacts, call etc. menu items across the top.. I tried the 'Echo' test and that worked OK

Then I tried a Surface Pro 4, and found a completely different Skype interface - just a column headed 'Recent' and none of the usual menu items or icons to click on... - I eventually discovered a small icon to the right of the Search box that changed the display, and gave me a choice of Contacts or Bots My normal preference, which is to have Favourites at the top, followed by 'everything else' has gone, and has been replaced by Skype Contacts followed by everything in my computer's address book - it looks as though Skype has 'plundered' my contacts list, and imported everything into Skype!

How dare they?

I also can't see any way of getting into Settings, or any of the old familiar bits that I normally fiddle with... Grrrrr!!!

[IPMAN]

I think that Microsoft have 'Lost it'!

I checked on a laptop running Win 7, and the normal old familiar Skype screen is there, displaying a column of contacts and with the usual file, contacts, call etc. menu items across the top.. I tried the 'Echo' test and that worked OK

Then I tried a Surface Pro 4, and found a completely different Skype interface - just a column headed 'Recent' and none of the usual menu items or icons to click on... - I eventually discovered a small icon to the right of the Search box that changed the display, and gave me a choice of Contacts or Bots My normal preference, which is to have Favourites at the top, followed by 'everything else' has gone, and has been replaced by Skype Contacts followed by everything in my computer's address book - it looks as though Skype has 'plundered' my contacts list, and imported everything into Skype!

How dare they?

I also can't see any way of getting into Settings, or any of the old familiar bits that I normally fiddle with... Grrrrr!!!

Keith - most of the old settings are now in your profile ctrl I

[Keithcaley]

Well I never!

Thanks Bud!

[erol]

On my win10 machine I have both the 'old version' of skype and the 'new' one. To me the old one seems more stable and of course is more familiar to me. Also if anyone know how to search for a text string in historic conversations on the 'new' version then please do tell me how to do it.

[Hilltop]

I hated the new version of Skype for Android so much that I uninstalled it, turned off auto updates and then reinstalled an older version.

I have to remember to manually update my other apps every now and then, but it's worth it!

[sophie]

I'm taking on board all the advice that I am receiving but NOBODY seemingly can come up with my basic question. How do I convince SKYPE that I am a new person (would that I were) i.e. sign in with a new email address, new User name, new password, EVERYTHING new.

BTW I tried Jofra suggestion but literally go around in circles, the older versions do not download (although they say they have). The laugh is this, I have totally uninstalled SKYPE from my laptop, there is no sign of it anywhere other than a small Icon on the desktop, but 10 mins ago, I clicked on, and low and behold there was a version of SKYPE (lord knows which version) and I've just had a 20 minute call to a company in Newcastle.

I still want to install a completely new set up on my laptop, leaving Him in doors with the older version and email address on his laptop. Haven't a clue about Viber but its starting to look an attractive idea indeed.

[alphamike]

Not sure if this will help you or not Sophie, but might help you to open another Skype account on your computer.
https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA829/ ... -same-time

[kerry 6138]

It sounds like when you unistall it there are files left, possibly in cache files that allow your new install to recognise your laptop and installs the last settings.
Hence my suggestion to delete cache and data before uninstalling skype ,haven't used windows for a while does it still allow you to go back to a previous date when your skype was ok?

[sophie]

Alphamike, I picked up what you are referring to about half an hour ago and I think this might be the answer. Can't face it now, but will certainly have a go tomorrow!!

[alphamike]

Good luck, and let us know if it works for you, Sophie.

As an aside, I checked my Windows phone, and found out that I can no longer get Skype either. Although I rarely use Skype on the phone, it's handy to have, and must say that I am a bit miffed. If you can update your phone to Win10 through the Insider programme, it's supposed to work, but no updates for my Lumia 925, so Skype has been deleted. I've got both WhatsApp and Viber if I need to contact people. If my only device had been my phone, I would have been furious. Another irritation is the, "can't sign in, check your network" message, which is ridiculous. It should clearly come up with "Skype no longer supported on this device", to save people the bother of trying to get solutions for something that can't be fixed (in my limited knowledge).

[erol]

How do I convince SKYPE that I am a new person (would that I were) i.e. sign in with a new email address, new User name, new password, EVERYTHING new.

log out of the old skype account and log in to the newly created skype account ? 'Skype' will then think you are the 'new' person. Contacts , history of conversations etc will all be those of the new account and not the old one

to log out of an account so you can log in to a different account, on the 'new' windows 10 version, click on the small circular icon that represents 'you' near the top left of the skype window

The little 'penguin icon' in pac above

This will open a account details windows and on that will be a sign out option. Click that and then sign in to the new account.

[sophie]

Oh dear, now I'm beginning to think that I've wasted everyones time. Like an Idiot I thought I could conserve all my contacts (of which I have a lot) or at least move them across as it were (sort of like Bluetooth.) The thought of starting from scratch, particularly business contacts, and having to redo them all, fills me with dread. Second and third thoughts are needed I believe!! Why is nothing simple, other than perhaps me, when it comes to technology?

[erol]

Oh dear, now I'm beginning to think that I've wasted everyones time. Like an Idiot I thought I could conserve all my contacts (of which I have a lot) or at least move them across as it were (sort of like Bluetooth.) The thought of starting from scratch, particularly business contacts, and having to redo them all, fills me with dread. Second and third thoughts are needed I believe!! Why is nothing simple, other than perhaps me, when it comes to technology?

https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA1215 ... to-another

There is your skype account , all details of which are stored 'centrally' and then there is the skype software on any given device that access skype accounts. Removing all the skype software from a given device, to try and get the software working, is not easy. Creating and using a new skype identity is a different thing.

[Hilltop]

Not sure why this would not work?

On present version of Skype click on contacts on top line.

Advanced

Backup contacts to file
.................

Create New Skype account

Restore Contacts from file.

[Keithcaley]

Not sure why this would not work?...

You're right - that should work just fine!

I think that the link that Erol posted covered that.

If Sophie does go for that option, she then has the task of contacting each and every contact (& she says that she has MANY) to advise them of her new Skype ID, and to get them to add her as a contact on Skype - which is a pain in the butt!

However, not knowing exactly what was causing her problems in the first place, I'm not really in a position to recommend any other course of action...