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Ubuntu Tips and Tricks


How to: Fix Yahoo Problem in Pidgin

Step-by-step tutorial with screenshots

By Marius Nestor, Linux Editor

21st of June 2009, 17:15 GMT

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Pidgin 2.5.7 on Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha
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Two days ago, Yahoo! Inc. did something to its messenger servers, something that practically blocked all the Linux IM clients, such as Pidgin, Kopete, Empathy or GyachI. While many of us thought it might be an ISP issue, some very smart people found out the truth: Yahoo! changed the login method! However, at this moment (June 21, 2009), none of the aforementioned Instant Messenger clients for Linux can connect with the Yahoo protocol. This is, of course, not the first time when it happens, and Linux users are treated like outsiders. But, let's not start again with the endless question “Why Yahoo! doesn't update the Linux client?” and let's fix the problem (like we always do).

Below is a step-by-step tutorial for all Ubuntu users that want to connect with their friends via the Yahoo protocol, using the Pidgin Instant Messenger. Why Ubuntu? Because it appears that it is the most popular Linux operating system these days and because there are already packages available for it. Other Linux users can grab the Pidgin 2.5.7 sources or DEB packages (32-bit and 64-bit) right now from Softpedia.

· Right click HERE and choose the "Save Link As..." option. Save the key file on your desktop.

· Go to System -> Administration -> Software Sources...

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Enter your password if asked. Go to the second tab, "Third-Party
Software," click on the "Add" button, and paste the line below for your Ubuntu distribution, in the "APT line" field...

Ubuntu 9.10

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/pidgin-developers/ppa/ubuntu karmic main

Ubuntu 9.04

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/pidgin-developers/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

Ubuntu 8.10

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/pidgin-developers/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main

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· Now go to the fourth tab, "Authentication," click the "Import Key File" button, navigate to the location where you've just saved the key file (usually, it is File System/home/YOURUSERNAME/Desktop) and double click it. You will immediately see a new entry called "A1F196A8 2009-01-20 Launchpad PPA for Pidgin Developers".

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· Click the “Close” button, then the “Reload” one and wait for the application to close!

· Go to System -> Administration -> Update Manager...

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...and update Pidgin to the new version!

Close Pidgin if it was running during the update process and open it again. Yahoo should connect immediately now. And the best part is that your Ubuntu machine will always be updated with the latest versions of the Pidgin messenger, from now on!

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Pidgin 2.5.7 on Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha


Alternative Method:

This is for those that can not upgrade to Pidgin 2.5.7 or don't want to.

· Open Pidgin and go to Accounts -> Manage Accounts...

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· Click on the Yahoo account and then on the "Modify" button...

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· Click on the "Advanced" tab and paste the following line in the "Pager server" field...

cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com

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Click the "Save" button, then click the check box in front of the Yahoo account to connect.

For GyachI users:

· Go to Connection -> Connect and choose another server from the drop-down box, such as cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com ...

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Credits: Special thanks to the Pidgin developers and to those who created the Ubuntu packages in such a short time!

TAGS:

Yahoo | Pidgin | login problem | Pidgin Yahoo | new yahoo server
Read by 32,043 user(s) | Add comment | Link to this article TWEET THIS


Article rating:
Excellent (5.0/5) 25 vote(s)    

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User opinions:


Comment #1 by: jay jay on 21 Jun 2009, 17:58 GMT reply to this comment

theres really no need for this tutorial since canonical releases updates for pidgin meaning that everyone is going to get an update to the new pidgin in a while correcting this problem.

Comment #1.1 by: Marius Nestor on 22 Jun 2009, 09:42 GMT

No... they don't update Pidgin to a new version (for example, from 2.5.6 to 2.5.7) and everyone knows that... Here's a quote from the Pidgin developers: "Ubuntu ships Pidgin but does not update it after a release (except for security issues). For those users who desire new releases of Pidgin, we have packaged Pidgin in a PPA."


Comment #2 by: raducu on 21 Jun 2009, 20:51 GMT reply to this comment

tanks! this solved the problem!


Comment #3 by: Tech-Mike on 21 Jun 2009, 21:30 GMT reply to this comment

Runnin Ubuntu x64 , got to update manager and now pidgin and libpurple0 are unchecked/disabled with "failed to detect distribution"

Comment #3.1 by: Marius Nestor on 22 Jun 2009, 09:29 GMT

What Ubuntu version you have? Download the AMD64 package from here http://linux.softpedia.com/progDownload/Pidgin-Download-6.html and update Pidgin.

Ubuntu DEB amd64 (Pidgin 2.5.7)
Ubuntu DEB amd64 (libpurple0 2.5.7)
Ubuntu DEB ALL (libpurple0-bin 2.5.7)
Ubuntu DEB ALL (Pidgin 2.5.7 Data)


Comment #4 by: Vince on 21 Jun 2009, 22:22 GMT reply to this comment

THANK YOU
can not thank all involved for solving this and you for posting such clear and simple directions.
kudos and thanks


Comment #5 by: chronos on 22 Jun 2009, 05:24 GMT reply to this comment

There's another yet simpler solution for this issue.
You can simply replace "scs.msg.yahoo.com" with "cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com" in the server pager properties, instead of replacind the pidgin packages.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1191064&highlight=pidgin&page=3

Comment #5.1 by: Igor on 26 Jun 2009, 22:20 GMT

# There's another yet simpler solution for this issue.
# You can simply replace "scs.msg.yahoo.com" with "cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com" in the # server pager properties, instead of replacind the pidgin packages.
# http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1191064&highlight=pidgin&page=3

Replaced and Pidgin cannot start now. Shuts down as connecting to the server.
Any solution please?

Comment #5.2 by: Aotearoan Blue on 29 Jun 2009, 06:55 GMT

This worked perfect. Thanks.


Comment #6 by: Peti on 22 Jun 2009, 06:21 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks! Fixed Pidgin in no time ;) And I was just beginning to worry about it.... Thank you again for everyone out there helping non-programmer linux users as I am :)


Comment #7 by: Bryce Verdier on 22 Jun 2009, 07:34 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks for posting this fix. This has been bugging me for a little while.


Comment #8 by: karriaga on 22 Jun 2009, 07:50 GMT reply to this comment

I have Ubuntu 8.04, proved first the alternative method, and it works.

THX!


Comment #9 by: M@ndimbuX on 22 Jun 2009, 08:31 GMT reply to this comment

Hello you all.
Just tested the tuto and it Works. I'm just wondering why Yahoo! doesn't notify users by mail that de server has been changed...
I've just tried the second part of the tuto (change server name) and it works well. But if you search in goole with "new yahoo server name", you won't bee able to find it easily.
So thank you for this tuto... even if I've surfed for 15 min to find it.


Comment #10 by: Mohan on 22 Jun 2009, 20:14 GMT reply to this comment

Yeah I had no Yahoo Messenger since Friday, but Pidgin was updated by the time got into the office so I updated it, need to have to do the same thing when I get home.


Comment #11 by: Keerthi on 23 Jun 2009, 02:57 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks a lot, I tried out the second one and it worked perfectly. :-) :-)


Comment #12 by: deepak on 23 Jun 2009, 10:31 GMT reply to this comment

i m using GYache messenger. how can i solve dis login problem in it??

Comment #12.1 by: Marius Nestor on 23 Jun 2009, 12:57 GMT

I've updated the tutorial with information about GYachE Improved, at the end...

Comment #12.2 by: deepak on 25 Jun 2009, 16:33 GMT

can i use any other server other than "cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com" for Gyache Improved, my gyache workd fine for few days, but now i m again having problem in loggin in.

Comment #12.3 by: Marius Nestor on 26 Jun 2009, 10:38 GMT

For deepak: Yeah, sure... as you can see from the last screenshot, GyachE Improved has a lot of Yahoo servers :)


Comment #13 by: zek on 23 Jun 2009, 21:42 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks all,
I used the second one and it works for both Kopete and Pidgin


Comment #14 by: deepak on 24 Jun 2009, 11:08 GMT reply to this comment

thanks a lot Marius.. it workd.


Comment #15 by: Vlad on 24 Jun 2009, 13:46 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks a lot for this tutorial . It works !


Comment #16 by: rkarim on 24 Jun 2009, 17:51 GMT reply to this comment

ya, thanks I am happy getting this solution


Comment #17 by: Paul on 24 Jun 2009, 20:31 GMT reply to this comment

A thousand thanks for this excellent walk through, been tearing my hair out trying to get Pidgin to connect to Yahoo, now connects instantly :)


Comment #18 by: mariuz on 25 Jun 2009, 14:10 GMT reply to this comment

here is the full story behind pidgin/ kopete breakage

http://theflamingbanker.blogspot.com/2009/06/some-clarification-on-yahoo-issues.html
http://mattr.info:8080/blog/2009/06/24/kopete-and-yahoo/


Comment #19 by: Steve on 25 Jun 2009, 15:55 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks, going into the advanced settings and changing the pager server field to cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com worked under XP64.. for those of us that use Windows to get things done. :)


Comment #20 by: Kasey Akak on 25 Jun 2009, 18:02 GMT reply to this comment

I did all the steps exactly as stated and pidgin now crashes when it launches. I webnt from version 2.5.2. to 2.5.7. Running ubuntu 8.10.

Comment #20.1 by: Marius Nestor on 26 Jun 2009, 10:28 GMT

Strange.... please remove Pidgin from your computer (open Synaptic, search for pidgin and mark for uninstall all the pidgin-related packaged, including libpurle (search for it in Synaptic)).

Allso delete the hidden .purple folder located in your home directory (in Nautilus, hit CTRL+H to see the hidden files).

After the uninstallation process, install Pidgin 2.5.7.


Comment #21 by: Bhagwad Jal Park on 26 Jun 2009, 14:29 GMT reply to this comment

Thank you - excellent instructions! I didn't know that Ubuntu didn't update Pidgin automatically.

Comment #21.1 by: Marius Nestor on 29 Jun 2009, 09:22 GMT

You're welcome.... yeah, I know... it's sad. Maybe starting with Karmic they will upgrade the version also.


Comment #22 by: Larry Miauno on 27 Jun 2009, 15:00 GMT reply to this comment

Version 2.5.5 for Japanese market is seriously bad. Yahoo! Messenger does not work at all while Yahoo! Japan works well. Previous version works well for both Yahoo! and Yahoo! Japan.

Revose and Automatic update are expected.

----Larry


Comment #23 by: greenkernel on 28 Jun 2009, 05:31 GMT reply to this comment

An excellent howto ... :)
Thanks Marius Nester ...


Comment #24 by: PxM on 28 Jun 2009, 09:17 GMT reply to this comment

Excellent!

I tried to use the server cn.scs.msg.yahoo.com before and it worked. However, today it doesn't work any more. But after I update Pidgin to latest version, I can connect again using the same server.

As Marius Nestor said, this is the problem with login method, not server. In the past, some server may work, but now it is over. So I recommend everyone to update the latest version of Pidgin.

Thank for the tutorial and Linux teams.


Comment #25 by: Marius Nestor on 29 Jun 2009, 07:58 GMT reply to this comment

Pidgin has been updated last night to version 2.5.8. It fixes a lot of Yahoo bugs! Everyone that has the Pidgin repository installed (method one), should update as soon as possible!


Comment #26 by: Gillian on 29 Jun 2009, 09:54 GMT reply to this comment

Thank you-worked like a charm. I was a little concerned because I have an AMD 64 and that sometimes causes problems, but no, it's now working perfectly. And I found the instructions beautifully clear for a relative newbie.


Comment #27 by: Bubwitmaingay on 29 Jun 2009, 14:26 GMT reply to this comment

Thank you very much for the tutorial. I thought that this is an update issue of Ubuntu, since there had been number of times in the past that some application simply don't work after update. (I use 9.04 now, there had been some bugs after update in my 8.04 then.) Now I know that this is a bug at the Yahoo! end and not on Linux applications and distros. I hope that there will also be some tutorials on Kopete regarding this problem. (We have a single PC at home and my wife uses the Pidgin while I use the Kopete - I guess we'll have to share Pidgin for a moment.) Thanks again.


Comment #28 by: ram on 29 Jun 2009, 15:06 GMT reply to this comment

I just followed the first part (upgrading pidgin) but the new pidgin wasn't installed. When i tried manually installing it from the command line, this is what I got (broken packages) :

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
pidgin: Depends: pidgin-data (< 1:2.5.5-z) but 1:2.5.7-1ubuntu1~pidgin3.9.10 is to be installed
Depends: libpurple0 (>= 1:2.5.5-1ubuntu8.1) but it is not going to be installed

When I tried installing libpurple0, I got (broken packages):
libpurple0: Depends: pidgin-data (< 1:2.5.5-z) but 1:2.5.7-1ubuntu1~pidgin3.9.10 is to be installed


I tried undo-ing all that I did but to no avail. How do I correct this issue?


Comment #29 by: menno on 30 Jun 2009, 08:34 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks for this tut.; worked great for me!


Comment #30 by: Arnould on 02 Jul 2009, 19:14 GMT reply to this comment

Thank you for the tutorial, I could never have imagined that Linux+Ubuntu is so complicated, but thanks to people like you most of the time there are solutions to the problems FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS!
As I am using Hardy Heron (remember that it is a long term supported version) I had to enter following line into the software sources:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/pidgin-developers/ppa/ubuntu hardy main
Arnould (France)


Comment #31 by: Sashko on 02 Jul 2009, 22:25 GMT reply to this comment

Great job....thanks a lot for this tip....
Big hello from Macedonia


Comment #32 by: Janet on 03 Jul 2009, 11:21 GMT reply to this comment

This is not Linux being treated like outsiders. I have Windows and my Pidgin won't connect to Yahoo either. I'll see if I can make your fix work.


Comment #33 by: saurabh gupta on 03 Jul 2009, 19:39 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks for the tutorial . I have a very weird problem which is not associated to pidgin but to gyahce which is another YAHOO client and I feel has more functionalities which I need. But the problem it that it wont let me sign in with the account type "username@yahoo.co.in" while I have tried all other secondary accounts which are fortunately of the type "username@yahoo.com" . My primary account works well on all other clients . Even after upgrading Gyache to its latest released version the problem is still there its the weirdest of the kind I have seen. Please help me out if any body has any idea. I have tried asking this on ubuntu forums but in vain.

Comment #33.1 by: tmsbrdrs on 10 Jul 2009, 07:18 GMT

@saurabh gupta

I've looked all over and haven't seen any answers. As for the latest release version, I'm currently using GyachE 1.2.0-1 found at https://launchpad.net/~loell/+archive/ppa.

Have you tried logging in with just your username and leaving off the @yahoo.co.in? I've seen where extensions other than US have given many users trouble but it's possible that might work. Otherwise, it's a pain but you may be better off to just use a username@yahoo.com address for yahoo messenger.


Comment #34 by: youbuntu on 04 Jul 2009, 02:43 GMT reply to this comment

Hi, whats that desktop theme u have installed? It looks cool. I want to use it too.. how can I do it? Pls tell me.

Comment #34.1 by: Marius Nestor on 04 Jul 2009, 12:53 GMT

It's Dust, you can find it in Ubuntu 9.04


Comment #35 by: Herman on 18 Jul 2009, 11:06 GMT reply to this comment

I got Pidgin 2.5.8 version (2.5.7 expected). Now installed.
my Ubuntu is 4.09.
I must have made a mistake. I could not get it run.

Actually the program Pidgin is no longer listed in the GUI.
So I tried Add/Remove to get it back:
I got:

Cannot install 'pidgin'
This application conflicts with other installed software. To install 'pidgin' the conflicting software must be removed first.

Switch to the 'synaptic' package manager to resolve this conflict.

I keep trying.


Comment #36 by: Xander on 20 Jul 2009, 18:25 GMT reply to this comment

Thanks now its working back again


Comment #37 by: Setinggil on 02 Aug 2009, 10:04 GMT reply to this comment

I have Gyache Improved 1.2.2. Everyting ok (can login, join room, view cam), but sound. No sound at all even somebody (in my buddies list) on/offline or 'sing' (in some room). I think I have correct setting in setup tab.
I am on Jaunty and never use Gyache before.
Any advice, pls?

TIA


Comment #38 by: Apurba on 03 Aug 2009, 17:58 GMT reply to this comment

I have tried the both option for the pidgin for yahoo but not working. I have ubuntu 9.04. The error messege is
Could not establish a connection with the server:
Access denied: HTTP proxy server forbids port 5050 tunneling.
can any one tell me what may be the reason behind this.
Thanks in advance.


Comment #39 by: intan on 22 Aug 2009, 08:14 GMT reply to this comment

i just want to ask about how to upgrade pidgin 2.5.8 to pidgin 2.6.1 on ubuntu 9.04.
thanks

Comment #39.1 by: Setinggil on 25 Aug 2009, 02:10 GMT

@ intan
Follow the first method above (to take pidgin repos) and then on terminal :
sudo apt-get install pidgin


Comment #40 by: dan on 17 Sep 2009, 09:10 GMT reply to this comment

Many thanks for this tutorial.


Comment #41 by: Lahiru on 29 Sep 2009, 08:00 GMT reply to this comment

Worked perfectly for me.


Comment #42 by: alex on 03 Oct 2009, 19:34 GMT reply to this comment

Really Great Work :)

Thank you


Comment #43 by: Lakshmi narayana on 11 Oct 2009, 17:08 GMT reply to this comment

this is very good and thanks to the person who solved the issue


Comment #44 by: louis on 08 Nov 2009, 15:57 GMT reply to this comment

Hello!
What is the background desktop image? It looks cool with Dust theme, I'd like to use it!
Thanks a lot!
Louis

Comment #44.1 by: Marius Nestor on 09 Nov 2009, 08:19 GMT

Hello,

the background is Air from KDE4

http://images.google.com/images?hl=ro&source=hp&q=air kde&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

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