Here's some points for helping to fix LW if it's not working properly. Close LW before you try these things.

Try these things one by one until one works:

1. Update your Java Java 1.5 release 11 (Choose the JRE 5.11) using the "Offline" version for some people seems to behave better than 5.0_12 (1.5) or 1.6 in certain circumstances. Download the Java installer to your computer before installing by choosing the "Offline" version. Don't install it over the net. * Newer versions LW (4.13 +) will not be able to use Java 1.4.x, so also check Download Java software from Sun Microsystems for most recent OFFLINE version. But if reverting back to Java 1.5 from a higher version, be sure to use the Add/Remove Programs Control panel to remove ALL java versions 'before' installing JRE 5.11 offline version Archive: Download Java 2 Platform Standard Edition (J2SE) 5.0 Update 11 as this particular java 1.5 version seems to behave best. On some people's systems LW, particularly Pro do not always behave well with Java 1.6 & reverting back to the previous Java version is sometimes the answer to a problem. But be sure you remove all other java versions before you do so and choose the offline installation to download.
Always install Java using the OFFLINE installer (click to see sample instructions).
VISTA users must use one of the Java 1.6 releases (also known as Java 6.)
If you're using LW5, you won't be able to use the older Java version mentioned here (5.0 update 11). LW5 requires you to have Java 1.6 installed.

Sample image below of downloading the OFFLINE Java installer version which is always the larger download option; in the example it is around 15 MB in size (Offline Java installer is 'always' safer & more reliable to install due to issues with Java website and with possible issues with getting all the information immediately during online installation, thus offline is always best option because you are installing the information already on your computer, not over the internet) J2SE Runtime Environment (JRE):

For Java 1.5 (cannot be used for LW 5):



For Java 1.6:



* For a clean installation of both LimeWire & Java see Clean install of both LW & Java & deleting your LW preferences folder before the installation is also recommended. (If you are using LW 4 you will need to get your installer from here LimeWire 4 installer. If a Pro user, get installer from your personal pro download page, or for LW 4 Pro click the Pro Classic link on left side of page.)



2. See step 3 below instead unless you started using LW using LW 4.9 or earlier & this is first time deleting LW preferences folder.
Delete the LW Preferences folder called .limewire (whilst LW is closed!) & found here: Windows NT 4.0 / 2000 / XP: C:/Documents And Settings/your_username/.limewire OR
Windows 98 / ME: Your .limewire folder is in "C:\My Documents" (BUT make a note of all your LW settings 1st, b/c after you delete the LW prefs folder you'll need to reset them.) See sample images below in next post. This process applies to users of 4.9.x or earlier or those who have updated to a later version than 4.9.x & are deleting their LW preferences for the 1st time since updating.


3. * New name & location for preferences folder for LW 4.10 or later: For LW 4.10 or later: Delete the LW Preferences folder called limewire (whilst LW is CLOSED!) found here:
C:\Documents and Settings\*yourusername*\Application Data\limewire

Note: The Application Data folder is HIDDEN. In order to find & access it, you'll need to turn on the show hidden files & folders option. See sample at the bottom of page to see how to find & delete the limewire preferences folder New LW Prefs name & location sample image (click on blue link). New users of LW will find their preferences here. For those who have updated from an earlier version to 4.10 or later, you will find your preferences here after having deleted your preferences in the previous location discussed in Step 2 above! (In the example image shown, the LW program has been installed on a different partition. This makes no difference to deleting of LW preferences folder location!) Also, you can turn off the show hidden files & folder option after completing the process.
VISTA users find instructions here: LimeWire Pref Folder in Vista . (Remember LW must be closed at that time!)

**Before you delete LW's preferences folder, please read post #5 of this thread** (at very bottom of page; only applies to users of LW 5 & 4.18!)


5. Right-clicking the Limewire icon and going to properties and change compatability setting to Windows 2000. (but only if you're using Windows 2000 or later.) Somebody reported changing to Windows NT compatibility fixed their problem despite not using that operating system version. (Example image below was Windows XP; this can be done via choosing the LW shortcut.) Vista users can try setting to Windows XP SP2 compatibility (but should also set to admin., see point #6 below).



6. Right-click on the Limewire icon on the desktop and click on Run as. Then it should come up showing the current user and then switch it over to Administrator. (but 'only' if you're the admin of your comp.!)





4. (This option does not apply to versions 4.4 or later!!! And so this option is now obsolete!!! "Repair" LimeWire using the Add/Remove Programs utility. Go to Control Panel then Add/Remove Programs & click on Limewire on the Change/Remove button & it comes up with options and one of them is Repair. Try this. (LW must be closed & exited out of the program tray before you do this.) WARNING: This "Repair" process will NOT work on versions of LW 4.4 or later due to different type of installer! Just as in the same way you can only uninstall LW properly from the Start menu >Programs>LW>Uninstall (if that ever becomes necessary) using the later installers ... or the installer itself will uninstall the new versions at the beginning of installation.

Sample for point 4 about Repair. This will probably not apply to the international (multilingual) 4.2 or earlier InstallAnywhere installation versions AND does NOT apply to LW versions 4.4 or later!