Thank you very much for the list of links above. It took me some time to sit down and read and research them all. I have verified that none of them are my problem. I have always got at least 500Meg FREE at all times when using LimeWire 2.8.6 and I run Win2000 not a mac as all the others. So my problem is different from any of theirs, and I was unable to find a resolution using their fixes and ideas.

The weird thing here is that I have exacted the issue down to a very specific bit of LimeWire code. Every feature and 'window' of Limewire works perfectly and reliably, except the top right Search Window RESULTS (white background) Text.

What works? --->> The Search Feature in every option possible. The bars to resize windows (within the main top search tab, meaning the grey leftside window, the lower right download window and the SPACE allocated for top right search results window) all work fine.

So if the top right search window is failing to load on startup, then what is missing?? ----->> Well this will be easier to show you what IS There. (Perhaps I should take a screen capture and link it here.... hmmmmm.. Would that even be helpful?) Anyway, when I do 3 searches, there appear 3 tabs in the Results Window. The text in the grey tabs is also fine, including the number found. However when you click on a tab it SHOULD show you the list of results... and allow you to sort them. NO TEXT COMES UP - and NO MENU BUTTONS to sort with are showring at any time.

On the other hand, keep in mind that the sorting buttons are showing up just fine in every other window, including the lower download part of the Search page. In Fact, on the middle bar, 'download' (or wishlist), 'chat', and 'browse host' are all available fine too. Its just the inner white background text and menu for Search results that fails to load on startup.

My idea is that this is a registry corruption of type that is NOT repaired when uninstalling, and reinstalling LimeWire. Since it started, I even installed older versions, and they also have the same problem now.

I'm SURE if a real LimeWire Coder just was able to read this problem, he or she could verify the exact code block which is failing to initialize, and write a quick script that I could run to log errors on startup, thereby showing them and me the location of the corruption, and hopefully giving us a suggestion on what to edit to fix in the system.

I have to use 2.3.3 until someone can help me resolve my 2.7/2.8 LimeWire Failure. If you have any experience with this problem, or ideas and want to take a shot, please respond here. I'll check back every day. Thanks.

Hi Cougar.

Sorry you're having such a problem. I know trap_jaw had mentioned uninstalling and reinstalling. I know you said you did that. However, I notice that when I run uninstall it doesn't always remove all files. Have you run uninstall and then searched for any left over files and trashed them and then tried to reinstall? Maybe something is left over that is messing up the newer installs?

You said you are now using 2.3.3? Are you having any luck with that? According to the developers, you need to run 2.6 or newer to connect.

I'm sorry this isn't anything new, but sometimes, it seems with LW, you need to try and try again.

Good luck.

What would I search for? I have definately removed the entire LimeWire directory from program files with each and every uninstall (prior to reinstall) But your theory does make sense that something doesnt get uninstalled. WHAT could it be???

I thought that perhaps something in a hidden directory or the registry might be left (and corrupted). If I knew what else i could delete, id try it. Thanks for the idea. Wish we knew what else to delete.

As for 2.3.3... its wonderful. It gets about only 1/3 the search results that my 2.8.6 was getting (so id never go back once getting 2.8.6 to work, but since Limewire is clearly broken, 2.3.3 is better than nothing... and now i am forced to use Kaaza and other methods instead too. Its a shame. I quit encouring friends to buy limewire since this happened a few months ago. But im not sure that other people would even be affected by the problem im having (above). Perhaps it broke limewire when my computer crashed one day, however nothing else on the computer seems to be broken (oh except simcity 3000 unlimited, that no longer runs at all.. it gives an exe error when started - but i didnt think it was related). There are no errors with 2.3.3 except that random login/password boxes show up... however clicking OK or Cancel seems to remove them find. Its a mere annoyance but at least I have something to download with.

Thanks for your response. Hope to have others soon.

No, the new 2.9.7 STILL maintains the corruption, however when I remove it, and load 2.7.x or before, limewire performs perfectly.

Something changed between 2.7 and 2.8 so far as the code for the windows is concerned. Whatever that change, it is acting incorrectly with my Windows 2000 or J2RE 1.4.1_02, in some way that does not affect any but this 1 single part of this one page.

Ideas? Any coders out there who desire to help me out on this? Thanks.

ok, i think i have an idea.

do a search on your computer for 'limewire.props'. the folder that has that file should also have a 'Display.props' file. if it does not, then create one and put:

---
COUNT=32
SPEED=64
NAME=314
SIZE=84
VENDOR=53
TYPE=65
LOCATION=117
---

in it. if it does have one, change the contents of it to be what i pasted above. (make sure LimeWire is already closed when doing this.) then open LimeWire.

i dunno if this will work, but it's worth a shot.

just as a note on the above info -- don't include the "---" in the file contents.

i hope it works! please let us know here if it does (or doesn't).

YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK! Good job.

Yes, I found many instances of limewire.props and Display.props because I had tested about every version possible.

It appears that most earlier versions have this file at path C:\Program Files\LimeWire\[Version Number]

However, when I installed 2.9.7 again, ran it, and changed a few options and resaved it. I was able to verify that the apparent NEW active location is actually now C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\.limewire because the timestamp changed on the limewire.props at this location.

When I opened the Display.props file at THIS location, I found a blank line of nothing, then the rest of the file was blank. I highlighted the blank line and scrolled a short way, then clicked DELETE, saved the file (after backing up the old file of course), and attempted to start limewire 2.9.7

Immediately it was clear that the menu bar was BACK, before even doing anything else. However, as i looked at it for a few seconds and limewire crashed with an error.

However Im running it again now, with no further changes, and it appears to be working fine. THANK YOU!!!!!

It appears that this file had been corrupted in some way, and you have directed me to fix it. Other people on here should recieve this same fix information.

It seems that you gave me information to set the menu bar titles and initial length of those individual squares. (but I could be wrong on this) Now, if you or anyone has knowledge of ALL the possible fields, I would very much appreciate having the titles, so I can choose my own version of this bar and its sizes for best future use. Is it possible to format my own titles and square sizes for all my windows?? Are there additional titles that I can add. Anyone know all the options??

I will attempt to load older versions now, and test it. But as of April 1 2003 (since I first complained of this issue in January), I am confident that a person has finally RESOLVED my LimeWire issue. And as I initially suggested, it turned out to be a file corruption... one that was not repaired through uninstall/reinstall attempts.

THANK YOU to Open Sourcer sberlin from New York - for the ultimate fix to this long time limewire corruption/issue. This forum has proven successful. I'm glad I joined.

wow -- i'm really happy it worked.

the easiest way for you to change the width of or add/remove columns in the search results is to right-click on the columns themselves -- a popup box should appear with checkmarks and various column options. you can choose what you want to see, and drag the widths and order of the columns as you see fit. what you choose _should_ stay and be remembered for other limewire sessions.

for the current release, the only table that will remember your positions/widths/visibility is the search results. however, i've got a development branch going that adds this functionality to all the other tables (and adds a nifty little 'revert to default', incase you forget and want how limewire suggestions they should be). in the meantime, you can still reorder/remove/add columns to the other tables, but you'll have to do it again next you start limewire.

Excellent, That right mouse click, is exactly what I needed to find the other titles. I like that it maintains my sizing, and i look forward to seeing all the menus of limewire have this same functionality.

Currently I'm using:

LOCATION=105
COUNT=15
QUALITY=67
TYPE=37
VENDOR=60
SIZE=67
CHAT=28
audios__audio__bitrate__=59
SPEED=57
NAME=393

Good luck on your next venture. I'm taking some time to help others who had my same problem... and give them your answer. This forum only works when people who are helped, help others.

Appreciate all your answers.

hi cougar -- i just wanted you to know that thanks to your help, we've isolated the problem in the code that allowed a corrupt Display.props file, and have fixed it for the next version.

thanks again.