Online but unable to make/receive calls

[jefferynealeng]

Hi, longtime user for both personal and business.  I have installed the latest skype version on both my home PC and business laptop, but the problem I am having has been there for a couple versions.

On my laptop (HP Elitebook 8730w with Windows Vista), skype does its atomatic login when I start the computer.  Sometimes it does not connect, and gets stuck on "Signing In", but most often it signs in and gives me the green check as Online.  I get notifications that others are online or offline, and everything looks fine.  Then when I go to make a call, I get the Skype 6-tone sound, and then nothing.  No ringing, no error message, just the graphic you get before a call is connected.  Also, no calls can come in.

Only solution is to quit skype and restart, sometimes a couple times.  The problem only seems to be on my laptop, but all settings are the same,  I have tried re-installing, and all of the simple solutions I can think of.

Now, since the latest version, skype is not even signing in, I have to right click the tray icon and click sign in.  Again, laptop only.

What is going on?

[AxelBernhard]

I Have the same problem. Can chat but not make or receive calls since about Sunday. Both on my laptop and desktop. Cannot get a hold of a customer service agent and spending precious hours trying to get help. Very annoying.

[TheUberOverLord]

In your case and your case only.

1. Please stop any and all running Skype Client programs on your system.

2. Using your Windows Control Panel Add/Remove Programs uninstall Skype, when prompted to save your history, choose yes.

3. Using Windows File Explorer ("What you use to view files with") do:

%appdata%\skype

If you find a file called shared.xml right click on it and choose delete.

4. If you see a folder for the Skype name in question, click on it, if you see a file called Config.xml right click on it and choose delete.

5. Using the Windows file Explorer enter:

%programfiles%

Right click on the Skype folder and choose delete.

6. Please install the normal version using the instructions below:

You can install the current normal release by doing this from the top of this page:

Get Skype -> Windows -> Choose the normal release.

These instructions have worked for many and is the quickest thing to try to resolve issues such as this.

Also, what operating system are you on and do you have all Windows updates and updates to any hardware devices by the manufacturers?

[jefferynealeng]

HI Overlord,

1. Stopped Skype service, but Skype.exe process would not quit, even in Task Manager, had to restart laptop.

2. Un-installed, but no choice to save history (though it looks like it was saved anyway)

3. Found and deleted

4. Found and deleted

5. No folder there anymore

6. Done

Skype is working now, but the problem seems to be at start-up, and I have work to do, will test later.

Using Windows Vista 64-bit on a HP Elitebook, all drivers and updates are current.

Will let you know if it happens again.

And btw, have to add to the thousands saying get rid of Facebook!

[jefferynealeng]

Nope, didn't work.  Started my Laptop, and the skype icon showed up but was "Not signed in".  Right click, sign in, got my green checkmark.  Started a call to Echo sound test service, and after the skype 6-tone, nothing happened.  No ring tone, no connection.  I was also told yesterday that a business colleague had tried to call me, but could not get through.

I am staring to get a bit pissed off at skype now.

[TheUberOverLord]

---

jefferynealeng wrote:

Nope, didn't work.  Started my Laptop, and the skype icon showed up but was "Not signed in".  Right click, sign in, got my green checkmark.  Started a call to Echo sound test service, and after the skype 6-tone, nothing happened.  No ring tone, no connection.  I was also told yesterday that a business colleague had tried to call me, but could not get through.

I am staring to get a bit pissed off at skype now.

---

Currently, this is how the Skype clients start at system startup.

The only workaround is to drop a shortcut to Skype.exe in your Startup folder having these command line options:

32 Bit based system Shortcut target: "C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /minimized /legacylogin

64 Bit based system Shortcut target: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /minimized /legacylogin

Note: If you do this, please don't have the "Start at system startup" Skype option set, only have the "Login when Skype starts" option set.

[FelixRaven]

I choose a different solution:

I searched the registry for Skype's startup key.

I found it in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Then I edited the key, with adding the /legacylogin to the end of it.

Now it is as follows:

C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /nosplash /minimized /legacylogin

This way I didn't need to uncheck the "Start at system startup" option at Skype's startup panel, and it signs in automatically.

My remaining question is: why did developers think that this is a good change?

And why is the  "Login when Skype starts" option there, if it doesn't have any effect?

I suppose, it is the plague of Microsoft's ownership of Skype.