retro-aim-server

ICQ Client Setup

This guide explains how to install and configure ICQ 2000b for Retro AIM Server.

ICQ 2000b is the only version of ICQ currently supported by RAS.

Installation guides are available for the following operating systems:

Windows
Linux
macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon)

Installation

Windows

Download ICQ

Download ICQ 2000b from archive.org.
Run Installer

Run the ICQ installer.
Close the Registration Window

Once installation is complete, you’ll be greeted by an ICQ registration window. Do not complete the registration wizard. Close the window and move on to the post-installation steps.

Linux

You can run ICQ 2000b under Linux via WINE.

Download ICQ

Download ICQ 2000b from archive.org.
Install WINE

Run and install WINE.
Run the Installer

Start the ICQ installer under WINE from a terminal:
```
wine icq2000b.exe
```
Close the Registration Window

Once installation is complete, you’ll be greeted by an ICQ registration window. Do not complete the registration wizard. Close the window and move on to the post-installation steps.

macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon)

Windows ICQ 2000b can run on modern macOS (including the Apple Silicon platform) without a VM using WineskinServer, a wrapper for WINE.

Install WineskinServer

Install WineskinServer via homebrew:

brew install --cask --no-quarantine gcenx/wine/wineskin

Create a Blank Application Wrapper

Launch Wineskin Winery. Install the latest engine and create a new blank wrapper for installing ICQ.

Generating the wrapper might take 1-2 minutes, and the application might not respond during this time. Once complete, click View wrapper in Finder.
Install ICQ into the Application Wrapper

Launch the wrapper from the Finder window. Select Install Software.

Select Choose Setup Executable and open the ICQ installer executable.
Run the Installer

Complete the ICQ installation wizard.
Close the Registration Window

Once installation is complete, you’ll be greeted by an ICQ registration window. Do not complete the registration wizard. Close the window and move on to the post-installation steps.

Post-install Configuration

In this step, we’ll replace ICQ’s default server hostname with your Retro AIM Server’s hostname in the Windows Registry.

Do not attempt to set the ICQ hostname via the registration Window. If you do this, a bug will surface that prevents the client from “remembering” settings such as saved passwords and OSCAR hostname.

Open Registry Editor
- Windows
  - Open the Run dialog ⊞ Win + `R`.
  - Enter regedit and click OK.
- Wine (Linux)
  - Open a terminal.
  - Run wine regedit in a terminal.
- WineskinServer (macOS)
  - Open a terminal.
  - Run the following command, substituting icq2000b.app with the file name of your wrapper:
    ~/Applications/Wineskin/icq2000b.app/Contents/Wineskin.app/Contents/Resources/regedit
Open Default ICQ Settings

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mirabilis\ICQ\DefaultPrefs.
Configure OSCAR Host
- Double-click the Default Server Host registry entry.
- Set Value data to the value of OSCAR_HOST found in Retro AIM Server configuration config/settings.env.
- Click OK.
Configure Server Port (uncommon)

Only change this value if your server does not listen on the default OSCAR ports.
- Double-click the Default Server Port registry entry.
- Tick the Decimal radio button.
- Set Value data to the value of AUTH_PORT found in Retro AIM Server configuration config/settings.env.
- Click OK.
Exit Registry Editor

Client configuration is complete. Close the Registry Editor.

Start ICQ and complete the first-time registration wizard. Start by selecting Existing User.

Do not try to create a new user in the registration wizard. To create a new user in Retro AIM Server, follow account creation steps in the server quickstart guides.

screenshot of ICQ registration wizard

Enter ICQ user credentials. If you’re running RAS with the default settings, you can enter any UIN and password. Click next on the remaining screens until the wizard is finished.