Knowledge Base

Error Message: Your Requested Nickname Is Already in Use...

Article ID: 165893

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q165893

SYMPTOMS

When you specify a nickname in Microsoft Chat, you may receive the following error message:
Your requested nickname is already in use. Chat nicknames must be unique. Please choose another.
You then receive a prompt to type a different name in the Nickname box.

CAUSE

This error message may occur when any of the following conditions are true:

  • There is a Microsoft Chat participant using the same nickname on the chat server that you are trying to connect to.
  • You are using the same nickname in another connection to the same chat server.
  • You recently disconnected from the chat server and the user list has not been refreshed.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use any of the following methods:

  • Type a different name in the Nickname box and click OK.

    -or-
  • If you are currently using the same nickname in another connection to the chat server, terminate the connection by clicking Disconnect on the Room menu.

    -or-
  • Disconnect from the chat server by clicking Disconnect on the Room menu, wait several minutes, and then reconnect by clicking Connect on the Room menu. If the problem persists, disconnect from the chat server again, wait several more minutes, and then attempt to reconnect.

MORE INFORMATION

Nicknames uniquely identify the participants in Microsoft Chat rooms and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) rooms. When you connect to a chat server and specify a nickname, your nickname is added to the user list on the server. The user list contains the nickname and identity of every person who is currently a member of a chat room on that server. If the nickname that you want to use is already in use by someone else who is connected to the chat server, you receive the error message described in the "Symptoms" section of this article.

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