How to Reinstall AOL Desktop Gold on This Computer Without Losing Data?

AOL Desktop Gold is a robust all-in-one software for managing emails, browsing, and security tools. But over time, you might experience performance issues, software corruption, or bugs that require you to reinstall the program. The good news is that reinstalling AOL Desktop Gold on this computer doesn't mean you will lose any important data such as emails, contacts, bookmarks, or settings, as these are stored safely on AOL’s servers.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to reinstall AOL Desktop Gold without losing any data, ensuring that your email, browsing, and personal settings remain intact.

Why Reinstall AOL Desktop Gold?

There are several reasons why you might need to reinstall AOL Desktop Gold on your computer:

Software Issues: Corrupted files, crashes, or malfunctioning features can be fixed by reinstalling the program.
Performance Problems: Over time, AOL Desktop Gold may slow down due to system errors or accumulated bugs, and a fresh installation can help speed it up.
System Conflicts: Compatibility issues with your operating system or other software might require a reinstall.
Accidental Deletion: If the software was accidentally uninstalled, reinstalling will restore access to your account and settings.

Reinstalling AOL Desktop Gold generally does not affect your saved data, as all your emails, contacts, and preferences are stored securely on AOL’s servers. However, it’s always a good idea to back up your information to be safe.

Step 1: Backup Your Data (Optional but Recommended)

While AOL Desktop Gold is designed to preserve your data, it's always smart to take a few extra steps to back up important information. Here’s how to back up your data before reinstalling the software:

1.1 Export Your Contacts

Open AOL Desktop Gold on your computer.
Click on the Contacts icon.
Go to the File menu and select Export Contacts.
Choose a location to save your contacts list, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage.

1.2 Backup Your Email Folders

Open AOL Desktop Gold and navigate to your Email section.
Right-click on your email folders (Inbox, Sent, Drafts, etc.) and select Export.
Save the exported files to a secure folder.

1.3 Save Bookmarks and Settings

Open the Favorites section in AOL Desktop Gold.
Right-click and choose Export to save your bookmarks.
If you have specific settings or preferences (e.g., custom signatures, themes, etc.), make a note of them or take a screenshot for easy restoration later.

By following these steps, you can back up all your crucial data before proceeding with the reinstallation.

Step 2: Uninstall AOL Desktop Gold from Your Computer

To reinstall AOL Desktop Gold, the first step is to uninstall the current version from your computer. Don’t worry—this process won’t affect your AOL data as it is stored remotely on AOL’s servers.

2.1 Uninstall AOL Desktop Gold on Windows

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type control and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
Select Programs and Features.
Scroll through the list of installed programs and find AOL Desktop Gold.
Right-click on it and select Uninstall.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation process.
Restart your computer to ensure all files are properly removed.

2.2 Uninstall AOL Desktop Gold on macOS

Open Finder and go to the Applications folder.
Find AOL Desktop Gold and drag it to the Trash.
Empty the Trash to complete the uninstallation.
Optionally, check for leftover AOL files in the Library folder and delete them.

After completing the uninstallation, restart your computer to remove any remaining AOL files and prepare your system for the new installation.

Step 3: Download AOL Desktop Gold Again

Now that you’ve uninstalled AOL Desktop Gold, the next step is to download the latest version of the software. Here’s how you can do it:

Open a web browser and go to the official AOL website: www.aol.com.
Log in to your AOL account using your username and password.
Navigate to the My Benefits section of your account.
Look for AOL Desktop Gold under the available products.
Click on Download to begin downloading the software to your computer.
Wait for the download to complete. The download may take a few minutes, depending on your internet speed.

Make sure to save the installer file in an easily accessible location on your computer, such as the Downloads folder.

Step 4: Install AOL Desktop Gold on Your Computer

After downloading the AOL Desktop Gold installer, follow the steps below to install it on your computer:

4.1 Installation on Windows

Go to your Downloads folder and locate the AOL Desktop Gold installer (e.g., AOLDesktopGold.exe).
Double-click the installer to launch the installation process.
Follow the on-screen prompts. You may need to accept the Terms and Conditions before continuing.
Choose your preferred installation folder or accept the default location.
Click Install Now to start the installation process.
Wait for the software to install on your system. This may take a few minutes.
Once installation is complete, click Finish.
Restart your computer to ensure the installation is fully applied.

4.2 Installation on macOS

Go to your Downloads folder and find the AOL Desktop Gold installer (e.g., AOLDesktopGold.dmg).
Double-click to open the installer package.
Follow the on-screen instructions and drag the AOL Desktop Gold icon to the Applications folder.
After the installation is complete, open the Applications folder and launch AOL Desktop Gold.

Step 5: Log in to AOL Desktop Gold

Once AOL Desktop Gold has been installed, it’s time to log into your account. Follow these steps:

Open AOL Desktop Gold from your desktop or the Start menu (Windows) or Applications folder (macOS).
Enter your AOL username and password in the login fields.
Click Sign In to access your account.
After logging in, check your email, contacts, bookmarks, and settings to ensure they have been restored correctly.
If you notice anything missing or if some of your preferences were not restored, you can use the backups you created earlier to recover your data.

Since AOL stores your data securely on their servers, all your emails, contacts, and settings should be automatically synchronized when you log back in. If any data is still missing, you can easily restore it from your backup.

Step 6: Verify That Data is Restored

Once you are logged into AOL Desktop Gold, double-check that all of your critical data has been restored:

Email: Verify that your inbox, sent items, and other folders have been synced correctly.
Contacts: Make sure your contact list is intact and up to date.
Bookmarks: Check that all your saved websites and bookmarks are available.
Settings: Ensure that your preferences, such as themes and custom signatures, are properly configured.

If anything is still missing, you can use the backups you made earlier to restore it.

Troubleshooting Common Reinstallation Issues

While reinstalling AOL Desktop Gold is typically a straightforward process, there may be some challenges along the way. Here are some common issues and their solutions:

Issue 1: AOL Desktop Gold Won’t Download or Install

Ensure that your computer meets the system requirements for AOL Desktop Gold.
Try downloading the installer from a different browser (e.g., Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox).
Temporarily disable any antivirus software or firewall that might be blocking the download or installation process.

Issue 2: AOL Desktop Gold Won’t Launch After Installation

Restart your computer and try launching AOL Desktop Gold again.
Make sure you have the latest version of AOL Desktop Gold installed.
Right-click on the program icon and select Run as Administrator to give it the necessary permissions to open.

Issue 3: Missing Emails or Contacts After Reinstallation

Double-check your AOL account online to ensure your emails and contacts are still stored there.
If data is missing, restore it from the backup you created before reinstalling.

Conclusion

Reinstalling AOL Desktop Gold on this computer is a simple process that can resolve many common issues such as software malfunctions or performance problems.

How to Reinstall AOL Desktop Gold on This Computer Without Losing Data?Updated 2 months ago