OK Im running Win98SE and Im wondering if there is some sort of hidden firewall around?

Your probably thinkin why the hell does he wana know this but its all explained Here

May I also ask the same for XP? I seem to be getting these messages, both from MSN Messenger and eDonkey...

I apologize RoSs...I don't meant to hijack your thread...please tell me if you don't like me posing this question. I will remove it immidiately.

win98 has *zero* network security, wherever our problem it, it isn't that. I would suspect a problem in win98s networking, but we did manage to get you connected once.

winXp OTOH does have a firewall, but a poor one. It shouldn't interfer with messenger, but you can turn it off in the network connections window. And if yo arent already, runa 3rd party firewall like ZoneAlarm - winXps firewall dosent do much to protect your computer.

No problems Slicer, I dont mind, oh and by the way I managed to get connected more than once, basically every time (except the last time) but never to any other random ones.

Is that connected as in in the game, or connected as in the character selection menu?

well to your games, connected to games. To any I get to the character selection, select then it does the black screen thing

Ok, this may be a stupid question, but have you installed all the necessary hackpacks for the servers you are trying to join?

Also, did you try using diffrent character? One of the character I had made had a portrait that crashed the game when I got ingame.

well you dont need a hackpack for EfU. Do you? and yes Ive tried using different characters.

I don't know if it need a hackpack.

Im pretty sure it doesnt, if it did someone would have told me by now.