Sorry you are having so much trouble with chat.  I have never gone to chat here but am planning on doing so for the New years marathon.  Have you been able to get any tech support from here?   When you register for the first time in this chat, does it tell you what the browser qualifications are?  I would imagine it to be a java based chat.  Your laptop should support that.   If you know what format is used here, then you can check your tools or hardware place , usually in "my computer" and find out if you have it.  If you don't , then I would think that it did not install or load properly.  Just my unprofessional guessing!   Hope you can get in soon.  ~Mamasan