Seamonkey 1.1.7 in Question

I'm not sure anyone will want to read this thread because it may end up being long. Fact is, I been very reluctant to post it for that reason.

Back on November 29, 2007 in a thread on this forum, Ramona advised I should upgrade from Seamonkey 1.0.5 to Seamonkey 1.1.7 which I did.

Now, we all know computers lock up occasionally but, after installing Seamonkey 1.1.7 my computer seemed to lock up more frequently and for no reason.

I hadn't installed any other programs or changed anything but, was not ready to blame Seamonkey 1.1.7.

I was however being aggravated by a window that would pop up every time I went to retrieve e-mail. I'd never had such a window using 1.0.5 and 1.1.7 was starting to annoy me. This window can be seen at:... http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-1.jpg

Then, on two different occasions and for absolutely no reason the computer went into a reboot sequence while typing messages in Seamonkey and that got my attention and I started having reservation about 1.1.7.

HERE's The REAL QUESTION or PROBLEM:....
Except for the junk, I keep all my old e-mail messages and my practice is to create a brand new Seamonkey Profile each and every year which I did on December 31, 2007 to be ready to start receiving e-mail in the new profile the next day and I've had nothing but, trouble since.

Around January 5th I had about 15 messages in the inbox and all became corrupted. 14 of the messages were blank while one of the messages contained the information from all 15 messages because I could see the other messages among a lot of machine and HTML coding in this one message.

The sent box was about the same but, I didn't pay much attention to it.

At this point, I tried a lot of old tricks to try and recover the lost mail and to understand the problem but, to explain all I did would make this thread way too long.

I will advise one thing and that is, I use Norton Ghost 10 to make daily backups and the backup files were also corrupt making me wonder if Seamonkey was corrupting the backup mail as it was reloaded back into Seamonkey.

Suffice it to say nothing worked and I resorted to making another new Profile and started over.

Then 5 or 6 days later, around January 10th to 12th the same thing happened and the mail was again corrupt. This time some of the messages were cross linked with other messages and contained machine code while again others were totally blank.

I keep five different mail boxes within a Seamonkey profile and I even discovered all the mail from one mail box was in another mail box.

Once again I could not fix anything nor understand the situation AND once again I made a new profile and started over.

Then yesterday January 16th right after posting a thread on this forum about a minor problem I had with a setting in mail, I once again found all the mail cross linked and messed up, same as it was on the other two occasions.

In addition, on this occasion while trying to figure out what was wrong, I loaded Seamonkey and got this crazy screen shown at http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-2.jpg

Loosing all my mail 3 times in less then 3 weeks was enough. After trying all that I have learned about PC's in the past 20 years, I decided for now to re-install version 1.0.5 of Seamonkey even though I'm not sure 1.1.7 is the problem.

I frankly don't understand it and can't figure it out but, will see what happens over the next week or two using 1.0.5

I have been very reluctant to even bring it up on this forum because it is so strange and I've kept hoping it would work itself out or I could find the problem.

Also I knew it would take a lengthy thread to even explain it and I have left a lot out of the full story to keep it short.

It will be interesting to read what others have to say about this.

Thanks to all who respond on this forum -- Ray,

 

Ray,
since I, finally, understood that you have been creating new profiles (you will be surprised how many people use profile and account, interchangeably).
I am not sure if the manipulations to get things back contributed to the mess.
I mistrust Norton!
Did you uninstall SM1.0.5, before installing 1.1.7? Do you have only one Seamonkey listed, in your Add/Remove? I, never, install on top, so I would not know if everything was done cleanly. Your profile would not be affected, and the plugins folder would remain, so, it is safe to uninstall, and then reinstall.
Since you use past profiles, do you have the same problem with let's say 2006?
Anyhow, Ramona has a a good page about your first issue.
I would not have the page which you show in the second image, since it is of your own design. I have seen the multiple toolbars, but not sure what it is.
Are you still having problems with your e-mails, in the present profile. You indicated that everything was ok, after implementing Ramona's suggestions.

 

So do I, Norton was a premier program in the days of DOS but, the new folks at Symantec have about goofed it all up. It gets worse with each new version.

Yes, I did an un-install and even used Windows Explorer to make sure everything was deleted and gone. Understand however, I did not delete any Profiles.

Hummmmnnnn!! this reminds me that all the profiles that remain good were created using 1.0.5 and the only profile causing the problem is RAY-2008 which was the only one created with 1.1.7

We should keep this in mind because the problem has only occurred with the profile created with 1.1.7 on December 31, 2007

No!, as indicated above all my previous year's profiles of RAY-2006 - RAY-2005 etc. etc. remain intact and normal.

I think you misunderstood about the toolbar, I did not design the toolbar shown on the second image. That is a glitch that occurred in Seamonkey.

I run a very normal Seamonkey except I do install a Home Button on the "Navigation Bar" from the web site at:... http://webdesigns.ms11.net/seamonkey.html because this allows me to hide the "Personal Toolbar" My normal Seamonkey looks like the image shown here at:... http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-3.jpg

After the 3rd time of loosing the mail, I was doing things back and forth in an effort to determine the cause and on one of the occassion when I loaded Seamonkey I had a screen which looks like the second image shown again here:... http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-2.jpg

In otherwords, Seamonkey went from looking like the sm-3.jpg image to the one shown in sm-2.jpg for no reason at all and did so on it's own.

This indicated to me something was wrong with 1.1.7 and it was at this point I decided to re-install 1.0.5.

I didn't know what else to do. I will use 1.0.5 for a period to see if I loose the mail and then try 1.1.7 again.

The results of the "before" and "after" should narrow the search for what is going on.

No, relative to defaulting to the INBOX mentioned in another thread, I did as Ramona instructed and all is well. The original default setting is with the box checked and during set up, I had inadvertly unchecked the box and was then too dumb too determine what I had done differently from all the past years.

Thanks for your efforts and suggestions. We'll see what happens over the next week or two.

Ray

 

I wonder if you have a virus. Did you try running a complete virus scan on your computer? I would certainly do that before changing anything else on your system.
I recently installed 1.1.7 and find it much better than I expected, compared to v1.04.
I do not use the installer, but use the zip file. I simply unzip it and dump it into a folder on the C-drive and then use the same profile as I had before. I don't even uninstall the previous version (but I do not use it) until I am certain the new version is working properly.
You might want to try that method for installation, it does not gum up your registry.

 

Where do you get the .zip files? I, always use that method for nightlies, but, I was under the impression that the Mozilla corp. did not issue final versions in .zip format. There is no entry for unzipped files/folders in the Add/Remove, and the folder can be, simply, deleted, when no longer wanted.
I have had an issue with SeaMonkey since v.1.1.10, or so. I am using Tabs, and if I open a site in the left most tab, I, still see the old URL. The problem went away with v.1.1.14, when I created a new profile, but it is back.
I live with it, but I SeaMonkey will not be my default, until I get around this silliness. May be the unzipped method is the way to go.
Found it!

 

Firefox does not show a zip file, but SeaMonkey always displays one - and I'm happy you found it!

 

The unzipped SM picked up the same profile, and the Tab problem was still there. It must be something which develops in the profile.
For now, using the profile used by NS7.2 (7.2 had been uninstalled) the Tab issue is gone. I will keep trying.
I would recommend this method, if there is no obvious problem. Otherwise, a different profile may be in order.

 

Ray,

Your problem is certainly unique, to say the least. I've never seen anything like your screen shot of the skewed toolbar! Ackerberg gives a very sage suggestion that it may be a virus, and a virus scan is certainly in order.

If you are using Norton AntiVirus, then I would disable the Email Protection feature. It really isn't necessary as you are protected by the auto-protect, and SeaMonkey's secure Mail features.

Let us know what happens with your virus scan...

 

I've seen this crazy tool bar once before and the culprit was (if memory serves) an incompatible theme (and/or extension). You might also want to check either of these.

 

Hi Ackerberg, Yes, I currently use Norton System Works 2006 Premier which still qualifies for updates and I let the virus scanner run in auto and it just did it's routine run last night while I was on the computer and it indicated everything was clean.

Your suggestion of installing from a ZIP file interest me and I may want to try that next time I choose to install a different version.

I'm familiar with the registry but, frankly don't know all that much about it. I take it your installing the newer version of SM into a different folder each time.

I didn't realize you could just dump the files into a folder like in the days of MS-DOS and the program would run. Is this correct or do you get away with it because of a previous install of the same program.

I'm going to see what happens over the next few days and will try another update perhaps. I'm one of those guys who says if if ain't broke don't fix it. But, then again I don't want to have tunnel vision.

Thanks for your interest and info.

Ray

 

You name a folder for each version of SM, e.g.,
SeaMonkey1.1.7. Then unzip the SM file and drop it in the folder. Now look at the properties of the shortcut you used to open the previous version, and change the "Start in" and "Target" so that it looks in the folder you just created for the SM.exe file.
To use your old profile, add after .exe -p profilename
with 1 space between .exe and the p and another after the p.
I got this info from Ramona, The Great!
This stuff to add to use the old profile is in the target line in the shortcut.
If I am not clear, maybe Ramona can tell it better.

 

My file is unzipped into an "Archive" folder. I, then rename the seamonkey folder to SeaMonkey1.1.7. I copy the plugin folder, and paste it into the opened unzipped file. Finally, I go to the seamonkey.exe file, and right click|send to desktop, thus creating a desktop shortcut. I did not bother changing the properties, but, since I wanted to use a different profile, and, I had an unused NS profile, I selected it. My Target line is: C:\Archive\Seamonkey1.1.7\seamonkey.exe -p netscape
There is no difference, really, between my set up and ackerberg, except that I have two, totally, independent SM1.1.7. The one which is located in the default position, and is installed, and the new one with the NS profile, obtained from the unzipped file.
I have a good all-purpose program which also cleans up the registry, i.e. ccleaner

 

That is not exactly what I did. The file on my C drive is SeaMonkey1.1.7 and when you dump the unzipped file in it, a subdirectory is formed named SeaMonkey. Within that subdirectory is SeaMonkey.exe. The plugin folder should be pasted into the subdirectory SeaMonkey, where there is already a plugin folder. You will simply be overwriting or replacing it. Your target line is missing the subdirectory SeaMonkey. Better to just remove the directory Archive and start over. However, if what you have works, let it be.

 

I keep all my unzipped foldera in C://Archive, and there is a seamonkey subfolder with all the ingredients which you have. And, the Target is: C:\Archive\seamonkey, but I rename it to the correct name. That's why I said that except for the different names of the folders, we did things exactly the same.
I am not sold, yet on using unzipped files, otherwise I would have done the same as you.
As an example of other subfolders in the Archive folder (truly, the name Archive is incorrect, because nothing stays there, long)., I have nightlies of Seamonkey2.0, which has been stuck on 2.0a1pre for long time. I get them every five days, and I delete the oldest one, so that at any given time I have the most recent, and the previous one. Today is the day for a new one.

 

Ray,

I do understand your reluctance to use Ver. 1.1.7, but I can assure you that it is a very stable, solid program, including Mail & Newsgroups. Something is corrupt or missing either in your Profile, or your OS. I do want you to be aware of what Mozilla.org (and Ramona) says about using the outdated versions:

I would like to see you reinstall 1.1.7 and let us work through your problem with Mail disappearing. I would like you to try suggestions already made, and some new ones.

You can leave 1.0.5 installed, by creating a new Profile for 1.1.7 before installing 1.1.7. By doing so, 1.1.7 won't grab your 1.0.5 Profile.

The skewed toolbar really has me puzzled. I ruled out Themes, as it looked as if you are using the "Modern Theme ". Correct? Just for giggles and grins, what version of Java do you use? Do you have both Java and JavaScript enabled? Also, did this happen only once, or was it a recurring happening each time you opened 1.1.7?

Thanks!

 

OK, I'm game and always willing to learn things, I just hope you don't live to regret it. Ha!

First, Let me give you some warnings!!!

My computer is not the norm since I don't allow Bill Gates or Peter Norton's bunch to run my computer as I do things kind of my own way.

I know a lot about computers but, since I'm self taught there is just a whole bunch of stuff I don't know and I know that.

You mentioned JAVA and I know it exist but, have never paid any attention and just don't know much about it.

I did go look and it is version 1.0.1 by Sun Microsystems.

Perhaps it will help to explain how my computer is setup and that it has 3 internal hard drives and 1 external.

C: has only the operating system and programs. D: has only the data files - E: is used strictly for backups and storage as is the external h/d.

Most programs I allow installing to the default location of C:\Program Files

Others I sort of consider "My Special Programs" and install them on Drive C in a location of my choosing.

For example all my internets programs are located on Drive C and the path is:.. C:\2-NET and under C:\2-NET is folders for the programs of Firefox, Mozilla, NS-304, NS-476, NS-702, S-MONKEY, T-BIRD - Also has FTP-98 which is the Winsock program for transfering files.

Of course Internet Explorer and Out Look Express were excluded.

The profiles are on Drive D and the path is:.. D:\PROFILES and under PROFILES is RAY-2008, RAY-2007, RAY-2006 and other profiles for past years.

I do have D:\PROF-304 and D:\PROF-476 for the older versions of Netscape I keep on the computer due to the HTML web pages I create.

Thunderbird uses the folder D:\PROFILES\T-BIRD

I don't like or need long file or folder names and usually try to stay under 8 characters which comes from my days of using DOS I guess.

Firefox uses the default PROFILE in the default location.

Seamonkey is my default browser and email program.

I very seldom load Mozilla or any of the 3 versions of Netscape -- I do regularly load Firefox and Thunderbird mainly because I help friends who use them.

Seamonkey is the default browser and mail program and are in constant use.

OK! -- How do you create a new profile before installing. Do you use the current program and just use it after installing the new vewrsion.??

YES, I use the "Modern Theme" and have used the "Classic" Theme, but, I have never used any of the themes you download.

JAVA version is 1.0.1. ----- Under ADVANCED, I had JAVA checked and under Scripts and Plugins I had Javascript checked for Navigator but, I did not have it checked for e-mail. (I just now checked it for e-mail)

The skewed toolbar only happened once because it was at this point I had been at it for a few hours and was disgusted with loosing the mail 3 different times and decided to go back to 1.0.5

Knowing my system and having run adware, spybot, 2 or 3 registry cleaners, and Norton's Optimizer and Virus and with all other programs and things working fine I really don't believe I have an OS problem.

However, if you want too, I can change systems in just a few minutes because my computer has drive C mounted on a tray and I have another Win-XP hard drive I can slide in as well as 2 other hard drives with Win-98 on them.

Now the profile thing is worth looking into and remember that SM 1.1.7 created the new profile for RAY-2008 which is the only one I had trouble with.

All previous profiles which were created with SM 1.0.5 are working fine.

I did as you ask and tried the previous suggestion of using the ZIP down load.

But, let me tell about that and ask some question in another reply as this one is getting long and I have run out of time and got some other things to do.

Before I take the time and explain all that I have already done let me run some more test but, I would like to know if there is a command line to make Seamonkey ignore all previous profiles just like none existed So, when I install and load 1.1.7 it will not pickup any profiles.

Per Ackerberg instructions, I done used the ZIP install to a new folder C:\2-NET\SM-117, made a desktop Icon using Westside's method and it loads but, picks up all the previous profiles and I would like for it not to do that because for some strange reason when the 1.1.7 loads using one of the old profiles and I then click on "HELP" and "About Seamonkey" it indicates I got 1.0.5 installed ??????

Thanks! Ray

 

Ray,
I am dizzy, even after reading half of your post. As for avoiding to load the old profiles use the profile by-pass , from Ramona's website. If you just set your target with -p added, no profile will load, but you have to have one. So, Create a new one. I had created a special profile for NS7.2, called "netscape ", and, I selected that profile for the unzipped 1.1.7. Beats me why 1.0.5 is still showing up. Is this for the unzipped variety (there is no "install" with the unzipped file/ then folder.
I just used the unzipped SM1.1.7, and it works fine, being used with an entirely different location as the installed one, and having it open with a different profile.
My past experience has been very unfavorable having program and data (profiles) in different partitions, but my profiles are not, usually, in the Application Data folder.
For greater security, Javascript should be unchecked in Mail. And, try to update Java . I don't even remember about 1.0.1!
Sorry, I can't concentrate on so much info. I hope that what I provided will help.

 

Ray,

To access the Profile Manager, in order to create a new Profile before the install, or at any time:
Right click the existing Desktop Icon
Select: Properties
Click on the Shortcut tab
To the Target path
Add one space, then -p

Follow the instructions on the page Westside referenced on How to Bypass the Profile Manager

If SeaMonkey is actually using other Profiles, then you risk corruption of them all. Did you create a new Profile for SeaMonkey before installing? The Profile Manager should open on startup to allow you to select the new Profile, or until you add -p profilename to the Desktop shortcut.

You definitely need to update your Java to the Version on the link Westside gave you. I would use the OFFline installer.

 

Thanks for the link to JAVA - Appears, as you indicated, I was getting way behind -- I have now downloaded JAVA version 6 and got to thinking it might be better to uninstall the current version on my computer prior to installing the new version 6.

However, when I went to uninstall it, I found two JAVA's showing on the removal screen which were, "Java 2 Runtime Enviroment" and "Java Web Start"

I desire to take all this pretty slow so I can learn from it so, I would like to ask what is the difference between the "Java 2 Runtime Enviorment" and "Java Web Start" as shown on the image at:.. http://www.raysmyth.net/java-1.jpg

AND which one do I remove or do I remove both or perhaps just install the new one on top of the old.

BTW, I did uncheck Java Script in Mail as you suggested.

Now regarding the command line load commands:...

I think I know what your telling me but, then again I am not sure.

I know about command line parameters and how to add them after the load command to load the program.

I am a little confused by using just the -p because I thought using just -p would allow me to create a brand new independant profile. However, it takes me to the normal profile selection or management screen shown here:.. http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-4.jpg Same as it does with out the -p

Otherwise, I have done as you suggested (I think) and I can load the newly ZIPPED installed SM 1.1.7 using any profile name I have. For example, on the target line if I add the command -p RAY-2007 I go directly to the profile I created for the year 2007.

AND, I can load any profile shown in the image of the Seamonkey profile window at:.. http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-4.jpg

The sm-4 window indicates a profile named SM-117 and that is the new profile I created specially for SM 1.1.7 using SM 1.0.5 and if I put in the -p sm-117 as indicated in the image shown here:.. http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-5.jpg

I then load Seamonkey and obviously get a brand new profile because it indicates all the default settings as reflected in the image shown here:.. http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-6.jpg

If I now click on HELP and "About Seamonkey" I get the screen shown in the image here:.. http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-7.jpg

Now, as you will see I am amazed that it indicates version 1.0.5

Otherwise it apparently all works:........... Appears I can load either the old 1.0.5 or 1.1.7 and I can use any profile with either version.

New Subject:..........
I'm not sure what you mean by "Seamonkey using other Profiles" I've never had any profilws except those made in Netscape, Seamonkey or Thunderbird.

As your aware I have profiles for each year and name them RAY-200? which became my method in 2005 and before that I had SMYTH-1 and some others.

I know you can turn it off but, my normal mode is to always allow the profile window to come up so I can select the profile and currently the profiles I have installed can be viewed in the image at:... http://www.raysmyth.net/sm-4.jpg

To wind this up, the bottom line summary is:.. I have now downloaded the zipped version of SM 1.1.7 and installed it in a new folder named SM-117, made a short cut icon and inserted the command of -p sm-117 to load the profile SM-117 which I made using SM 1.0.5

I think I have done all both Westside and Ramona suggested except for installing the new JAVA and I will await your instruction on the removal of the old version before I do anything else.

Thanks for all the assistance, Ray -- PS: Hope I answered all your questions

 

Ray, the two items for v.1.4_02 are no longer needed (less than 2 MB each?).
The new version includes Web Start . I, never, uninstalled the older version of Java, carrying as many as three at a time. I never saw any problem removing the older version, after the new one was installed.

True, if you click on the Manage profiles button. If you get the same profile manager with or without the -p addition it is because you never modified your Target line, so that your program open directly with only one profile. I, ner see the Profile Manager, because of my choice. My Target Line for the unzipped 1.1.7 is: C:\Archive\Seamonkey1.1.7\seamonkey.exe -p netscape, while the Target line for the installed 1.1.7 is: "C:\Program Files\mozilla.org\SeaMonkey\seamonkey.exe" -p SM1.1.4 ( I am using the same profile, originally, created for 1.1.4)

. Not sure what that means. If you downloaded, and unzipped the .zip file, you should have folder called SM-117 which is not installed. The reason why I place my unzipped files into a totally, separate folder, is to avoid confusion. The unzipped file shows up as "seamonkey ", but I rename it to Seamonkey1.1.7, before doing anything else. Only then I open the rename seamonkey folder, paste into in the old Plugins folder, and then right click on the seamonkey.exe and select to Send to Desktop, i.e. create shortcut.
Finally, I rename the seamonkey.exe shortcut to SM1.1.7, right click on the shortcut, and append the Target line with the -p netscape. And, I am done.
I have two 1.1.7, accessed with two different profiles, one not installed, and one installed. It does not matter where the profile was created, as long as it works, but it is essential that the shortcut comes from correct folder.
There is no way that SM1.0.5 turns up, if you uninstalled it, but, yes, any profile can be used by any program, including NS7.x, and Mozilla. A mess may ensue, because each program will try to write to the the same prefs.js. That's why we recommend that a profile be used for only one program (if for some reason I decide to reinstall Netscape7.2, I would not try to use the "netscape" profile, which is, presently used for Seamonkey.
Got it?