NS7.2 Profile problems

My wife's computer (Gateway, 800 mhz, W98) suddenly stopped bringing NS7.1 up this morning. After working through many options, I followed Ramona's directions to do a clean install when you are having problems.

I saved the profile file in a backup file, deleted all the required files and folders, and downloaded NS 7.2, which (thank God!) successfully installed. I then tried to create a new profile (I thought) and did the password thing, copied and renamed all the .s and .w files, mail, etc. However, everytime I bring up NS, it brings up the profile manager and only shows "default" as an option, even though the other profile is sitting in c:\windows\applic..data\mozilla\profile\ (name) folder. I tried using default, but it said that was in use? I have tried renaming the folder default, but that didn't work either.

I sure could use some suggestions as to what is going on. If you need more information, just yell.
Thanks, in advance.
Bob

 

Welcome to the Forum, HuntingBob!

HuntingBob,

Try this first:

Close Netscape & Quick Launch
Open the Profile Manager
Click on: Delete Profile
Delete the newly created Profile name
When prompted with: Don't Delete Files - and - Delete Files, select:
DON'T Delete Files

Next: Click on Create New Profile
Use the same name as the newly created Profile

On your Desktop, right click the Netscape shortcut
Click on the "Shortcut" tab
In the "Target" field, leaving one trailing space, add: -p newprofilename. It should be similar to this:
"C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape\Netscp.exe" -p ramona

Now start Netscape with the Desktop shortcut, and see if it finds the new Profile.

Ramona

 

Ramona,
Thanks for your prompt reply.

I brought up profile manager, but all that appeared in the list was "default ", even tho in c:\windows\applic...data\mozilla....under profiles was a folder, created by the profile manager. I tried deleting the "default ", creating the existing profile again. I put the -p extension on the shortcut and got into netscape with the correct mail and addresses, etc. However, when I exited and tried to re-enter, the profile manager reappeared with only "default ".

I should tell you that when I deleted netscape 7.1, I only deleted the netscape portion of the netscape folder, not the user folder. Could this have some impact on what is going on?

Bob

 

Hi Bob,

By adding the command line to the shortcut, you should have bypassed the Profile Manager, and it shouldn't have appeared.

When you look at the Profiles folder in Windows Explorer, is there any vital information in the "default" Profile? If not, then I would move the complete folder to a temporary location. Then, open Profile Manager and delete "default ". Once again, open the Profile Manager and create a new Profile, and enter the name of the newly created Profile which has your Mail, etc.

You said earlier: I have tried renaming the folder default, but that didn't work either. Did you go back and rename the Profile to its correct name? You should never have to rename a Profile manually, when using the Profile Manager.

Leaving the Users folder should have no impact.

Ramona

 

Ramona,

I tried again to get Netscape to recognize the profiles, but it refuses.

If I go to start/programs/netscape/profile manager, what appears in the profile manager is only "default" as an available profile, even though "xxxx" is a named folder in the c\windows\applic..data\mozilla\profiles folder. If I create "xxxx" profile, Profile manager informs me that it will be created in the above folder c:\....\mozilla\profiles\xxxx. when I press "finish ", voila, the name "xxxx" appears in the window. If I exit profile manager and then start netscape from the desktop, netscape starts with all the right things from profile "xxxx ". However, when I exit netscape and start it again, I am returned to the profile manager, staring at "default ". I created four profiles with different names, and they all were in the right place "mozilla\profiles" and the profile manager saw none of them.

However, should I try to type in one of the already created profiles on creating a new one, it tells me in red letters that that one is already present.

Do you think I should reinstall the whole shooting match over again? I am at my wits end. I actually looked again at the "users" folder in netscape folder and noted that it was titled "default" and thought (against your judgement) that maybe my windows 98 was looking there and seeing only "default ", but copying a profile there made no difference, just as you said.


Bob

 

Hi Bob,

Sorry that you're having such problems. It will do no good to reinstall Netscape, as it is your Profile that has obviously gone South.

This is what I would do:

Close Netscape and close Quick Launch.
Open Windows Explorer
Open C:\Windows\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles

Move all subfolders of the Profiles folder to a temporary folder, or to your backup folder, if you have created one. Leave nothing in the Profiles folder.

Open Profile Manager and delete every Profile listed.

Now create a new Profile, and copy your Profile data to the newly created Profile: Create New Profile

This should get you back up and running.

Ramona

 

Ramona,
Thanks again for your response.

I emptied the profiles folder, copying xxxx profile to backup.

I opened profile manager, (default appeared as available) and selected manage profiles, deleted "default ", selected create profile. I took the default name "Default User" and finished. "Default User" appeared in the available screen. I then decided to try the "rename feature ", so I renamed the profile to "xxxx ". I exited profile manager and changed shortcut to -p xxxx and when I opened netscape, I was taken directly to profile manager again, where
only "default" was available. When I check the mozilla\profiles location, I found that a profile was there named "Default User ", not "xxxx ". So the rename function didn't work either.

If I try to open netscape from the only showing profile "default ", it says that netscape cannot find the directory where default is located.

My wifes original netscape profile was named "default ". Should I just copy that one back into the mozilla\profile folder? It appears to me that the profile manager has had a minor stroke and is not looking at the right place?

Hope we can beat this one.
Bob

 

Hi Bob,

Let's back up a little. I assume your wife's PC has Netscape Communicator installed, and the user name is "default "? That is the Profile that you're seeing in the Netscape 7.2 Profile Manager. It lists ALL Netscape Profiles.

Is any other version of Netscape or Mozilla installed on this PC? If so, are you sharing a Profile. The behavior you're describing is usual when sharing a Profile.

When you did the clean install, did you remove the GRE folder for Netscape 7.1:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\mozilla.org\GRE\1.4f_2003062408

Ensure that Netscape and Quick Launch are closed:
If the C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles folder is empty, move in the xxxx Profile. Start it, doing what you said worked previously. Once Netscape is OPEN, go to the salted folder and delete the prefs.js file, then close Netscape. Now try to open Netscape from the Desktop shortcut.

Ramona

 

Ramona,
Still battling with a resistant profile manager or some other goofy thing.

Yes, Netscape communicator is still on the computer, in the netscape folder, along with 7.2 and Users.

When I did the clean install I noted on the list of tasks that Program files\mozilla.org\mozilla was not present and that common files\mozilla.org\GRE\1.4fxxx was not present either.

I did take a look in the registry and found a folder under netscape "netscape 6" which contained a version value of 7.2. And, of course, a whole bunch of stuff about communicator.

Removing the prefs.js file did not make a difference. PManager continues to only see "default" when it comes up, no matter what is or is not in the profiles folder.

What does close quick launch and netscape exactly mean? One of pop ups indicated that Netscape would remain active on the systray, unless one really exited netscape.

Thanks,
bob

 

Have you tried to run Communicator yesterday or today? Considering how many times you have deleted the Profile, I wonder if it will run. No wonder you only see "default ". Renaming your xxxx Profile to Default User didn't work because you already have a "default" profile, which is Communicator's. But why creating a brand new Profile doesn't work, giving it a unique name, is really mystifying.

Again, exit Netscape, and disable Quick Launch. Open Profile Manager and create a Profile with your wife's name . Let me know what happens.

The Program Files\mozilla.org\mozilla would only be there if you had a version of Mozilla installed. Bob, what is in the GRE folder now?

As I said above, you are seeing the Communicator Profile, which you said is named "default ". As an aside, I always name my Profiles and never use the "default" or "Default User ", as it makes it so much easier to distinguish the Profiles from one another.

What it means, is exit the Netscape application. Then right click the Netscape Icon in the system tray, and select "Disable Quick Launch ".

Ramona


EDIT:Noon Bob, I also meant to add, you probably got the message that the "Profile was in use ", because you still had Quick Launch enabled, and that could be why Profile Manager isn't retaining your Profiles... That's why I asked you to try once more.

 

Well here are the answers to your questions:

Communicator: Has not been run for over two years. I just kept it on the computer as a safety net, in case something when wrong when we first upgraded to NS6 and then 7. I did run it this morning, and it seems to come up just fine, albeit old stuff.

Trying it again:
Thanks for the explanation on closing quick launch.
Here is what happened, step by step.
Disabled QL and exited NS
opened Profile mgr through start button\programs
(default is looking at me)
created new profile "xxxx" and finished
started 7.2 from profile manager
Registration: cancel/yes
Netscape comes up correctly for "xxxx ", mail, preferences, etc.
exited NS;
doubleclicked desktop shortcut (with -p xxxx)
back to Profile manager, looking at "default" only.

Question: if profile manager is finding a profile named default, where is it? If I select default, it says it can't find the folder.

GRE: GRE folder contains: 1.7.2_20043080415

Hope this helps and thanks for hanging in there.

Perhaps I should clean all the old netscape stuff off the computer and do another clean install to attempt to clear my computer's brain.

Bob

 

Default is the name of your Communicator Profile, or that's what you said, correct? The Netscape 7.2 Profile Manager shares ALL Netscape Profile on the HDD. Therefore the Communicator Profile "default" is what you are seeing in the Profile Manager.

If you do, and sounds like a plan, I would create a new Profile and copy the data from the 7.1 backup (xxxx) Profile. When you do a "Clean" install are you using the guideline here: http://home.att.net/~cherokee67/ns67cleaninstall2.html

I have updated the page, so I want to ensure you are using the most current page.

Ramona