Strange Netscape Problem

I’m having problems with my Netscape 7.2 Browser, Netscape mail and Newsgroups and Netscape Composer which I've been using to make web pages with. So, now I can't even finish them until I get my problem fixed.

Whenever I click on either of them my whole computer screen goes black and scares me to death and then when it does finally open everything looks weird sort of like how things look when Windows is operating in safe mode. Graphics are fuzzy and everything gets larger. Then, when I click out of them I get the black screen again. When I try to look in my mail folders some of them I can see the messages in and some of them I can't.

Last time I tried to use Netscape Composer and set up the background for one of my pages it let me do it but when I clicked on ok it didn't show up just stayed white like it had been before I went though all the steps to select my graphic for it. Tried a few more times and never did get it to work.

None of my other programs are acting that way except Netscape. That is unless I open them while I am in Netscape. Then, they look the same weird way. I've done several virus scans and haven't found anything. Also, used spyware/adware removers to get rid of all that junk. Used everything in Norton System Works more than once. Nothing has changed and I can't think of anything else to do except maybe un-install and re-install.

Any one know what my problem could be? Think I should un-install my 7.2 that's not acting right and re-install again? Will that cause me to lose all my mail and newsgroups, address book, etc.? Or, can I just install over the top of it? Searched and searched online for these answer but never could find anything. Thanks for any help.

Patty

 

Patty,

First of all, welcome to the board! Not sure about your problem, but if you reinstall, do a clean install. Do not install over the top. I'm not even sure that is possible with Netscape. Go to this page for lots of info on Netscape solutions. You will be able to back up all your folders so that you won't lose any information. The instructions should be on that page.

Mike

 

I tend to agree with Mike suggestion. The cause may have been installing on top, and no Netscape version, even the pre-6.x which tolerated installing on top, ever lost the profile info, as it is physically separate. This fear of losing mail etc. has been the cause of most Netscape breakdowns.
I have not even heard of the problem described above.

 

Thanks for the welcome, Mike. I was glad to find this board. It looks like a good one. I'm not sure it's possible to install over the top either. I will do a clean install though now that I know I won't lose all my mail, etc. Thanks for the site link. I thought there must be a way to back up all my stuff but wasn't sure how to do it.

Patty

 

Westside, I think my message must have been misunderstood. I didn't install over the top. I was just asking if I could/should. But, I am not going to do that. The only reason I was even considering re-installing at all was because of the weird problems I'm having. Hopefully, a clean install like Mike suggested will solve my problems. If not, then I guess my search for help wil have to continue. But, in my search I did read about something similar to what I have happening posted by someone else here although it wasn't involving Netscape. Below is a link to that message...

http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=33872

Patty

 

And, by the way, for anyone who might read my post and offer this suggestiion....I already did try creating a new profile in hopes that would fix the problem but it didn't. I've just been waiting to see if anyone on any of the places I've posted knows of some setting or something I might change or some other type thing I could do before coming down to my last resort which I guess is a clean install. And, if that doesn't work then I am at a loss to know what to do. I love Netscape and I miss it. And, I really enjoy using Composer. I've resisted all these years allowing Mr. Gates to force me to use his browser & I surely don't want to have to give in now. (grin)

Patty

 

Patty,

This is a great board. Let us know how you come out with the clean install. Hopwfully, that will be all you need. Just for what it's worth... Have you thought about the Firefox browser? I've been running it for awhile and really like it. It's faster then Netscape, in my opinion, and loads any site that I go to. I like it so much, I've switched from Netscape to it. I still use my old Netscape 4.7 for mail though.

Mike

 

Patty,
assuming that you do not have a Mozilla installed, uninstall 7.2. Restart your computer, then check the Program Files|Common Files|mozilla.org|GRE.
There should be nothing in GRE folder, if present.
At this point, you can proceed with the reinstall of 7.2. Don't even look at the profile, for now. Don't use Quick Launch, and stick to the Modern theme. Now, try again. Problemms can occur with Quick Launch and certain Themes.
At this point, I cannot comment on the use of Composer, but it is a standard for me to go back and forth. Of course, I have cable, and perhaps you don't.
If none of these work, save some of the key files, and go for the complete treatment. But, I have no idea what is your p[roblem

 

Strange Netscape Problem......Fixed!!!

Thought I should let you know that my problem is finally fixed and you won't believe what a simple little thing it was that caused such a huge headache for a week or more now. Last night I uninstalled and did a clean install and just knew that would fix it but it didn't. So, I went to sleep thinking that was it for my beloved Netscape and I would need to switch to something else even though I hated that thought.

Then, this morning I thought to myself what do I have to lose so I just started going through and changing settings never really believing that it would help. If the changes didn't help I went in and changed them back. But, thankfully, I finally changed the right one and everything wrong was immediately made right again. Just one simple little click was all it took. So, in case anybody else ever has this problem here is what caused it and the steps that fixed it.

1. Right click on the desk top icon

2. When the menu comes up choose "properties "

3. When the properties box comes up click on the "compatibility" tab

4. Uncheck the box beside "Run in 256 colors "

Don't know if that box was supposed to be checked and if it wasn't don't know how it got checked. Just a quirk I guess. But, that little check in that little box was the cause of all my problems and caused me a week of frustration. Hopefully, this message will save someone else from the same thing. Thanks to everyone here who offered suggestions and tried to help me.

Patty

 

Patty,

Thanks for posting back with the solution for your problem. Those of us still using 98/98SE/ME don't have that Tab in our Deskton Shortcut Properties Sheet. I have made a note of your solution, so I might better help XP users.

Ramona

 

Patty,

Thanks for the update and I'm glad to hear that you found the solution.