Can't Open Preferences in Netscape 7.2

I installed a new Extension, Rewind/Forward. It worked very nicely, but interfered with at least 1 other frequently used extension: Dictionary (context menu lines went blank) & other bizzare effects in context menu. I uninstalled Rewind using extension called Extension Uninstaller. Now I can't open Preferences (Edit/Preferences) for Netscape (7.2); when selecting it, nothing opens. For testing, I reinstalled the Rewind Extension & Netscape Preferences open, but the other conflicts came back. Uninstalled Rewind again & same result: can't access NS Preferences. Looked in about:config & in Preferential but didn't see any 'switch' that I could recognize to flip on.

Further data if it sheds any clue: when Rewind is installed it adds additional choices in Netscape Preferences for its entries to be checked/turned-on in the Netscape Toolbar.

Please Help? Thank you.

 

Hi Marklet,

Sounds as though it's time to uninstall NS and reinstall it. Ramona and/or Westside may have other ideas, but that's what I'd try first with Firefox (which, BTW, handles extension uninstallation in a much more straight-forward manner).

 

Marklet,

When you uninstalled Rewind/Forward, then did you remove the lines from the prefs.js file?

I would say that it is definitely incompatible with your existing setup.

Ramona

Edit:
I'm sure you have a recent backup of your prefs.js file, but do you have a backup that you made before installing the Rewind/Forward extension? If so, replace the existing prefs.js file.

 

Since, very few people do do backups, including yours truly, a new profile may be in order.
Also, unless one is working with a very well known extention, I tend to to stay away with extentions which are not well known, and read the users feedbacks.
What is it called? I can't find it listed in the extention room.

 

The Extension Room contains only a few of the many extensions available. See here or here.

 

I didn't think that would help as the only problem is in one profile?

My stupidity for installing it in my primary profile with so many tweaks that I don't want to lose.

 

Hi Ramona,
Nice to 'see' you again. No, I didn't open pref.js; I used Jeremy Gillick's Extension Uninstaller as it has always worked fine (& that encourages me to try new extensions as long as I don't see a page with alot of User problems).

Yes, I have automatic backup but no I should've I see, but didn't do a unique backup prior to installing Rewind.

As you can see from my thread opener, the uninstall is locking out opening Netscape Preferences. I recall long ago reading that happening to people with a different extension. I tried but couldn't search/find, but I remember there was a solution to fix the profile without losing it. So I'm hoping some expert here would know?

Is there a way in about:config or in the Preferential extension to intentionally stop Netscape Preferences from displaying? If yes, then somehow uninstalling Rewind triggered that. If you or anyone knows how to lock it from displaying, then I can check that setting & possibly reverse/unlock it? I know my Preferences themselves are intact because if I reinstall Rewind, I can access Netscape Preferences & everything is correct.

The other alternative whereby I'd love someones help is if anyone knows how I can leave Rewind installed without it doing bizarre things to my context menu in Netscape & blanking out the lines for the Dictionary extension (more than just a dictionary)?

Back to your comment on pref.js:
I tried 'looking' in there before posting. I use the free Script Defender. When I click pref.js, SD asks permission for it to open & I also tried with SD off. Either way, I get an error message. I tried on other Profiles without the problem, same result (yes, NS was closed at the time & not showing in TM). The Error is from Windows Script Host. It shows the location & then
Line: 1
Char: 1
Error: Invalid character
Code: 800A03F6
Source: Microsoft JScript compilation error

EDIT: I found I'm able to open prefs.js by right click instead of doubleclick. There are currently entries there from the uninstalled Rewind, however those are the same preferences entries on a previous uninstall that I had found & removed from about:config. Now this time I removed them through prefs.js instead, but that hasn't made any difference. The ones I just removed are:
user_pref( "browser.toolbars.showbutton.fastforward ", false);
user_pref( "browser.toolbars.showbutton.rewind ", false);
user_pref( "browser.toolbars.showbutton.rewind-prev ", false);

I know 1 answer to the primary situation is to delete the Profile & start anew. With all the tweaks (not recorded) in it, I strongly prefer not to. As the Preferences are working but not viewable/changeable in NS Preferences, I could always access it through the 'terrible' method of temporarily reinstalling Rewind's xpi each time I needed to view/change NS Preferences. You probably think that's hillarious (or respectfully just plain stupid)? but you probably know all your past tweaks to redo, & I don't.

So sorry to be long, but just hope you or someone here has some 'magic'.

 

Hi Westside.

I see another reply has the links. I replied in a different post on why I don't want to scrap the Profile.

I do want to ask you: how do you define a "very well know extension ". I don't Google for extensions. I find them on Moz pages and at the Extension Mirror. On Moz, I read User feedback & visit the extension's Homepage (if available) & read details on each page & read its own Forum if available.

As far as I understand, there is no certification for extensions for security or reliability (or I never found such). If I'm wrong, please do enlighten me? The closest thing I've ever read is that the Extension Mirror does some testing. I've also seen many instances where updates on the extension homepages don't reach Moz or EM page (at least not for a long time).

I do enjoy using many Extensions. Most I've tried work fine. Some I've removed without problem with the Extension Uninstaller. I do have some extensions that work perfectly but for some reason don't appear in the Extension Uninstaller (the Developer I guess is missing some otherwise common convention that would allow Extension Uninstaller to see/list/remove).

 

Solved It! Yes, yes, yes (yes, I'm Happy)!

Forgive the childish excitement in my subject line. I hated this problem & just kept trying to work on it. After 'bothering' y'all with it, I want to post the solution in case you ever need it.

I looked at all the files in the problem user profile. I found instances of the Rewind extension listed in several of the stylesheets.rdf and overlays.rdf in the user profile chrome subfolder. I couldn't just delete because it wasn't clear to me where the entry ended. So I compared to a different user profile. That left me after deletions with 1 line I wasn't sure of & I left it in. NS Preferences still didn't open. I went back & copied that line for backup, then deleted it out. Finally problem solved.

I know there are many great experts here & I sincerely thank you for reading & thinking about my problem & offering helpful pointers.

For any non expert who may ever read this I'll add 1 simple reminder: the browser must be closed to edit the file.

I still do look forward to a reply from Westside on the general question posed on extensions.

Thank you kindly!