Netscape 7.2 Launch Problems

I have 17 users running NS 7.2 for both browsing and email. We have one user who recently started having problems with launching the app under two conditions:

1. After leaving her system on overnight, she often cannot launch NS without rebooting the system. This doesn't happen everyday though.

2. During a workday, after using NS for mail and/or browsing and closing the app, it will not relaunch from any source.

It does not matter whether app startup is attempted from the desktop icon, startup icon, or running the netscp.exe directly. The results are identical. Nothing happens until a reboot is done. Usually the reboot fixes the problem.

All users, including this one, are running WinXPSP2.

Recommended solutions are appreciated!

 

Welcome to the Forum jmrdesign!

jimrdesign,

Not certain what's going on here. That Netscape will start after a reboot eliminates a problem with a corrupt GRE.

When trying a new launch, have the user ensure that there is no Netscape running in the Task Manager. If so, CTRL+ALT+DEL, and kill the process.

If the user runs Quick Launch, have her/him disable that option permanently.

Still no joy?

Has your user tried creating a new Profile, and starting/restarting Netscape? That's an extreme measure, but it seems that could be required. If a new profile does eliminate the problem, then the user can copy Profile data from the existing, to the new Profile.

 

Thanks Ramona!

I will try the disable Quick Launch suggestion although I know the user had this problem before we re-activated QL. We have not yet tried a new profile and I'm confused as to why that might change things. This problem is definitely intermittant in that the user has access some of the time but not always.

I have also verified the user permissions in the registry and eliminated the possibility of a screensaver causing problems.

Unless someone posts a better idea, I guess we'll try the route of a new profile.

 

jmrdesign,

You might try one other approach, altho as you say the problem is intermittent. That is what throws me... Otherwise, I would suggest checking the Firewall to ensure it isn't blocking the application, and the below:

When nothing happens when you try to start Netscape, it could be a problem with conflicting files in C:\Program Files\common files\mozilla.org, namely the GRE. This is more common in Version 7.1, but trying the following will do no harm, and could help:

Uninstall Netscape
Save the plugins folder first

Delete:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\mozilla.org\GRE\1.7.2_2004080415
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape
Reboot the PC

Reinstall Netscape

Sorry you don't like my idea of a new Profile, but it is a last ditch effort, to an intermittent problem, which may, or may not be in the Program, or in the Profile...

 

More ideas, after thinking on this, and checking my stash of workarounds for Netscape 7.2. I haven't used Netscape in ages, so I need to refresh a bit.

A few more workarounds, and a question:
Does your user get an error of any kind, i.e., "Profile is in use" or "Cannot find Profile "? That would be most helpful in determining the cause of the problem.

"Profile in use" can be eliminated, by going through the running processes and ending task on Netscape.

Sometimes after exiting Netscape, the parent.lock file remains. Deleting the file should unlock the Profile.

Then there is the old standard troubleshooting:
Exit Netscape
Delete the Cache Folder
Delete the history.dat file
Delete the XUL.mfl file
This should be done daily...

If using a Theme other than the default, revert to the default Theme.

HTH!