Netscape 7.1 - Perplexing problem

This is a first. I've been using, and prefer, Netscape for many years. I didn't like the newest version so I went back to 7.1. Well, for several months it was working fine as it usually did. After that, I would double click it's icon to load it and when I did, it said it couldn't find this forum (or any URL for that matter). I'd reinstall it and then it would load to the default page (this forum) and it would work fine.

But if I reboot, or close the browser and reopen it, same thing happens and I have to reinstall it and all is well. So essentially, I have to reinstall it every time I want to use it and damned if I can figure out why. (I don't want to use another browser so that's not on the table).

I've scanned my machine from top to bottom with Adaware, Trojan Remover, System mechanic, Spybot Search and destroy and anything else I can get my hands on but it doesn't find anything.

Any suggestions as to what could cause this all of a sudden? BTW, I'm using a one year old Dell with XP Home (SP2) and plenty of HD space and 1gb memory.

I'm avoiding like the plague a complete wipe of the HD and starting all over again if it's humanly possible. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

I don't understand why you think that uninstalling/reinstalling would solve the problem, when it is very likely in the profile, where your personal data is located. And, I see no mention of recreating the profile.
I have heard of people using Tea Timer of Spybot Search and Destroy having problems. And, I have to log in this site with Firefox2.0.0.3 because it does not remember (off and on) the password.
I have not used 7.1 in years, 7.2 is not much better, and I rid of it.
It, almost, seems to be a connection problem.

 

You think the profile got fouled? I'll try creating a new one. I hope that's it because I have to reinstall it (with the same profile by the way) to reconnect.

 

I don't quite understand what you are saying. What are you referring to by this:because I have to reinstall it? You say that you need the old profile to reconnect, but you don't see any URL. I don't get it. May be someone else will be able to help you.
But, creating a new profile (give it a new name) should not hurt.

 

When I say I have to reinstall the browser each time I boot up or close the browser and re-open it I mean just that. For example, after a fresh boot, when I try to open the browser, a little window opens saying "...can't find aaaaaa.html "...and that's true of any link it hit in my browser bookmarks. I know I'm connected online because MSIE has no problem opening a web page. So I have to reintall the browser to get it to load any pages. But once I do that, everything is fine...for a while. Sometimes, even after the brrowser's been open and working for a while, I'll click on another link and get that same error pop up and then it won't load any page. So I have to close the browser, go through the reinstall and start all over.

 

When you reinstall, did you, first, uninstall NS from the Control Panel|Add/Remove? If you reinstall on top you may not fully repair the damage, whatever it is. I have never heard of your problem, so I cannot be of much more help. By the way, you will not lose your personal data (in the profile) when you uninstall the program.

 

The first couple of times, I DID unintall from add/remove and subsequent times I didn't. It didn't seem to make any difference. In fact, on those times when I did uninstall from add/remove, I also cleaned out every netscape and mozilla entry I could find in the registry as well and then did a clean install.

 

These thread can go on forever, because we don't have the same versions. NS7.1 has a bug which will, actually, makes it impossible to run other versions, unless the Program Files|Common Files|mozilla|GRE folder is deleted. Did you delete it when you uninstall NS? As you probably know the profiles are hidden, in WinXP, but you should not have any problem there. I never do much with the Registry. Is there any reason why you stuck with 7.1? I don't recommend 8.x, because it has no mail, but 7.2 has been halfway decent.
I assume that you must have dialup. I know nothing about that, so it may be a selective connection problem.

 

Well, when 7.1 first started acting up, I did try to install 7.2. When that was done, I go to click the 7.2 icon and it wouldn't load. Period. I didn't know about the gre folder at that time but I'm going to try that now. I did try the new version 8x but couldn't figure out for the life of me how to configure it's mail client and the "help" file, wasn't much help and I didn't particularly like the 8x interface at all so I'd be more than happy to stick with 7.2 as long as it will work right. I'll try uninstalling now, then deleting that gre folder and try again with 7.2 and post the results back here.

 

Well, I just uninstalled 7.1, deleted the gre folder completely, rieinstalled 7.2 and, again, when you first go through the setup, it load pages and works fine. But minute I shut it down and try to reopen it, I see this error message so I shut it down, reinstall, and it's back in business.



And I get that error regardless of what page I want to load. So the browser, once shut down, isn't connecting for some reason. I'm on an always-connected DLS line. When I get that error, I'll load MSIE and it gets to pages right away so there's nothing wrong with my connection. I just won't use MSIE ever unless I can't get to a site with NS which has never happened to my memory. I just don't like the security aspects of MSIE.

 

Bluzman,

Westside is right on, and I think the GRE folder is the culprit.

Also delete the C:\Program Files\Netscape folder, in addition to the GRE folder. Then REBOOT your PC before installing 7.2, so Windows can update files.

Before uninstalling the Netscape folder, make a backup copy of your plugins folder. When you install 7.2, then replace the new plugins folder with a copy of the plugins folder you saved.

Also backup your Profiles folder, just for good measure. Then after 7.2 is running smoothly backup the Profiles folder once more, so all profile data is up-to-date. Do this frequently...

 

Bluzman,

If you did what I just suggested, when reinstalling, then I would say that you have a corrupt Profile, and need to create a new one. Do you need help with this? If so, let us know, or take a look here:
Creating a New Profile.

 

Ok. I did everything you suggested (including removing those folders). The only thing i didn't do is reboot. I'll try it again now and get right back and try the profile thing.

 

Ok. Did everything as before and reinstalled and, again, it worked fine but when I shut it down and reopen it, I get that same error message. I'll try your link for the new profile thing but am wondering if I'll have any problem accessing my existing mail folders if I create a new profile. Any info on that?

 

Bluzman,

Rebooting the PC is a necessary evil, as it gives the system a chance to update files, i.e., remove Netscape from the Registry, etc. Remember, each time you reinstall, first delete the GRE file, if it is available.

The page I referenced gives detailed instructions on moving the Mail files and other Profile data to the newly created folder.

If you have backed up/copied the entire Profiles folder, you have nothing to worry about in terms of losing any Profile data.

Anything that is unclear, feel free to check back, and we can walk you through the process. Granted the page is long, but only because I went into detail for the benefit of inexperienced users...

 

THanks Ramona. I appreciate the detailed instructions. I have to go out for a couple of hours but when I get back, I'll print out all those instructions and go for it. I'm sure hoping it's the profile and not a system wide problem that has nothing to with with NS. We'll see. Thanks again for your help.