Cannot open Netscape Communicator

i.e.NS4.8. I, personally, care little about this, but I was trying help a friend, who likes the old stuff.
I had NS4.8, and uninstalled it a couple of years ago, deleting everything regarding NS4.x, doing a final cleanup of the Registry.
Installation went smoothly, but when I tried to open NS4.x, I was told that it could not find the previous User profile, would I want to delete, I guess the link. I selected yes, and I got no option to create a new profile. In fact, when I selected Utilities|User profiles, the box was empty, and selecting New shut me out. In fact, I found a number of netscape.exe in the Windows Task Manager, none exceeding 7 MB. They had to be deleted so that I could even uninstall NS4.x. By the way the Users folder was completely empty.
Is there any secret to install NS4.x.
Oh yes, I posted at two other newsgroup, and I hit a wall. No answer at one, and, useless ones at another.

 

Westside,

It could be that the problem is UNinstalling NS 4. It could be that you missed some entries. Look for, and remove the following:

C:\Program Files\Netscape
Cocuments and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Netscape Communicator
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Netscape Composer.lnk
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Netscape Messenger.lnk
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Netscape Navigator.lnk
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop\Netscape Communicator.lnk
C:\Documents and Settings\username\SendTo\Netscape Messenger.lnk
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Netscape SmartUpdate.lnk
C:\netscape.ini
C:\nsreg.dat
C:\cd32.exe

You can copy the below to Notepad and save as a .reg file, and execute the file to remove the registry keys.
OR
you can find the below registry keys and delete them:

Code:

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Netscape.exe]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Netscape Communicator 4.8]

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Netscape]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Netscape]

Remove these keys if you don't use the above *.reg file:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Netscape.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Netscape Communicator 4.8

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Netscape

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Netscape

 

Westside,

I have removed all of the above files and registry entries, and reinstalled 4.8.

The installation went smoothly, without a problem. I had a backup of the "Users" folder, and pasted it into the Netscape folder, renaming the existing Users folder to XUsers.

I then deleted the existing Profile from Profile Manager
Profile Manager squawked about the new Profile name, said it already existed, and did I wish to use that Users folder. With a "Yes" answer, I encountered no further problems.

 

My problem is that I don't have a backup of the Users profile.
Everything else has been removed. But, somewhere I can see those beady eyes from the missing profile taunting me.

 

Sneaky varmints aren't they! Did you find any of the files or Registry Keys still lurking?

 

I found some other leftovers, but nothing, specifically. pertaining to Communicator. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Netscape had 6.2.1, 6.2.3 and 7.2 listed. The only place where there had been a Reference to Communicator, was in AllUsers|Start Menu, and I deleted the link.
cCleaner had done a great job removing any leftoftors on the hard drive and the registry.
I might give up, or try something earlier. I find it hard to believe that it is not possible to install a NS4.x.

 

I just found a 4.61 CD, and I tried it. The results were somewhat the same, except that no empty Users folder was created.
Somewhere there must be some information that I had, at one time, a NS4.x Users folder, which was deleted. So, Netscape goes nowhere, regardless if I try to create a new profile, or login as Guest. A small (7 MB) netscape.exe item is found in Task Manager, and it gord no further.
So, I am giving up.

 

Westside,

Look in your root directory for these files, and delete if found:

C:\cd32.exe
C:\netscape.ini
C:\nsreg.dat

Since our systems are so similar, you should be able to install Communicator. I have a PDF file with all Communicator KB Articles, if you're interested?

 

Ramona,
none of the files you mention exist.
I don't care any more. If you find something let me know. I wasted a lot of time on this matter, and I could become reinterested.

 

Westside,

Do you want the PDF file?

 

I thought I had the file, but why not?