Installed 7.2, then profile was lost........

This has become a never ending battle. Just as I experienced with 7.1, it appears that 7.2 has the same problems.
I deleted everything and anything with Netscape, Mozilla and profiles, both with the add/delete command, search for files and in the registery.
Downloaded 7.2, installed "custom ", only classic skin and mail/newsgroups with spellchecker.
Connected to the internet, register 7.2 with your screen appeared, was asked for a screen name, skipped over this since I do not have any use for instant messaging.
Created a profile in the "choose profile" window. Simply used my name.
So far, so good. Dial into the internet, 7.2 starts, asks which profile to use, default or my name. I highlight my name, then click on "start Netscape 7.2
Everything was fine for about a week, then Netscape asked me to register again, enter a screen name. All bookmarks were lost, mail settings lost, preferences lost.
Went through the process again, created a profile using my name, instead of highlighting my name and clicking on "start Netscape 7.2" I am double clicking my name. So far everything appears to be working.
Do I really have to register Netscape with a screen name I will never use in order to avoid this problem, if it occurs again?
Alan

 

Hi Alan,

Sorry to hear you are having problems again! If you will back up your Profiles folder frequently, and when this happens, replace your prefs.js file, that is all that should be necessary.

No, you definitely do not have to register each time. What you need to do is to either rename, or delete the activation.dll file. This will stop that nonsense for good. The file is located here:
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape\components

If you would like to avoid the Profile Manager each time you start Netscape 7.2, what you can do it this:
Right click on the Netscape Desktop shortcut
Select "Properties "
Press the "Shortcut" tab
In the "Target" field, leave one trailing space, and add this command line switch: -p yourprofilename This will completely bypass the Profile Manager. Your Target line will then look like this:
"C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape\Netscp.exe" -p ramona -quiet

The "-quiet" disables the splash screen.

Ramona

 

Reply to Netscape 7.2 lost profile.......

Thank you for the help. I deleted the activation.dll file and added -p Alan-quiet

There are two prefs. files in the profiles folder, prefs. and prefs.bak
I did not see a prefs.js

Should I make a copy of the profiles folder, including all contents, keep it on a cd, update it as necessary? Then if everything is lost again, I would copy and paste it? In other words open up the cd copy, drag and drop it on the profiles folder located in the hard drive?
Alan

 

Alan,

You need to enable "Show all files" if you run Windows 98/ME
Open Windows Explorer
Click on View | Folder Options | View
Insert a dot in the radio button next to "Show all files "

If you run Windows XP:
To see hidden files:
1. On the Tools menu in Windows Explorer, click Folder Options
2. Click the View tab
3. Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders
4. Disable "Hide File Extensions for Known Files. "
5. Click OK.

Then you will be able to see the extensions on the pref file.

By all means, backup your Profiles folder frequently. Then all you need to do, in the event of problems, is remove the current Profiles folder to a temporary folder on the HD, and place the backup Profiles folder in the Mozilla folder. Backup frequently, and if you haven't taken a look at the top sticky on the Forum, then check out the Preventive Browser Maintenance page for more information on how to keep your browser lean and mean!

Ramona