Netscape 7.02--a big disappointment

Hi Ramona,
I have been using 7.02 on my system with WIN98SE for about 2 months. I got this version from Silly Dog with the mail, which I have also been using. Since I loaded 7.02 on my computer, everything has slowed down. It's like when I load the mail, my machine acts like it has much inertia, no pep whatsoever. Today I was able to hook this machine up to a wireless network which I have going with 2 laptops running WIN XP Pro. The DSL line is operating at about 1.5Mbps but you would never know it when I run 7.02. It acts like it can hardly reach my homepage at www.att.net. I am seriously considering dumpimg the program. Is there another version that would work better for me? Can I tweak the program I have loaded to make it run better? I just don't know what to do but I am very disappointed. Does someone else have a streamline version with mail that will run better?
Thanks for your help.
P.S. I also noticed that my right click mouse button rarely works with 7.02 on my machine. Is that a coincidence?
Bob

 

disk cache too large

OK, I started to look around and found the disk cache was set at 50MB. Cut it down to 5000KB. What should it be set at? Also cleaned out disk and RAM cache. Seems to run a little faster now but it is still slugish. Other recommendations? Also, the buttons I had in v4.79, which dropped down for all the web site I liked to visit did not get carried over to 7.02! Why?

 

All the recent netscape and mozilla releases set the cache to ~50mb. Of course, you are free to set it to a size that works for you. Additionally, if you are using an older machine, 128mb or more is needed for decent performance.

If netscape 7.02 is slow, you might consider mozilla 1.5.

mozilla
http://www.mozilla.org/

In case you didn't know, netscape is no longer developed as a browser (though it is a low cost isp now).

tranquilo

 

Hi Bob,

Try some house cleaning:
Close Netscape:
Delete the Cache folder
Delete the history.dat file
Delete the XUL.mfl file
These files/folder are located in your *.slt Folder

Do a "Find" for *.tmp and delete all files found

If you have only one profile (with Netscape open)
Delete the registry.dat file, located here:
C:\Windows\Application Data\Mozilla
Close Netscape
If the Profile Manager prompts for a new Profile on restart, use the existing/same Profile name.

Cache setting, depending on HD space. I think that 8 to 10 MB is a good setting for Cache.
Set Cache to:
Compare the page in the Cache to the page on the network: "Once per session "
This will also speed up your browsing

If the buttons with drop down menus you refer to are the Bookmarks, then you can Import them from any backup you may have of the 4.79 Profile. This is done in the Manage Bookmarks | Tools.

Mozilla 1.5 is faster than Netscape 7.02 and a leaner browser than Netscape. Look at the Release Notes, System Requirements, and Download here:
http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/sysreq.html

Sorry that your Netscape experience has not been good. I run Windows 98SE, with 384 MB RAM, 2 Versions of Netscape, along with Mozilla, & Opera. I've suffered none of the slow browsing you describe, even with my pathetic DUN connection rate. As I stated, Mozilla is a bit faster than Netscape...

The right click mouse problem, I'm not sure about. Do you mean that you get no menu when you right click? There was a problem with wheel scrolling, but I don't recall a right click problem. If you could elaborate it would help.

Let us know if we can be of further help, and Happy 2004!

Ramona

 

scroll mouse

I am definitely having a scroll mouse problem in 7.02. First I do not get a context menu when I right click and when I left click usually nothing happens. I have a Logitech scroll (First Mouse) mouse in a PS2 port using software v9.41.1. I know there is a newer version 9.79.1 and I could install it. Do you know if others have had this problem. I am also having a problem on opening 7.02, it does not want to go to the home page:
www.att.net. It times out most of the time. Can't figure this out.
Puzzled
BTW, my mouse works perfectly fine in v4.79 which I am now using to write this note.

 

cleaning house

OK, I followed all your instructions about cleaning house. The opening screen is different than when I first installed 7.02 but it is still slow. I also noticed that I now have 2 profiles, with all the mail stuff in the one ackerberg on WorldNet-1. Should I delete the first profile?
I'm still having mouse problems.

 

Hi Bob,

You have two Profiles now? O.K., use the Profile which contains all your default preferences. Don't delete the unwanted Profile just yet.

Do this:
Right click on the Netscape Desktop shortcut
Select: Properties
Click on the Shortcut Tab
To the Location path add the name of the Profile you wish to use. E.G.:
"C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape\Netscp.exe" -p bob
(or whatever profile name you use)
This will ensure that you start up with the correct Profile

On your startup page try this:
Edit | Preferences | Navigator
When Netscape starts up, display:
Select: Blank page
That will speed up your startup

More thoughts:
Are you using a HOSTS file to avoid spyware/adware? If so, disable

Try disabling your Firewall and see if that changes your browsing speed
Do the same with your AntiVirus.

Disable Quick Launch if you're using it.
Edit | Preferences | Advanced

Close Netscape
Try two more file deletions:
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape
Delete: components.reg
Start Netscape... Any difference?

If that's a "no ":
With Netscape open
C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Mozilla
Delete: registry.dat
Close Netscape
Netscape will write a new registry file.

Start Netscape
The Profile Manager will prompt for a new Profile. Use the same name as the existing Profile. Any difference noted yet?

Netscape 7.0 - 7.1 Release Notes:
Keyboard and Mouse

Windows:
Mousewheel scrolling does not work with all drivers. If you have problems, try updating your driver or disabling any "helper" programs that your mouse uses. If you have a Logitech mouse, you can either upgrade the driver (to at least v9.60) or enable the "Microsoft Office compatible scrolling" option in the Mouse/Buttons control panel.

Ramona

 

mouse

OK, I followed all your instructions again. Upon deleting the Registry.dat file I did not receive a request for a new profile, but everything was still working. I upgraded the mouse software to v.9.79.1 and it has made a difference. However the program still loads very slowly. I also defragged. There is a marginal improvement and I'll continue using it hoping I may discover what is slowing it down. I do not have a firewall and do not know what Hosts is. My Antivirus only checks incoming mail. It is puzzling why it is soooo slow.
Thanks for your help. Please let me know if you think of anything else.

 

Bob,

Disable your Email protection, as that may be slowing you down. Do you use Norton?

Ramona

 

NAV

OK, I'll turn it off and see what happens. Isn't there another person making streamline versions of Netscape beside SillyDog? What do you know about those? Are they about the same as sIllyDog's?

 

Bob,

Yes, there is Holger Metzger's Compact Version.

If you're considering uninstalling your Netscape, then why not try Mozilla 1.5. You may be thinking that there will be a learning curve. NOT! In appearance, and almost all Preferences, you will see little to no difference. No AOL add-ons, and a custom install will allow you to install browser, mail, and spellchecker. That's it! How streamline can you get? Not buggy like Netscape 7.02, and 7.1.

O.K., I won't say another word...

If you are using NAV you don't really need the email screening, if you have Auto-Protect enabled...

Ramona

 

I will make a few remarks, which may make "ackenberg" get a better feeling of what has been going on.
The Netscapes6/7 were developed because some files would not be handled in 4.x. In the process, Netscape was rebuilt from the ground up. I still consider any new Netscapes more beta than not, with the defects which go along with being beta. I don't consider the 7.02 or 7.1 particularly buggy, but just unfinished. There is more than one thing which you, obviously, don't know about these Netscapes. You can incorporate extra features which are present in their final version, thus making them more functional. For instance: http://autoscroll.mozdev.org will allow to add autoscroll funcionality to Netscape7.x, and Mozillas, at least for the Microsoft mouse, which I have. And, there are more goodies there, undreamed of in NS4.x.
I use broadband, and have a 350Mhz processor, 256 MB memory. Att.net is very slow, even with the fastest browser, one minute with Opera.

 

It, actually, took me only 18 sec. or so to get into att.net, with NS7.1.
It is a great site, and it is now a Tab, since it does not ask me for an ATT sign on.
We will, probably, never know why "ackerberg" has been having so many problems. There is an outside chance that there were some cookie permissions, or doubleclick.net blocking as it was doing to me with 7.02, but not with 7.1.