Problem reinstalling Netscape 7.1

I recently reinstalled Windows XP, SP1. Reinstalling the applications has been going fine, except for Mozilla 1.6 and Netscape 7.1. After reinstalling those apps, they did not respond when I clicked on the icons.

I found some instructions found here: http://home.att.net/~cherokee67/ns71startupnot.html. Mozilla is running fine now, but I'm stil having problems with Netscape. I am about to try the registry edit described as follows:

"*One Windows XP user reported that deleting the GRE folder had no effect, i.e., Netscape still didn't start. He was able to resolve the problem by editing the Registry, in order to add the user permission "Everyone" as explained below:

"Under the user profile of the desktop from which Netscape 7.1 was installed, everything looked fine as expected. However, under the second user profile, the folders Mozilla and Mozilla.org had no user permissions. I returned to the user profile from which Netscape was installed, and using Regedit, I added the permission of "Everyone ".

Start | Run | C:\windows\regedit.exe

You will see a structure of folders just like Windows Explorer
Click the following: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\Software\Mozilla.org
You will see a permission for the user desktop you are using, labeled "default "
Now add a new line "Everyone "

Do the same for: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\Software\Mozilla
Again, you will see a permission for your user desktop Add a new line "Everyone "

I'm not very experienced with editing the registry, so I'd like some help BEFORE delving in. By adding a new line "Everyone," am I supposed to change the value "default" to "Everyone "? Or am I to add a brand new line (which I don't know how to do)?

Thanks in advance.

 

Welcome to the Forum shango415!

Hi shango415,

I run Windows 98SE, so am totally unfamiliar with the Windows XP registry, and its workings. I did however, find a better, safer, way for you to fix your permissions, which I will add to my web page, which you referenced:

Do this:

Navigate to your C:\Program Files\ directory

Right click the Netscape or Mozilla.org directory (depending on which you are using) and choose properties

Click the 'Security' tab on the properties window that appears

Click 'add' and type in the name of the user you want to give access, then click 'Check Name'.

Then press 'OK', and you'll end up at the security screen again, click the user you just added e.g. 'Bob', and check the 'Full Control' box under the allow list, and click apply.

The user should now have the neccessary permissions to use Netscape/Mozilla. Note that you need to have administrative rights to set file permissions in Windows NT, 2000 or XP.


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418
HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows XP

One thing I did think of, and that is; you're not sharing a Profile are you?

Let us know if you are successful.

Ramona

 

Different problem, later resolved

Thanks, Ramona!

I changed the permissions as suggested, but I then had a corrupted js.prefs message upon starting Netscape. Got the following configuration warning: "An error occurred reading the startup configuration file. PLease contact your admionistrator. pref.js, SyntaxError: illegal character. "

I deleted prefs.js and used prefs.bak but got the same error, so I deleted the backup as well. Reinstalled Netscape and started with a fresh prefs.js file. All is well (for now). I lost my Netscape profile, so it wasn't the ideal solution. But I use Netscape as my third browser, after Firefox and Mozilla, so losing the profile is not a big deal. Sometimes, I just like a change of pace.

 

All you have to do when you get a configuration error on startup:

First, try correcting the problematic line/script:

With Netscape closed (including Quick Launch):
Navigate to the prefs.js file in your salted (*.slt) folder
Right-click the file and select "Edit "
Look for that incomplete line/script referenced in the error and correct it
All lines/scripts in the prefs.js file should folow this exact format:
user_pref(" ...... ");

NOTE: The script begins with user_ pref and ends with a semi-colon ;
Save the file and restart Netscape.

If correcting the script was unsuccessful, then the below workaround should correct your problem:

With Netscape closed (including Quick Launch):
Browse to your salted folder (*.slt)
Look for a file named prefs.bak
If there, delete prefs.js
Rename prefs.bak to prefs.js

If prefs.bak doesn't exist
Delete prefs.js (with Netscape open)

It is not uncommon for the prefs.bak file to also be corrupt, especially if the program has been closed and reopened, or if you have rebooted your PC. In the event this is the case, then delete prefs.js with Netscape open. Then close Netscape, at which time a new prefs.js file will be written.

Once you have a working prefs.js file, I highly recommend backing up the Profiles Folder on a regular basis. Then if you should incur another corruption of the file, you will have a pristine backup to use.

It's not necessary to reinstall Netscape when the problem is in your Profile. The Profile isn't touched by an uninstall/reinstall. Unless you deleted your Profile on the HD, it's still there. Navigator to the Profiles folder See: Profiles Folder Location. If you want to go back to the original Profile let us know.

Ramona