Netscape 4.x Problems

Summary:

Section index - KB index

Mandrake Netscape 4.x Troubleshooting Page

This page is for diagnosing the most common Netscape problems. You will quickly notice three columns: Symptom, Probable Cause, Solution. The first two are pretty self explanatory: Symptom describes what is happening to you, Probable Cause describes what probably caused the problem. However, the Solution section will contain just a heading of a solution. The solution will be explained in detail later on. The reason that I have not just typed the solution out there is that Netscape can exhibit many Symptoms that can be traced back to similar if not identical solutions to the problem.

Preliminary Procedures

Before you try any of the solutions mentioned below, unless specifically stated otherwise you should first ensure that no Netscape processes are running. You can do this by typing the command: ps -ef | grep netscape). If there are any lines of output generated then there are processes running. Kill each process manually by typing kill followed by the process ID number. The process ID number (PID) is the number directly following your user id in the output from the ps -ef command. Do the ps -ef | grep netscape command again to ensure that the processes are stopped. In the event that they are not try killing them with kill -9 followed by a space and the PID number of the Netscape processes. Note: on some versions of GNU/Linux you may need to do ps ax | grep netscape


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Netscape Troubleshooting Section

Netscape Crashes on Startup

Netscape core dumps on startup, crashes all the time, or gives an error message about a bus error. This could actually be the Messenger Freezes on Startup problem if your Netscape is setup to automatically run messenger on startup.

Most likely the problem is with Netscape's configuration and cache files in you .netscape directory. This can be caused by corrupt files or configuration files from a different version of Netscape.If this is not the case it is a result of a mismatch between the c libraries installed on your machine and the c libraries that Netscape was compiled against. There are incompatibilities between the different versions of libc and glibc that can cause Netscape to crash. Netscape's glibc version was linked against glibc2.0.7 and Mandrake6 (as well as most of the newer distributions) uses 2.1.1 {Newer Mandrake versions run Netscape on top of a glibc-compat library. TOM} preferences.js
.netscape directory
glibc

Netscape Freezes after it's loaded

Netscape loads fine but locks up hard as soon as you click on any widget within the Netscape window. You may also notice that your modem lights blink ocassionally.

The problem here can be varied. There are three possible culprits. In order of probability:

  • Netscape is hanging on trying to complete asynchronous DNS host lookups.
  • Netscape cannot find it's paths b/c the MOZILLA_HOME env variable is not set.
  • Netscape cannot find it's classpath.
All three of these problems have been reported to cause gross instabilities in Netscape. Environment Variables

Messenger Freezes on Startup

Netscape starts up but Messenger freezes up on startup. Quite often Netscape runs fine but when trying to access email freezes or crashes.

Most likely this problem is as result of Netscape messengers cache files in you nsmail directory being corrupted. These files occasionally corrupt themselves without apparent cause. They can also be corrupted if your Netscape crashes while you are performing an email related function or have messenger running. ..summary files
Corrupt Mailbox

Netscape Won't Save Bookmarks

Sometimes when you add bookmarks or have been editing your bookmarks when you restart Netscape you get the default bookmarks or the bookmarks you added are gone.

This is usually caused by one of two problems.

  • 1. You have been editing your bookmarks and then explicitly saved them or did a save as then on restarting Netscape you get the default bookmarks.
  • 2. You have added bookmarks while running multiple instances of Netscape and on restart they disappear but you still have your old bookmarks.
1. Saved Bookmarks
2. Multiple Browsers

Netscape Preferences are Lost

When you open Netscape it shows you the License window and runs as if running for the first time.

This can be caused if your .netscape directory or preferences.js file is missing, has been renamed or if the permissions or ownership on it are incorrect. Corruption of the preferences.js file could also be a cause. If you are using a different version of Netscape for the first time it is normal for the license message to be displayed for the new version, but you should not lose your preferences. preferences.js
.netscape directory

Netscape Messenger Can't find your Email Directory

You run Netscape and messenger won't open, loses your email (i.e. it shows the default setup for email that being an Inbox, Unsent Messages, Drafts, Sent and Trash with no email in them), or complains that it can't find your Netscape email (nsmail) directory.

This is usually caused by an incorrect or missing preferences.js file in your .netscape directory. If the path to your home directory has changed in any way, you have moved, your account has moved, or you have gotten a new machine this could result in an incorrectly configured preferences.js file. preferences.js

My version of Netscape doesn't support 128bit strong encryption.

You've installed Mandrake and you can't get to sites that are secure (such as online banking) b/c they say you need a browser with 128bit encryption.

Mandrake {like other Linux distributions. TOM} doesn't install or come with (at least in the GPL version) the version of Netscape with 128bit strong encryption {due to US export restrictions. TOM}. You have two options to getting 128 encryption in you're Netscape. 1. Go to Netscape's web site and download and set it up yourself. (Which is a waste of time). {2. Getting the 128 bit secure Netscape RPMs from a server listed on M's crypto-apps page. TOM} 3. Fortify it. Fortify1.1


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Netscape Solutions

Preferences.js For Netscape to work, your .netscape directory should contain a preferences.js file. When your environment changes the settings in this preferences file could be incorrect. This is especially true if the path to your home or email directory has changed. If so you can edit the preferences file by hand and change all occurrences of the path. If you are not comfortable doing this or you cannot see a problem with the file or the file is corrupted then the easiest thing to do is shutdown Netscape, delete the preferences.js file and restart Netscape. Then reconfigure it. It is important that all of your Netscape processes be stopped prior to deleting the file and regenerating it check for them by following the preliminary procedures.
.netscape directory If your problems are not solved by reconfiguring the preferences.js file or you get the bus error message "IOT Trap core dump" of "busd error" it can usually be solved by renaming your .netscape directory so that Netscape cannot find it and hence regenerated the standard configuration files. You can do this by first making sure that you have no old Netscape processes running by following the preliminary procedures mentioned above. Then cd to your home directory by typing

cd

Next rename your .netscape directory to .old by typing

mv .netscape .netscape.old

Then start Netscape again and reconfigure your Netscape. Then copy over your bookmarks.html file. See Importing Bookmarks for information on how to do this. Be careful not to explicitly save your bookmarks however. After importing them just select close from the file manager. To import your address book see Importing Address Books. If you want to start multiple instances of Netscape then shutdown Netscape and restart it first. Then you can invoke more Netscape processes.
glibc If your Netscape crashing problems are not solved by the preferences.js or .netscape directory solutions then the last thing to try is to download a libc5-based version of Netscape from http://Coruscant.~NetRevolution.com/pub/Netscape/ (URL defunct, tom) This has been shown to fix most crashing problems.
Environment Variables

Netscape Communicator has the ability to do asynchronous DNS host lookups. This feature is on by default and nothing needs to be done to configure it. If you experience DNS lookup problems, you can turn this feature off by setting the environment variable MOZILLA_NO_ASYNC_DNS to true.

You will want to set the following environment variables in your .bashrc/.cshrc/.kshrc or other respective shell resource file.

csh, tcsh (using 'setenv'): MOZILLA_NO_ASYNC_DNS True MOZILLA_HOME /usr/lib/netscape CLASSPATH $CLASSPATH:/usr/lib/netscape/java/classes sh, bash, ksh (using 'export'): MOZILLA_NO_ASYNC_DNS=True MOZILLA_HOME=/usr/lib/netscape CLASSPATH=${CLASSPATH}:/usr/lib/netscape/java/classes

..summary files First make sure that you are not running any Netscape processes. To be sure follow the preliminary procedures. Go to your Netscape mail directory by typing cd ~/nsmail Do an

ls -asl

If you see any files named after one of your mailboxes with a .lock or .summary at the end delete these files. You can remove all of the .summary files by typing

rm .*.summary

Then before starting Netscape again make sure that that your user configuration is correct if unsure repeat the Netscape configuration. Then re run Netscape messenger. Each mail box will have ??? listed as the number of messages read and unread. When you double click on the folders/mailboxes it will then rebuild the cache files. If this still doen't work you could have a corrupt mailbox or your email server could be down.
Corrupt Mailboxes If your mailboxes are corrupted then it will have to be restored. A mailbox can become corrupted when it is very large, or for some other reason. When a Netscape mailbox becomes corrupted the only thing that can really be done is to have it restored from a backup.
Saved Bookmarks The permissions of a bookmarks file can change automatically to a random user id or root with the group usually set to nobody. This is a bug that occurs when a user edits their bookmarks and then tries to explicitly save them or do a save as. The resolution is to try to cat the bookmarks file to another file

cat bookmarks.html > bookmarks2.html

and then try and move out the old file and move in the new one.

mv bookmarks2.html bookmarks.html

If these steps don't work submit a service request and to have the permissions on the bookmarks changed. Next time you edit the bookmarks file just select close instead of save. The bookmarks changes get saved this way as well.
Multiple Browsers When you have multiple instances of Netscape running only the first Netscape process that was started can access Netscape's files and do things such as ftp, etc. This is because Netscape locks control over certain files on startup. If you try to ad a bookmark using any other instance of Netscape other than the first Netscape that you run the bookmarks will be lost. The same goes for tying to change your preferences. This is normal behavior and cannot be fixed or changed.
Importing Bookmarks To import you bookmarks from an older bookmarks.html file do the following:
  • Click on the communicator menu.
  • Go to the bookmarks menu and select edit bookmarks.
  • You can delete the existing bookmarks if you wish. Otherwise highlight the folder you want to import your bookmarks into.
  • Click on the file menu of the edit bookmarks window.
  • Select import.
  • You will get the file selection window. Select the file you import and click OK.
  • Continue to edit your bookmarks. When you are finished select close from the file menu not save or save as
Importing Address Books To import you address books from another Netscape directory file do the following:
  • Click on the communicator menu.
  • Click on Address Book
  • In the drop down box beside the text box labeled "Type in the name you are looking for" make sure it reads "Personal Address Book".
  • Click on the file menu and select import. If it is grayed out you have not completed the previous step.
  • You will get the file selection window. Select the file you import and click OK.
  • When you are finished select close from the file menu not save or save as
Making Netscape 128bit secure First make sure you've quit Netscape {… before running Fortify. You can of course use it to download the Fortify package. TOM}. Then:
  • Go to www.fortify.net and click on the download link at the bottom of the page.
  • On the download page you want to get the version appropriate to your hardware that is listed under the UNIX section. (For example. If you have an Intel processor aka Pentium, Pentium II, etc. click on the link labeled x86-v1.4.5 click here
  • Then find the nearest download site and download it. If you get garbage on your screen hit stop, go back and hold down shift as you click on the link.
  • Once you've downloaded it open up a Konsole window and become the superuser or root by typing su and then entering the appropriate password.
  • Next uncompress the files by typing:

    tar -zxvf Fortify-1.4.5-unix-x86.tar.gz Or the appropriate name of the file in place of Fortify-1.4.5-unix-x86.tar.gz Here I've shown the one for Linux on a Pentium.

    Then cd into the directory cd Fortify-1.4.5-unix-x86 again, replace the directory name with whatever one you downloaded
  • Once in the directory run Fortify.sh by typing ./Fortify.sh
  • It will ask you for your language. Enter the corresponding number and hit enter. I entered 2 for English.
  • Next you'll see this:
Please select your language {1-7,}: 2 ==== Fortify 1.4.5; Copyright (C) 1997-1999 Farrell ~McKay ==== == This software is free for all forms of non-commercial use. == == Commercial use of this software must be licensed. ==

= fortify "/usr/bin/netscape"

2 = enter some other full path name = quit Please make a selection {1-2,}:



  • You'll have to enter 2 because /usr/bin/netscape is merely a "wrapper script". Kind of like a batch file in DOS. It automatically selects the appropriate Netscape to run and sets up some default "preferences" for you.
  • Next you'll see this:
Enter your Netscape full path name ('c'=copyright, '?'=help, <Enter>=quit):

To which you should enter this: /usr/lib/netscape/netscape-communicator

  • The rest should be straight forward. :)
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Related Resources:

Official Netscape Communicator Support Pages

Revision / Modified: July 31, 20001 / July 12, 2000
Author: Sheldon Lee Wen

Legal: This page is covered by the GNU Free Documentation License. Standard disclaimers of warranty apply. Copyright LSTB and Mandrakesoft.

KB - Netscape 4.x Problems
Version 1.4 last modified by lemarois on 18/05/2004 at 11:16

 


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Creator: AdminWiki on 2004/03/22 09:45
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