Internet Tips

When Communicator Crashes

If you've ruled out problems with your system and concluded that Navigator shoulders all the blame for crashing, head to Netscape Unofficial FAQ page, You'll find a directory of crash symptoms with links to solutions. Some things to try:

Create a new user profile. First, close the browser. Click Start, Programs, Netscape Communicator, Utilities, User Profile Manager. Create a new profile using a name that differs from your old one. Try it out for awhile, and if you have no problems, head to the User directory where your old profile is stored (in c:\program files\netscape\users\yourname, usually) and make copies of the bookmark.htm and abook.nab files, the mail and news folders, and any .na2 files into the new directory.

Replace a corrupt news folder. If Communicator crashes when you try to read newsgroup messages, your news folder may be corrupt. To handle this possibility, close Communicator, go to your User folder, rename your news folder, and reopen the program, which will then create another news folder.

Fix the mail folder. Similarly, if Communicator crashes when you check your mail, you may need a new mail folder. Close Communicator, go to your User directory, rename the mail folder, and create a new one by right-clicking inside that folder and selecting New, Folder. Name it mail. Likewise, if the browser crashes when you use your bookmarks or addresses, try renaming your bookmark (bookmark.htm) or address file (abook.nab) and letting the program create new ones.

Rewrite history. Close Communicator, and rename the History file (netscape.hst) and Cache folder in case they're causing the problem. If nothing changes, delete the newly created history file and Cache folder, and reinstate the older ones.

Get outside help. Finally, find fixes for misbehaving browsers in the Microsoft's site. featuring compilations of tech support questions and answers. You'll also find a troubleshooting chart, notes on different versions of the browser, and a download section with fixes and patches.