SillyDog701

[SisterDorothy]

We have used Netscape 4.5 or 4.7 for years. Two or three days ago, we began getting the "this program has performed an illegal operation and has to close" --as soon as we open netscape. It then closes. It happens when it begins loading Java. We have multiple email profiles on the two W-98 machines and the interesting part is: this error only occurs on some of the profiles but not all...not sure why or how this could be. I tried downloading a java update (latest version, which then shows as "update 5" in Add/Remove program list in Control Panel). But when I opened the java icon and tried to enable java for mozilla/netscape, it refused. Hmm, so I'm not sure what is going on or even if I'm on the right track by trying to update java.

One more thing, yesterday on one w-98 machine I also began getting this error:

# Error: Issuer certificate is invalid. (-8156)
# jar file: C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETSCAPE\COMMUNICATOR\PROGRAM\java\classes\java40.jar
# path: C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETSCAPE\COMMUNICATOR\PROGRAM\java\classes\java40.jar

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd be grateful!

--Sister Dorothy

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050915 Firefox/1.0.7

[Don_HH2K]

There are two possibilities which I can think of:

1. NS4's Java got corrupted and needs to be reinstalled (side note to anybody who knows: is Sun's JRE compatible with Netscape 4 anyway?)

2. You're trying to load a Java applet that requires some other JRE than Netscape 4's built-in one

Perhaps you can try re-downloading Netscape 4.8 from the archive made available on this site and see if that remedies the problem. If not, I'd suggest that you bite the bullet and upgrade to Firefox from Netscape 4, which is hardly compatible with today's Internet in the first place.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050915 Donzilla/0.8 (WML/1.3)

[SisterDorothy]

Thanks, Don_HH2K--I guess I was hoping I could get along without upgrading the email part of NS4.7. It is actually in email that I have the problem, although I'm sure it is connected to the browser part. We do use Firefox as our main browser, but have hung onto the old NS Communicator for email because it works pretty reliably...at least up to now! So...looks like I need to do some research...I personally use Thunderbird and like it, so maybe we could go to TBird.

thx again--

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050915 Firefox/1.0.7

[Don_HH2K]

Actually, if you're still using NS4.7, you can upgrade to 4.8, therefore keeping the 4.x Communicator interface. If you do decide to go the Thunderbird route, keep in mind that Thunerbird can import mail from Netscape 4.x, so you won't need to do any mail relocation (of course, if you keep all your mail server-side, that won't be a problem).

A few months ago I would've reccomended that you use Mozilla Suite had you been using both the browser and the mail client. Now, since the future of app-suite as it is has been dispersed to however-many people, I'd actually say that Fx/Tb might be the only way to go for the time being. There are still official builds that are updated, but they don't have all the updates that you may be looking for (although if you're using NS4, that shouldn't be much of a concern). All other actively maintained Suite applications are still in testing stages (including the semi-official Seamonkey and my own derivative work of the Suite) that are subject to bugs and lots of updating.

Before migrating everyone to Thunderbird, though, you might try to get 4.8 running on at least one computer and see if this fixes the problem. If not, then I'd definitely say it's a good time to move to Thunderbird.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050915 Donzilla/0.8 (WML/1.3)

[SisterDorothy]

Hmm, maybe that is what I will try first--i.e. upgrade to 4.8 and check to see how it works...and go on to TB if necessary. I really appreciate the sharing of knowledge that goes on in this forum! thank you...

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050915 Firefox/1.0.7