I am a devotee of Netscape as some of you know. Currently using 8.1.2 based on Firefox.

Until a couple of days ago I have had no problems at all but for a couple of days I have had all manner of problems. It is hanging, doing all manner of strange things. I go to use the vertical scroll and nothing happens, at times, or the screen could go blank for ten seconds or so just showing the blue banner right at the top.

Sometimes there is no response for a while when I type, I have to wait for it to catch up. If I click on the screen it could all go blank for a while then come back, perhaps if I try to go back to make a correction.

I just switched on another computer, my laptop, which uses a different version of Netscape and that is playing about too on Funtrivia.

Anyone else having similar problems on this site?

I thought it might be the computer so did a lot of maintenance without any improvement.

I'm not very familiar with Netscape 8.1.2 but do have it installed. I've just tried using it and I get just the same problems you are experiencing Sue. It hung completely a couple of times as I was writing a post and I've had to close the Netscape using Task Manager. It's not only happening with this site but another one too. So, not a FunTrivia fault. I too am sure it used to be OK.

The only thing I can thing I can think of that may have a bearing, is that some Windows updates came through via Auto Update a couple of days ago. I can't think of anything else that has changed. Also can't find any other complaints on the Netscape forum. Very strange. I'm going to try reinstalling Netscape. I'll let you know how it goes.

Until resolved, I think it'll be easier to use IE ...unless I can tempt you into trying Firefox again

I hate IE, I have always found it slower than Netscape.

You might have hit the nail on the head, and it isn't just FT so I have discovered.

All my frequent FT pages are on my personal toolbar in Netscape, I am using IE right now and also running a virus check to see if anything got into my computer.

I would say the problems started Thursday which coincided with my son-in-law being online on the laptop and downloading masses of stuff - took forever, I suspect it was a film or something. I wondered if it was my connection as I don't normally have such things happening but that wouldn't account for all the strange things.

I think it must be Netscape then, blst as I love it.

One good thing, it caused me to pop in the Systemworks disc and to do some maintenance.

I tried reinstalling Netscape 8.1.2 but the problem remains. I'll keep my eye on things to see if others have anything to say about it.

Have a look in Add/Remove Programs. Did you get some Windows Updates on the 15th of this month? You'll need to make sure the 'Show updates' box is ticked to see them. Still wondering if this could be what has upset things.

Ah! Here we are. Have a read of the latest threads under 'Technical issues'.

Thank you for that. I don't want to create a new profile really so I will try blocking ns8-stats.netscape.com and see what happens.

At least I would if I could remember how to block a site! I don't have Parental Blocking switched on, I am not sure where else to do it.

I don't want to tinker if possible as I don't want to mess things up any more than they are at present. I am almost in tears as I loath IE and I don't want to mess about - I want my Netscapre back. I have 8.0.4 on one computer and 8.1.2 on this one and they are both messing about.

If I have to use IE, how do I get my links across the top, I need to be able to flit from one page to another quickly and easily. I tried Help and it said to click on an icon I don't have! It says to click on the Tools button, I don't have one. I looked under tools and no joy. I am using Version 6 and XP Home.

I hate, hate, hate this.

With IE6, the links to your favourite sites need to be in the 'Links' toolbar. To make the Links toolbar visible, go to: 'View > Toolbars' and make sure 'Links' has a tick next to it. If you then cannot see the toolbar, look for the word 'Links' where all the other toolbars are. There will be a vertical small grey bar next to the word. Click and hold on the bar. Drag the mouse until the Links toolbar can be seen. If you can't see the vertical small grey bar, go to: 'View > Toolbars' and un-tick 'Lock the toolbars'.

Once the toolbar is showing, shortcuts from the main bookmarks list can be dragged onto it. Hope that helps a bit. We'll have to keep an eye on the Internet to see what happens about the Netscape fault.

Netscape 8.1.2 works fairly OK for me by adding the 'hosts file' entry mentioned on the Netscape forums. I have noticed a very slight hesitation once or twice while typing this post (using Netscape) but the browser doesn't lock up.

Some posters have the opinion that the problem started with the last lot of Windows updates. Perhaps that's just a coincidence though. At any rate, it seems that stopping Netscape referring to 'ns8-stats.netscape.com' does get around the problem. I'm not sure what part this server plays in Netscape's everyday usage.

I took the '127.0.0.1 ns8-stats.netscape.com' entry back out of the hosts file and tried typing this post. The browser locked up after the first sentence.

127.0.0.1 is the loopback IP address of the computer. When Netscape tries to connect to 'ns8-stats.netscape.com', it is re-directed to 127.0.0.1 (your own computer) instead. A sort of 'null' address. This keeps Netscape happy and running (apparently). There's just that slight, almost unnoticeable, pause occasionally.

It may be that when the root of the problem has been sorted out, the hosts file entry can be removed. Until then, adding it seems a pretty good workaround.

I dare not tinker, I will wait until Netscape get it sorted which I am sure hey will quickly.

Not exactly on the topic, but I wanted to mention that two days ago(Friday), for about 40 minutes in the afternoon (mine afternoon - GMT+2) The "Forums" were completely 'dead'. Not one link was functioning and believe me, I've tried every possible one more than once during that period.

I don't want to combine the above said to what I'll be saying next, in fact I hope I'm just paranoid and no link exists bewteen the two.

In the last 2-3 days, while browsing FT and going from one page/section to another, I've been having lots of "set cookie" requests from various IPs. I didn't have that before and it was easy for me to notice.
I've set my anti-virus software so as to ask me everytime about cookies and let me allow/deny each one of them. For me this is a better way to deal with Internet.

I will give some (couldn't note down all) IPs that were trying to set cookies this last days, maybe TW or anybody else knows about them - if they're FT related or not.

Quote:

---

248.13.0.0
156.14.0.0
212.6.0.0
252.4.0.0
156.13.0.0
208.3.0.0

---

If it helps any, I am using Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.1 and WinXP with SP2

Thank you!

The addresses don't really mean much to me. I might be completely wrong but wonder if the recent 'time zone' Windows update might have a bearing on things. Cookies are time related. Maybe they were updating or something. Perhaps there's conflict because some servers have updated while others haven't. Just musing because I don't really know. It could cause some peculiarities perhaps.

Thank you for quick answer!

It might be an updating of sorts, I don't know too much about that kind of things. But I do know that allowing some cookies (or even worse, let them set by themselves without control) have brought me trouble before. That's why I chose to be announced about each and every one of them.

I've also tried to check those addresses, but nothing much came out of it.
The simple fact that they 'appeared' while browsing FT, not other site, made me wondering - NOT about my security, I trust FT as I trust myself, but about someone/another site(?!) maybe trying to 'mingle' with FT's server(s).

Yeah! Netscape have put in a temporary 'fix' until they can resolve the problem. Apparently it was all due to a server being down, one which Netscape 'phones home', as it couldn't get through it hung the browser. Another server is filling the gap until they can restart the actual server.

It isn't perfect yet but so much better than hanging about for IE which, compared to netscape, is SO slow.

Thank Martin for looking up my problem, I would have been popping down to the shop to buy a new computer thinking it was about to give up on me.

I've been keeping an eye on the discussion. I've read about two fixes:

'browser.jar' fix
'Hosts file' fix

Both of these divert the request to the faulty server back to 127.0.0.1. I have the 'browser.jar' one in place and Netscape is running fine.

I haven't altered anything and it is working almost as normal, just a slight pause now and again but it is still far better than attempting to use IE. I will sit it out until they fix it.

A few years ago I would have been happy to make a change but since my stroke I tend to not be so confident as my brain sometimes (often) won't let me work out the simplest things, even changing the time on my car clock isn't something I will now attempt, not after last year's mess when I ended up taking it to the garage to reset.

If you are managing to run OK, they must have fixed the problem ...well mostly. I read that the next version (8.1.3) will have dropped the 'checking in' bit.

This episode is about over now, so no need to worry about it anymore. At least it made me explore Netscape a bit. It's a good browser when working properly. I particularly like the way it can remember my Yahoo mail account details and with a single click of a button, automatically log me into it.

I think the mail button can be set up to work with any web mail service (GMail - Hotmail etc.)