Communicator

A recopilation of some Java problems

 
These procedures have resolved one problem sometime. They are extracted from Communicator users and Netscape. 

If you are having problems you can try some of them, even if the header doesn't apply exactly to your problem. Some of them are easy to try and harmless, but be careful with others. 

 You can get help at:  Thanks to all the people in the group 
If you don't resolve your problems try the two helpers aside. There are a lof of good people in that group, good in every sense. 
If you resolve your problems please tell me what and how, for track purpose 

You can always disable Java, and keep surfing
 

Problems:

  1. Starting Java....
    1. It takes forever to load
    2. Java freeze (chapter II)
    3. Norton Crash
    4. NT "lock up" displaying "Starting Java" on the bottom of the window
    5. There is a special case for ATI display adapters
    6. Java crash on launch
  2. CLASSPATH & files lost
    1. File java_3.0x not found in CLASSPATH
    2. Can't find java40.jar in CLASSPATH
    3. CLASSPATH
    4. Cannot connect to localhost from origin <local-classpath-classes>
  3. Every time I go to a Java-enabled site, I get a *.jar error messages, and it keeps complaining about Java applet not signed
  4. Javascript error:http://personal.netscape.com/custom/page/show_page.html line 28 syntax error <hr><h3>transfer interupted!</h3>
  5. Error "Issuer certificate is invalid [-8156] ... Java reported the following error on startup: javalang.SecurityException: system classes were not signed"
  6. Security violation: security.no codebase available to compare file/C//Program Files etc..
  7. Java applets don't work
  8. Java 1.1 applets in Communicator
  9. Java Clocks shows an incorrect hour
 
 

It takes forever to load

    From an user:

        Create a new user profile and see if it works

Problems ; 
Java freeze (Chapter II)

    From an user:

        Look for these files in your users/[username] directory:

            SignedAppletDB0
            signed0.db
            signedapplet0.db

        If they aren't there, then you can either copy these files into your user directory from netscape/communicator/program/defaults
or create a new user profile and trash your old one. They are also available from: http://www.sousystems.com/faq/

        The problem seems to be related to installation of 4.02, principally with base version, and the NetCaster (for the first time included in installation file).This files ARE NOT indispensable (I don´t have here, and I have NetCaster) but to some people they are the solution.

Problems ; 
Norton Crash

        Norton Crash for the Mac is a beta product. If you are installing Communicator on a Macintosh with Norton Crash Guard, you might get problems. You will also likely run into trouble  while browsing Java-enables sites.
        Symantec Corporation, maker of  Norton Crash Guard, is aware of the problem and will post a fix as soon as it is ready. In the meantime, turn off the Crash Guard before installing Communicator and during Web browsing.
 

Problems ; 
NT "lock up" displaying "Starting Java" on the bottom of the window

        Are you running in true-color mode? Have you installed Service Pack 3? If so, this may be the problem: Java lockups in True Color display depths
        Here is the fix:        ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/nt40/hotfixes-postsp3/java-fix
        There are risks involved with installing hotfixes, I suggest reading the included files at the above site *CAREFULLY*
 

Problems ; 
There is a special case for ATI display adapters

        Short version: try setting your video color palette to anything other than "True Color"
 

Problems ; 
Java crash on launch

     From an user:

        If I open the Java Console right after starting Communicator I am be able to run java applets.
        BUT, even that launch of the java console is not always successful
 

Problems ; 
File java_3.0x not found in CLASSPATH

        It displays the current value of the CLASSPATH environment variable which by simple inspection you can see it contains the file in question.
        See #54 of the UFAQ: http://www.sousystems.com/faq/text_version.html
 

Problems ; 
Can't find java40.jar in CLASSPATH

  From an user:

        First of all, the problem seems to arise when you try to install Communicator over an older version of Netscape, in the same directories
        The fix is to totally eradicate all traces of the earlier version and then install Communicator on a virgin system which now believes that it has never heard of Netscape before.
        Here are the steps:

  1. If you got Communicator via that huge 2+ hour download, make sure you have it saved in a safe place, such as a special directory under the root directory, and not in any directory in the Netscape chain, because you're going to delete those directories and everything in them.  You don't want to lose that hard-gotten download
  2. Uninstall Communicator, as well as the older version of Netscape if present, from the Add/Remove Programs icon under Control Panel
  3. Go to Start/Run and in the Run line type regedit.  Then go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER | Software | Netscape and delete the Netscape folder. Close the registry editor
  4. Go to Windows Explorer and delete all the Navigator and Communicator folders and subfolders.  If you drag them to the trash bin, empty the trash bin afterwards so they're really gone
  5. Restart the computer so it will re-read the registry
  6. Reinstall Communicator by running the original download file.  Make sure it installs to C:\Program Files\netscape\communicator, which should be the default location
  7. You will probably have to set up new user profiles and delete the old ones.  Make sure they go into C:\Program Files\Netscape\Users and not into a subdirectory of Communicator.  For me, this was automatic

    8. Java should now work.  Try calling up the Java Console under the Communicator menu and see if it comes up.  Or try accessing a web site that gave you trouble before
     

Problems  
CLASSPATH

        The Java Developers Kit (JDK) may have the CLASSPATH environment variable set to point to the zip file that contains all the java classes such as this:
                CLASSPATH=.:/usr/local/java/jdk1.1.1/lib/classes.zip

        Sun recommends that the variable only point to the directory in which the zip files lives:
                CLASSPATH=.:/usr/local/java/jdk1.1.1/lib

Problems ; 
Cannot connect to localhost from origin <local-classpath-classes>

  From an user:

        "My applet is loading from the local hard drive, and attempting to make a socket connection to the same localhost"

        The problem is that the CLASSPATH is pointing to the same classes as the server. Netscape then loads the classes as though they are system classes which conflicts with what the server is loading.  Remove the application directory from the CLASSPATH and it should work.

Problems ; 
Every time I go to a Java-enabled site, I get a *.jar error messages, and it keeps complaining about Java applet not signed

        This happens occasionally if you had several beta versions without uninstalling each one
        The simplest way to get rid of the errors is to create a new user profile:
  1. In Communicator Program group, choose Utilities, and then User Profile Manager
  2. Select New Profile
  3. Enter your user information, but give this profile a slightly different name
  4. When asked for user directory, choose a new directory
        When Communicator starts, you should not be getting any Java errors
        You might want to move your address book, bookmark and mail files into your new profile.
        Locate your /Netscape/Users directory, open the old profile, and copy abook.nab, bookmark.html, and the Mail and News folders into the corresponding location in the new profile directory.
        When everything is working OK, you can remove the old profile: Start User Profile manager again, click on the old file name, and select Delete.
 

Problems ; 
Javascript error:http://personal.netscape.com/custom/page/show_page.html line 28 syntax error <hr><h3>transfer interrupted!</h3>

    From an user:

        Close Communicator, and rename your cookies.txt file to cookies.bak. Restart Communicator and try again.
 

Problems ; 
Error "Issuer certificate is invalid [-8156] ... Java reported the following error on startup: javalang.SecurityException: system classes were not signed"

        The problem is still under investigation, but at this time we have several fixes, one or more of which will hopefully clear up the problems many in this newsgroup are seeing. They are listed in the order that is easiest to fix. If one does not work, move on to the next one in the list:
  1. Most of the problems that cause Java to become completely inoperative revolve around one of several things being corrupted in the cert7.db file in the ...\Netscape\Users\{username} directory. The solution to this is to export any security certificates (digital IDs) that may be present, then rename cert7.db to cert7.bad with Netscape closed and it will be rebuilt when you restart Netscape and you can import the saved certs. If not, keep reading
  2. Click on the Security button, then on 'Signers' on the left. A list of signers will appear. Scroll down the list to 'VeriSign Class 3 Primary CA', click on it to highlight it, then click the Edit button. Be sure that the box to the left of 'Accept this Certificate Authority for Certifying software developers' is checked. Also do this for the VeriSign Class 2 Primary CA and VeriSign Class 4 Primary CA entries. Click OK, close and restart Communicator, then go to a Java page (such as http://www.cnn.com/ ) and see if it works. If not, keep reading
  3. Download the certificates that appear to be causing the problem from http://services.verisign.com:8080/netscape_os_ca_certs.html You should click on both links on that page, and carefully follow any instructions that appear on the screen. When complete, close and restart Communicator, then go to a Java page (such as http://www.cnn.com/ ) and see if it works. If not, keep reading
  4. Set up a new user profile. Step-by-step info is available in Help | Help Contents, then in the lower left hand corner click User Profiles, then click on Creating User Profiles. Give the profile a different name from the current one, and be sure it is in a different location from your current one. If Java now works, you can copy your files, except for cert7.db and key3.db, over to the new directory (user profiles are stored in ...\Netscape\Users\ on Windows)
  5. Uninstall and reinstall Communicator. This should be considered a last resort
  6. Uninstall Communicator, delete all instances of cert7.db and key3.db in your ...\Netscape\Users\{username}\ directory, and reinstall Communicator. This should be considered an absolute last resort, since you will lose all Verisign Digital ID certificates that you may have installed if you use this solution

Problems ; 
Security violation: security.no codebase available to compare file/C//Program Files...

    From an user:

        Maybe you need to enable codebase principals by editing your prefs.js file to add:
            user_pref("signed.applets.codebase_principal_support", true);

        See    http://developer.netscape.com/library/technote/security/sectn2.html

        Make sure you have a backup, and do the editing while Communicator is shut down.

Problems ; 
Java applets don't work

        If you have disabled Java support and then re-enabled it again during the same Communicator session, then the Java Applets will not work. Java support is enabled when Communicator is first launched.

 

Problems ; 
Java 1.1 applets in Communicator 4.01

        Communicator doesn't yet fully support 1.1, have a look here...   http://developer.netscape.com/library/documentation/communicator/javajdk.html
 
 

Problems ; 
Java Clocks shows an incorrect hour

        Java in Communicator has a bug rendering the basic time conversion methods useless.  It is a known bug
 


Problems 

"If that is the choice,
I am against you"
     Juda Ben-Hur