Win98SE and Netscape woes..

[Fardringle]

I have come across a problem that I simply can't solve, and hope someone out there knows what to do.

This is a clean install of Win98SE (actually, the drive has been wiped and reinstalled 4 times trying to resolve this problem) and everything seems to work perfectly until I install Netscape, at which point both Netscape and Internet Explorer crash CONSTANTLY. After Netscape has been installed, neither it or IE will stay open for more than a minute before I get Page Fault errors in KERNEL32.DLL. This problem happens no matter what version of Netscape is installed (I have tried 4.5, 4.51, 4.6, 4.74, and 4.76) and it immediately disappears (IE works without errors) as soon as Netscape is uninstalled. This system is for my wife, and she really prefers using Netscape, as it is what they use in her office and she is familiar with it, so if you can help me I would be extremely grateful!!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fardringle]

Anybody?

 

[AC]

hmm, i haven't seen this before, so these are only some ideas...

did u run windows update to get the latest updates for WIN98SE and IE?
try installing only the browser part of communicator and not winamp and realplayer
wouldn't be faulty RAM would it?
does it pertain to specific web sites, or it just refuses to stay open?

 

[RM1]

Ever heard of Win98 Lite? It is basically an installer that installs 98 without the "eye candy" (less graphics), thus making the shell runs faster. It also allows you to NOT install IE.

I am using it on my notebook, my desktop, my parents PC and my sister's PC.



98 Lite

 

[evanichka]

what mobo do you have? if it's non-intel, try download the latest drivers for the chipsets

 

[themadmonk]

Sounds like a bad DLL somewhere there, something both Browsers share.

 

[Fardringle]

AC:
Nope, haven't run the updates, I'll try that, I never install anything other than the browser and Flash plugins for Netscape, the RAM has worked fine in this system for a year, and seems to work with everything except NS and IE, and it isn't any particular site-the browsers just won't stay open...

RM1:

Yeah, I've heard of 98Lite, and may use it, but it doesn't really look like IE is the problem, as IE seems to work fine until NS is installed, and then neither of them work...

evanichka:
It's an EPOX MVP3G5, and I have installed the latest manufacturer drivers as well as the 4.26 VIA 4-in-1 drivers. Same problem with or without the drivers installed.

themadmonk:
I'd normally agree with you, but the same problem in FOUR separate clean installations (and tried with two different install CDs)?


Thanks for all of the suggestions, I'll let you know if anything helps!