Bug 4076

Summary:	Netscape can't launch with JavaScript set
Product:	[Retired] Red Hat Linux	Reporter:	Stephen P. Cohen <scohen>
Component:	netscape	Assignee:	David Lawrence <dkl>
Status:	CLOSED DUPLICATE	QA Contact:
Severity:	medium	Docs Contact:
Priority:	medium
Version:	6.0	CC:	davem
Target Milestone:	---
Target Release:	---
Hardware:	sparc
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version:		Doc Type:	Bug Fix
Doc Text:		Story Points:	---
Clone Of:		Environment:
Last Closed:	1999-07-28 22:55:10 UTC	Type:	---
Regression:	---	Mount Type:	---
Documentation:	---	CRM:
Verified Versions:		Category:	---
oVirt Team:	---	RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team:	---	Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description Stephen P. Cohen 1999-07-16 15:37:26 UTC

Netscape will abort a launch attempt if it has been
previously closed with Edit Preference Java Script
selected.  It crashes (without a core dump) with 'Illegal
Instruction' message.

If the .netscape directory is deleted from your home
directory, Netscape will launch correctly.  Exit (or close)
Netscape - you'll not be able to launch again until
the .netscape directory is deleted.

However, if after it launches the Edit Preferences Java
Script option is de-selected, Netscape can then be closed
and launched correctly.

Once launched, if the Edit Preferences Java Script is re-
selected, Netscape will crash when the Edit Preferences
window is closed.

This process is repeatable on my SunSPARCstation IPX with
64Mb memory, Weitek chip, and Sun 8 bit frame buffer color
monitor.

Comment 1 Stephen P. Cohen 1999-07-16 15:52:59 UTC

FYI.  Three commands were entered prior to running the events
described in this report.  They were:

chkfontpath --add /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi
chkfontpath --remove /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi
/etc/rc.d/init.d/xfs restart

Comment 2 Stephen P. Cohen 1999-07-16 15:54:59 UTC

Several components were upgraded prior to running the events
described in this report.  They include

kernel to 2.2.5-22
XFree stuff upgraded from -49 to -52 as found on rh errata pages.

Comment 3 Bill Nottingham 1999-07-16 16:37:59 UTC

Unable to replicate on Ultra5 or Sparc10.
Able to replicate (somewhat; it never actually starts)
on an IPX. (with 14M memory. This took a while to test. ;) )

I'd say that sparc netscape has sun4c problems. :(

I'll report it to netscape, although since they seem to
have forgotten to release a 4.6 or 4.61 for sparc, I'm
not sure how concerned they are about fixing it.

Comment 4 Stephen P. Cohen 1999-07-16 16:46:59 UTC

Make certain you're launching netscape-communicator.  netscape-
navigator 'just sits there' as you say.  Remember to launch
communicator after having deleted the .netscape directory.

Comment 5 Bill Nottingham 1999-07-16 17:07:59 UTC

Nope -
netscape-communicator SIGILLs immediately, regardless of the
state of the ~/.netscape directory.
netscape-navigator sits spinning after its dns-helper process
SIGILLs.

Comment 6 Stephen P. Cohen 1999-07-16 18:35:59 UTC

Some success was seen in launching with the following options:

netscape-communicator -noinstall -ncols 128

You might also try -ncols 4 or some very low number.

Also, I often had to re-boot the computer.  This forced the system to
launch netscape from disk rather than from system memory cache.

Another tip - try restarting xfs.

Comment 7 Bill Nottingham 1999-07-17 03:39:59 UTC

Nope, seems to be pretty much broken on all the sun4c's we have here.
DaveM, any particular reason it would blow up on sun4c and not 4m/4u?

Comment 8 Bill Nottingham 1999-07-28 22:55:59 UTC

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 3514 ***