Is Your Internet Browser Y2K Compliant?

Most of us use our web browser to obtain information at least once a week; some of us even use it once a day. Let's face it, the Internet is a very powerful tool in research. What if that tool was taken from us? We would be limited to doing research at the library, through interviews, or through conducting our own experiments. So, will the "Y2K bug" affect your Internet browser?

The two major Internet browsers are Netscape and Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer generally comes installed on most Windows 95 and Windows 98 machines because it is a Microsoft product. On the other hand, a third party, such as Computer Cervices, the computer manufacturer, or the end user may install Netscape.

According to the experts at Netscape, all of their products are compliant. However, they can not vouch for the third party software that uses their product. This means things that are not compliant, such as Windows 95 and Outlook 97 without their patches, may make Netscape not function properly. Let's face it, if our operating system is not compliant, we can pretty much bet that our other programs may not work either. Netscape did provide a chart of all of their products and their compliance. It is listed below. If it is not listed below, Netscape does not support for Y2K.

To determine what version of Netscape you have, open up Netscape and click on Help à About. If you feel that it is necessary to upgrade your web browser to the newer versions (Netscape 4.08 and Netscape Communicator 4.61), the directions to do this through the network here at LSUHSC are listed below.

Before installing this or any other program, you should always run maintenance on your machine. Please refer to the article Cleaning Up My Machine for instructions on running scandisk and defrag. In addition, it is highly recommended that you close any open programs, including the MS Office Toolbar.

1. First, you need to make sure you have the minimum memory requirements for the version of Netscape that you would like to install. They are as follows:


1. Netscape Navigator 4.08 32-bit 11 MB
2. Netscape Communicator 4.51 32-bit 20 MB
3. Netscape Communicator 4.61 32-bit 26 MB
4. Netscape Communicator 4.71 32-bit 32 MB


2. Backup your bookmarks by clicking on your start button go to find à files and folders. Then, in the Named box, type "bookmark.*" without the quotes. Make sure that C: (drive) is in the Look In box. Click on the file named bookmark.htm to select the file. On the toolbar click edit à copy. Next, go into Windows Explorer and go into a folder you save things in like My Documents. Now, click edit à paste. The bookmark file should show up in the folder you selected.
3. Close out of all of the screens you have open except for Windows.
4. Right click with your mouse on network neighborhood. A menu should pop up with map a network drive as a selection. Select map a network drive.
5. A box will appear. In the path box, type "\\SH-CSRV1\year2000" without the quotes. It does not matter what drive letter appears in the drive box. Deselect reconnect at logon. Now click the OK button.
6. A box should come up with several folders in it. If it does not, do not panic, just double click on my computer and look for \\SH-CSRV1\year2000 and double-click on it.
7. Now double click on the Netscape folder.
8. If you would like Netscape Navigator 4.08 Browser only, double-click on the Navigator Browser 4.08 folder and, then, double-click on n32e408.exe. If you would like Netscape Communicator 4.61 double click on the Communicator 4.61 and, then, double-click on cc32e461.exe. Communicator includes the browser, as well as Messenger, Composer, AOL Instant Messenger, RealPlayer, multimedia plug-ins, and several other features.
9. You should follow all of the prompts and just keep the settings that Netscape has already set up for you. This means you want to do a typical install.
10. After it installs, you will want to restart your computer.
11. Now double click on the Netscape icon on your desktop. It will prompt you to set up a new profile. Follow the directions for putting in your name and etc. When it asks you what type of network setup you have, you will select Local Area Network or LAN if your computer is hooked up to our network at LSUHSC.
12. If you would like to import your old bookmarks, in Netscape on the toolbar click bookmarks à edit bookmarks. Now, in the new window, click file à import… In the look in box, click on the down arrow and find the folder you stored your bookmark.htm. Select the bookmark.htm file and click OK. This should place your bookmarks in the list. Close out of the bookmarks screen and you are finished.
13. Lastly, you will run scandisk and defrag. Check with the article on "Cleaning Up My Machine" in this newsletter.

1. First, you need to make sure you have the minimum memory requirements for the version of Netscape that you would like to install. They are as follows:


1. Netscape Communicator 4.08 16-bit 20.4 MB
2. Nescape Navigator 4.08 16-bit 10 MB


2. Next you need to run scandisk on your machine. You may want to refer to the article in this newsletter called "Cleaning Up My Machine".
3. In Main, go into you file manager. Click on file à search…. In the named box type "bookmark.htm" and then click the OK button. It should find a bookmark.htm file. Select this file. Now click on file à copy. Now type in a folder that you normally save things in (ex: c:\temp) and click on the OK button.
4. On the toolbar click on disk à connect a network drive. In the path box type \\SH-CSRV1\year2000. Make sure that the reconnect at logon is not selected. When it brings up the new window, look in the right side of the window and double click on the Netscape folder.
5. Now double click on the Win3.1x and, then, double-click N16e408.exe file.
6. You should follow all of the prompts and just keep the settings that Netscape has already set up for you. This means you want to do a typical install.
7. After it installs, you will want to restart your computer.
8. Now double click on the Netscape icon in your Netscape group.
9. If you would like to import your old bookmarks, in Netscape on the toolbar click à bookmarks à edit bookmarks. Now, in the new window, click à file à import… In the look in box, click on the down arrow and find the folder you stored your bookmark.htm. Select the bookmark.htm file and click OK. This should place your bookmarks in the list. Close out of the bookmarks screen and you are finished.
10. Lastly, you will run defrag. Check with the article called "Cleaning Up My Machine" in this newsletter.

As far as Internet Explorer experts are concerned, the compliance issue for their product is not quite as simple as the compliance issue for Netscape. Internet Explorer only has one version of its browser that is compliant, Internet Explorer 5.0. This is their latest version of their browser. As for the other versions of Internet Explorer, they all require patches. Below is a chart of each browser and an Internet address that will take you to the site to download the patches yourself. Below the chart are some instructions on how to download the files successfully and install the patches onto your machine.

Note: Compliance ratings given for each product assumes that all recommended actions have been taken.

1. You need at least 14 MB of free space on your machine to install these patches.
2. Next you need to run scandisk on your machine. You may want to refer to the article in this newsletter called "Cleaning Up My Machine".
3. Right click with your mouse on network neighborhood. A menu should pop up with map a network drive as a selection. Select map a network drive.
4. In the Drive box type "\\SH-CSRV1\year2000". It does not matter what letter is specified in the Path box. Make sure reconnect at logon is not selected.
5. A box should come up with several folders in it. If it does not, do not panic, just double click on my computer and look for \\SH-CSRV1\year2000 and double click on \\SH-CSRV1\year2000. Make sure that the reconnect at logon is not selected.
6. Now double click on the IE folder.
7. Double click on the IE3.xx folder.
8. Double click on the IE 3.02 year 2000 Folder.
9. Double click on the ie302y2k.exe file.
10. This should place the files needed for IE 3.xx on your computer.
11. When finished, get back to the IE folder and double click on the MS Virtual Machine folder.
12. Double click in the MSJavx86.exe. This should install the Java files needed to update for your IE 3.x.
13. Lastly, you will run defrag. Check with the article on "Cleaning Up My Machine" in this newsletter.

1. You need at least 9 MB of free space on your machine to install these patches.
2. Next you need to run scandisk on your machine. You may want to refer to the article in this newletter called "Cleaning Up My Machine".
3. In Main, double-click on File Manager. On the toolbar click on disk à connect a network drive. In the path box type \\SH-CSRV1\year2000. Make sure that the reconnect at logon is not selected. When it brings up the new window, look in right side of the window and double click on the supported folder.
4. Next double click on the IE folder.
5. Double click on the IEWin3.xx folder.
6. Double click on the IE303SP1 folder.
7. Double click on the dlful30f.exe file.
8. This should bring your IE 3.xx for Windows for Workgroups up to speed.

1. You need at least 2 MB of free space on your machine to install these patches.
2. Next you need to run scandisk on your machine. You may want to refer to the article in this newsletter called "Cleaning Up My Machine".
3. Right click with your mouse on network neighborhood. A menu should pop up with map a network drive as a selection. Select map a network drive.
4. In the Drive box type \\SH-CSRV1\year2000 (without quotes). It does not matter what letter is specified in the Path box. Make sure reconnect at logon is not selected.
5. A box should come up with several folders in it. If it does not, do not panic, just double click on my computer and look for \\SH-CSRV1\year2000 and double click on \\SH-CSRV1\year2000.
6. Now double click on the IE folder.
7. Double click on the Ie4.01 folder.
8. Double click on the comctl32.dll folder.
9. Double click on the 401comupd.exe file.
10. This should place the files needed for IE 4.0 on your computer.
11. Close that window with the 401comupd.exe file in it. Now double click on the Internet Explorer 4.01 SP2 Setup folder.
12. Double click in the ie4setup.exe. This should install the files needed to update for your IE 4.0 to IE4.01, SP2.
13. Lastly, you will run defrag. Check with the article on "Cleaning Up My Machine" in this newsletter.

Note: If you never use your Internet browser, you may not want to bother installing patches on your machine.