Win 95 / IE 5.5 / Registry hack / SQL blues...

[Catdog02 0]

Right. We've been having a problem here at work with with a group of Win95 machines. They all use IE 5.5 to view intranet links to a SQL database (don't know what type) which are URL's delivered through Lotus Notes 4.6. The users can open approximatley 5 - 15 of these links, (they're just printing out the data from the database onto the screen, and then out to a Laser Jet.) and then IE packs up and won't display the text data on screen. If I try printing - it still prints properly, but the users need to check the accuracy of the output beore they print. So basically after X URLs, IE stops displaying text. The background is still there. The only work around is to restart and continue until next time it happens.

 

I've tried:

 

1. Clearing the Temp Internet Folder - No.

 

2. Forcing Memory mangement to use a "proper" amount of swap space (2x RAM) - No difference

 

3. Resizing the IE temp folders buffer. Some Yahoo around here uses registry hacks to lock down settings such as this, so I had to find the keys and fix them up. I took it from 20MB to 400MB. I remember changing three keys, alas, I can't remember which ones, and someone has generously borrowed my documentation and not returned it. -made no difference anyway.

 

3. I suggested (tactfully) that the user slow down the rate at which they open the links, I can only assume he did this - the machine is a 600Mhz + Pentium 3 with 128MB RAM - I was thinking maybe it was Win95 limitations causing the problem.

 

4. Installed SP2 for IE 5.5. - Again, no difference.

 

Has anyone encountered anyhing like this before? perhaps I've missed something? Two others have had a look at the problem, and I don't believe they had any sucess either. I consider thier skills to be of a higher calibre than mine.

 

Regards

[adamvjackson 0]

Static/Dynamic IPs? Have you tried up[censored] NIC drivers?

[Catdog02 0]

Our IP's have an 8 day lease, It would make sense, but this problem can happen anywhere up to five times an hour. Also, these people are on the same subnet as everyone else on the floor - about 20 users, the others aren't complaining about lost network connectivity.

 

On a side note, I've also checked that "Office - Edit Current - Web viewer" setting in Notes specifies only IE as its default value.

[DS3Circuit 0]

With so many different variables involved, is there anyway to try a different browser to see if IE can be isolated as the problem or if its the OS?

[Catdog02 0]

I'm reluctant to try to be honest, if it isn't IE, we can't support it.

[adamvjackson 0]

Quote:

With so many different variables involved, is there anyway to try a different browser to see if IE can be isolated as the problem or if its the OS?

Quote:

I'm reluctant to try to be honest, if it isn't IE, we can't support it.

I agree with DS3Circuit, trying another browser, such as Phoenix, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera, etc. would be a necessary step in troubleshooting the problem. That would help determine if it is a browser problem, a Windows problem, etc.

[Catdog02 0]

Don't get me wrong, I agree too. But this isn't a test environment for me to go bounding through with non supported software - I'm with a government department.... I CANNOT install other web browsers, even though I want to.

[adamvjackson 0]

Oh, now that's more understandable. So the IT/IS department doesn't have a test machine that you could use?

[Catdog02 0]

I WISH I could go into full detail, but it's not good policy to spout off about your companies network over the Internet. I don't have a machine set up like those in question, and believe it or not, I can't actually get one - even though I do alot of the purchasing for small items like desktop machines around here... Grrr.

[adamvjackson 0]

I understand and respect your circumstances, please don't take my suggestions wrong, I was/am only trying to help!

 

 

That being said, are there any MSFT or 3rd party utilities that you could use to monitor the connection to the DC?

[DS3Circuit 0]

http://www.users.qwest.net/~careyh/tweaks.htm

 

Since your environment and troubleshooting abilities have been limited ... the best I can offer you is a link to help improve the native caching settings of JUST windows 95.

 

g'luck