# Another computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468 "2005-06-08T15:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/1 "2005-06-08T15:43:45Z")
Sorry for doing this; I know there are probably too many computer questions in GQ but I need some help. I read the whole computer sticky and I didn’t find what I was looking for. I use Netscape as my browser. A little bit ago when I opened it, a box popped up saying something about default profile already being in use. One of my options was to create a new profile which I did, thinking I would be asked to choose a profile when Netscape started. I thought wrong. :rolleyes: How can I get to the original profile and get rid of the new one? It wouldn’t be such a big deal but I just spent two hours searching and bookmarking some sites that I need and I don’t want to lose them. Please help and if you think I am total idiot, feel free to tell me. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/2 "2005-06-08T17:20:00Z")
I found a couple sites that offer help with this problem. However, they have uncovered a new problem. The instructions they give are as follows…Start\>Programs\>Netscape\>Utilities\>User Profile Manager. At step three, my only two options are Netscape Browser and Uninstall. I can’t find Utilities or User Profile Manager. Am I stupid? Is there somewhere else I should be looking? Should I throw the damn computer out the window? ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/3 "2005-06-08T18:03:03Z")
I have had this problem with Firefox (a derivitive of Netscape), and in my experience, it was always caused by a hung browser process. o Click **Cancel** on the profile dialog. o Close out everything. o Right-click on the task bar and click **Task Manager…** o Click the **Processes** tab. o Find any rogue “netscape.exe” processes, select them, and then click **End Process** You should then be able to run Netscape without this problem. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/4 "2005-06-08T18:13:08Z")
Sorry, that didn’t help. I don’t have any extra “netscape.exe” processes running. I think all I need is a way to delete the second profile I created but I can’t seem to find a way to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/5 "2005-06-08T18:25:34Z")
> [@melondeca](#): > > The instructions they give are as follows…Start\>Programs\>Netscape\>Utilities\>User Profile Manager. That is typically shorthand describing the location of a file that you want to look at/edit/delete/etc. You should use Windows Explorer or something similar to search down thru those directories on your hard drive to find the file. They are **not** talking about starting programs named that way. But they probably didn’t explain that very clearly. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/6 "2005-06-08T18:28:44Z")
If you can’t find Profile Manager, try this. Locate the Netscape folder in which your profiles reside. [How do I locate my Profiles folder?](http://ilias.ca/netscape/profilefaq/#locations) Manually delete the one with the most recent date. (From what you’ve told us, there should be two, the earliest dated being the one you want to keep.) ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/7 "2005-06-08T18:41:15Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > If you can’t find Profile Manager, try this. Locate the Netscape folder in which your profiles reside. > > [How do I locate my Profiles folder?](http://ilias.ca/netscape/profilefaq/#locations) > > Manually delete the one with the most recent date. (From what you’ve told us, there should be two, the earliest dated being the one you want to keep.) I am going to write you a song of praise as soon as I come up with a word that rhymes with your name. Thank you so much for your assistance. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/8 "2005-06-08T23:17:51Z")
Glad you were able to get going again! Bearing in mind that I know nothing about Netscape and am basing this on my experience with Firefox… I suspect that there _was_ a hung “netscape.exe” at the moment when you first saw that “default profile already in use” message; however, you chose to create a new profile, and this may have caused the behavior you described, even after rebooting (and consequently killing any rogue processes). For future reference, if you ever see that message again, try cancelling it instead, followed by a quick check for hung Netscape processes. Kill any and then try starting Netscape again. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-computer-question/307468/9 "2005-06-09T13:44:03Z")
Thanks for that advice. I will remember that if it ever happens again.