How do I Get Rid of the Welcome to Netscape Messenger Page?

Applies to: Communicator 4.5 and up
Operating Systems: Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT.

Problem: How do I get rid of the "Netscape Communications Services/Welcome to Netscape Messenger" page that appears every time I start Messenger?

Solution:

You can either disable the Messenger Start Page or change the URL it loads.

To disable it:

1. CLOSE COMMUNICATOR !!! This procedure will not work otherwise ...
2. Use the Windows Explorer file manager and go to your ...\Netscape\Users\{username}\ directory.
3. Find the file named prefs.js and make a backup copy. You can do this quickly in Windows Explorer by right-clicking prefs.js, choosing Copy, then right-click a blank space in Explorer's right pane and choose Paste.
4. Use Notepad or another text editor to open prefs.js.
5. Add the following line on a line of its own:

user_pref("mailnews.start_page.enabled", false);

You may wish to copy and paste the above line to avoid misspellings.
 

6. If you typed in the above line, verify that it is exactly as shown above. Errors will cause this to fail to work, and may result in a corrupted prefs.js file.
7. Close the text editor and save changes.
8. Restart Netscape.

To change the URL:

1. Follow steps 1-4 above.
2. Add the following on a line of its own:

user_pref("mailnews.start_page.url", "http://home.netscape.com/");

Replace http://home.netscape.com/ with the full URL you wish to use instead.

3. Verify that line is exactly as shown above, with the URL you wish to use in quotes. Errors will cause this to fail to work, and may result in a corrupted prefs.js file.
4. Close the text editor and save changes.
5. Restart Netscape.

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For Information On More Communicator Custom Preferences, See: Advanced Communicator Preferences