Web browser does not open

1. Which computer are you using?
2. What Operating System (OS) are you using?
3. If you are using Linux which distro?
4. Do you know how to use the terminal?
5. What happens when you right click on an open part of the desktop?

 

Thanks so much for your message. The answers to your questions are as follows:

1. Mine is an Acer Aspire One Model ZG5. It has no hard drive - just 8 Gb of solid state memory and I have added more memory via an SD card. I have tried running it with and without the SD card in and it makes no difference to the browser problem.
2. It runs Linux (about which unfortunately I know nothing)
3. Linpus Lite v. 1.0.15.E
4. Not really.
5. Nothing happens if I right click on any icon or on any open part of the desktop.

Other applications seem to run OK (except for no response on right clicking).

Strange how this lack of browser opening just happened one day and updating Firefox to v. 3 by following the detailed instructions posted on this forum didn't do anything except update the Firefox icon.

I really appreciate your kind assistance.

Bob

 

Hi Bob,
The hard drive is an 8Gb SSD (Solid-state drive) not just a memory card.

The added SD card you inserted into the slot is just a memory card and the only way it could effect the booting of a program is if the program was installed onto the SD card to be run from the SD card. Then if the SD card is a slow card then the program may not start due to time out problems with the slow SD cards. Also if the card is not in the slot and the program was installed on the SD card then the program will not run.

I don't remember for sure, but I think that Linpus as it was originally shipped on the ZG5 did not have the option to right click on anything on the desktop. To get that function you needed to make some mods via terminal. When I first got my ZG5 I did a lot of research and did the mods and many more. However that was quite awhile back and since I also don't know much about the terminal usage (I mostly just copy and paste) I try and avoid it as much as possible. It makes me think I am back in the days of DOS which I was glad to leave behind.

Now to your problem, IMO your best and easiest solution is to dump Linpus and run the same OS (Operating System) I am on my ZG5, Linux Mint.

It is much more like Windows, very stable and easy to install. It will take a little longer to boot (almost like Windows) but you will be a lot more with your computer and easier also.

To accomplish it the easy way will require an external CD/DVD player. Another computer to download the Linux Mint Live CD/DVD and burn it to a blank disk. Once the disk is burnt then you connect the external USB CD/DVD to your ZG5 and boot from the Live CD/DVD. Once the OS boots (be patient booting from the CD/DVD is a little slow) just click on the install icon, follow the instruction (very easy to follow) reboot and enjoy. Linux Mint is considered the easiest distro to use for those switching from Windows to Linux.

If you have a wireless connection then you will need the password for that connection and you will need to create a password for Linux Mint.

You can download Linux Mint from....
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
I used the Live DVD 32-bit The standard version.

I just remembered that I have not added my wireless printer so I can't say it will work but I think it will. One of the sleep modes won't work right but one of them will but since I don't use them I only tested them. The windows may be larger than the viewable area and so be off the screen. The fix for that is place the cursor on an area of the window that is not active press the alt key and click on the window and drag it up to see the bottom part.

Ohh! I almost forgot that Linux Mint has a very good support forum at ....
http://forums.linuxmint.com/index.php

 

Thanks for that suggestion which I might look into when I have a bit more time. I was hoping to find a way of forcing the Firefox to run without resorting to installing a whole new operating system. If it were Windows, I would just look for the exe file in the Programs folder and run the exe file if the link from the desktop was broken. I would think there must be a way in Linux to do something similar since clearly when I did the upgrade to Firefox Version 3, the code I entered (in terminal mode I guess it was) accessed the Internet with no problem. I just don't know what to type in when in terminal mode to run the Firefox program. Maybe you or someone does.

Thanks again.

Bob

 

Bob, it is not a fault of Linux it is the fault of Acer. They crippled the version of Linpus to make it safer for the new Linux user. Linux definitely has the means to go in and fix the link but IMO Acer thought since for Linpus the process was too difficult for newbies as it requires the terminal.

You might try pressing Alt F2 while in the desktop and in the window that may open

run firefox

or

run firefox -safemode

on some Linux systems that may work and it will not hurt anything. Some systems need you to be in certain modes or certain directories to work etc.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it every which way checking the run in terminal box and not checking the run in terminal. entering the commands in the one line box that opens and entering the commands in the bigger screen that opened, etc. Sometimes I got a message saying no such command and other times it opened that same Firefox window that opens when I just click on the Firefox icon, i.e. Your last session closed unexpectedly and offering the two options - restore previous session and start a new session neither of which produces any joy.......

 

What happens when you select start a new session?

 

Nothing happens whether I select a new session or select a previous session.....

 

Re: Browser will not open - help please

Sorry to be tiresome but complete technophobe posting here....tried to get online the other night and the box comes up saying connection established but the revolving circle just spins when you have clicked on the internet tab. Is this the same problem being discussed here? (see, warned you). Donec, yours may well be the answer if only I understood a word you're saying

Can anyone spare the time to give me a words-of-one-syllable-for-thickos- answer?

Would be hugely appreciated.

If it helps, I have an Aspire One 150-Aw Netbook Linpus Linux Lite version (Jan 2009).

 

Re: Browser will not open - help please

Hi Winebox,
The trouble with trying to fix Linpus is that most people have moved on to other distros especially since the version of Linpus that shipped with the AAO was so crippled. I don't even have a version of Linpus around any more to really see if I could duplicate the problem.

With that said it doesn't sound like you are having the same problem they are discussing here. It really sounds like you are having connection problems not really browser problems.

Your "Aspire One 150-Aw" doesn't sound like an AAO number to me, as the Aw doesn't sound right even though it may be. On the bottom of the netbook there is a black label from Acer that should have words Acer One Series and on the next line it should have the model number. On one of mine it has ZG5. On another one it has KAV10. Another label is the white one (could have been rubbed off) that has a bar code on it and should have the manufacturing date on it along with the designation of the netbook like my ZG5 has "MFG.DATE:0807 AOA 110-1722". The KAV10 one has "Aspire one D150-1920 MFG Date:0903" . Look and see what yours says at those places.

1. Now does yours have a hard drive or does it have an SSD (Solid-state drive)?

2. Has anyone done any modifications to it?

3. What kind of connection do you use and do you have any other computers using the same source connection? Example: Are you using a broadband connection via wireless for your AAO or something else?

4. What do you use your AAO for? This can help us know if you can switch to a different OS (Operating System).

5. Do you have an external CD/DVD drive?

6. Do you have access to another computer with a DVD burner?

Answering those questions can help us find a solution for you.

 

Hi Donec, many thanks for reply will try & have a go at answering your qu's!

(edit: sorry didn't quote your post - it was the one immed prior to this, can't see an id number for posts)

The label underneath says Aspire One Series model no. ZG5. The bar code label says mfg.date 0809 AOA150 - Aw. Oh, there's that Aw bit again! Otherwise there are just the SNID & S/N. It's a notebook not a netbook I may be confusing the terminology. Anyway the qu's:

1. Failed at the first hurdle - no idea. *brainwave* - just found a recovery DVD which refers to the hard drive. Must be a clue. Unfortunately if this DVD is the answer I don't understand the instructions but that's my problem!

2. No, no mods whatsoever.

3. I have wireless broadband which the pc I'm doing this on runs off & also there is a NETbook in the house, both working OK.

4. All I've used it for so far is..browsing the internet. No files to back up, any downloads are usually deleted immediately.

5. Erm....there's a cd drive in this prehistoric pc. Does that count?

6. Can probably seek one out, though a few miles away....I'm in a pretty remote village so nothing's to hand!

Now I'm guessing that you're somewhat more clued up an all this than me but I'm pretty certain that the wireless connection isn't the problem; it has been in the past & I've managed to reset it but the "connection established" message that appears has always been the sign that the connection is made. Now, I'm not even getting as far as a firefox screen saying the url you requested could not be retrieved, or firefox could not access the page , or whatever the message is. I'm literally not getting past the browser icon on the home page, it won't even try! Which is what my original comment in pink was referring to.

Many thanks for your time & patience.

wb

 

Hi,I have experienced the same problem.I have also had my aspire for nearly two years.I tried everything,but ended up booting the system from my flash drive,which i downloaded from the recovery disc i recieved,when i bought the aspire.I had to do this a couple of times,but it did eventually work.If you need information on this The Acer Guy,has a website you could go to.He has a video with instructions on what to do,Hope this helps.Cheers

 

No problem.

It seems like that is just one I have not come across yet.

What size is your drive? According to my research it should be either an 8GB SSD or an 80GB Hard Drive.

Then how much RAM memory does it have?

That tells me that it is the netbook and may be due to an automatic update.

That means there is a solution if it is not hardware and really more than one solution.

New information caused me to try again to see if they have improved the USB options and they have. So you probably don't need an external drive.

That is too bad. We'll see what can be done.

Well I've been in and around computers since the early 80's and have built them and taught classes on them professionally and as a hobby.

When the message connection established is shown but the computer keeps searching it is often the case of the OS not being able to identify the connection and so the OS is saying that it sees the wireless card and it is working but it is still trying to find the net which it can not do until it knows what to call the wireless card when it sends out the wireless signal to the net. This is most often a software problem but could be hardware.

The thing to do now is find out which it is.
1. When you first boot you should see a message to press F2 for setup or press F12 change boot order. If you do not see the message about pressing F12 the go into the setup and see if under the Main tab the F12 Boot Menu is enabled or disabled if disabled the enable it.

2. Do you have an USB Memory stick? Come to think of it you will probably need 2 USB memory sticks 1 can be 1Gb or higher and the other needs to be 4Gb or higher.
Note if you do not have a USB memory stick you can buy one with Live DVD 32-bit The standard version on it for $17.95.

3. You will need to download Live DVD 32-bit The standard version from....
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
and save it to the smaller USB memory stick. Of course you can download it and just copy it to the USB memory stick.

4. You will need to download Pendrivelinux.com's USB installer from....
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/
near the bottom of the page.

5. Once you have both You place them in USB slots on the same computer. Then in Windows you run the Universal-USB-Installer-1.8.3.1 from where ever you saved it. When it starts you will see the Universal-USB-Installer window. The first thing is to select the distro you want to install which is Linux Mint 10. Then you will need to browse to the location of the Linux Mint Live DVD 32-bit The standard version ISO file you downloaded to the small USB memory stick and select it. Then you will need to select the 4Gb or larger USB memory stick. Make sure you have the right drive. and click on create.

This will make the 4Gb USB memory stick into a Linux Mint Live USB drive that you can boot from. The next thing to do is boot from it and check out if the wireless works.

 

quote from donec "Well I've been in and around computers since the early 80's and have built them and taught classes on them professionally and as a hobby."

Ahem, & I'm going to drive you nuts!!!!!!!!!

You are so kind to have taken the time thus far, but you're losing me with the techie-speak; what I'm going to do is print off our dialogue so far & find someone (I think a friend of a friend fairly locally will understand of what you speak!) with more know-how than me to translate.

Which might mean I come back to you with questions in turn (you'll know it's not me speaking ha ha!!) if that's OK, probably after the weekend.

(SD card? external cd/dvd drive? huh? it's a foreign language!)

Thanks again for your time, I'll stop wasting it for now but will let you know the outcome

wb

 

Wb as you will see in the last post I edited I have a much simpler way to help. The instructions are near the bottom. just post any questions or you can PM me with your email and we can do it via email. The geek speak is needed to figure the options but to get you setup on Linux Mint is very easy but may not fix the problem if your problem is hardware or if the drivers you need are not built into Linux Mint which I can't know because of the many different versions of AAO.

 

Re: Browser will not open - help please

A simple fix is if you are using the IE icon brower short cut, delete it and just clik on the original explorer icon.

Go to "All programs" and clik on "Internet Explorer".

 

It seems like I'm another of those who has been affected by the 'spinning circle but browser not opening' problem. Again it was mid-January 2011 that this started happening and have not been able to access the internet via my netbook since then. Had the Acer Aspire One (model ZG5 with Linux OS) since Jan 2009.

If something 'big' has happened which is affecting a lot of people then is it not something that we should be contacting Acer about directly? Or should they not be coming back with some kind of official response re a 'fix'? Have looked at a few threads which seem to be about this broswer issue, and tried to follow a few of the responses, but to no avail.

Looks like I'm maybe going to have to look at buying something else.

 

It seems to me that it was caused by an automatic upgrade in Firefox and Linpus is not happy with the upgrade. As far as Acer is concerned they will not help with Operating Systems instead they say contact the makers of the operating system this is common among most of the different computer manufacturing companies.
In stead of thinking about buying something else you could try installing Linux Mint which is free. It works fine on my AAO ZG5 without any modifications that many Linux distros require.

 

Hi,

I too have a ZG5, running linpus lite and sadly cannot open my firefox browser. I would like to try and uninstall firefox (4.0) and install an older version but cannot find anywhere that gives me a tutorial on removing the program. I have even tried the add/remove function in the OS and that wont work. System update just hangs. I feel like this netbook is finished.

Hope someone can help.

 

I phoned the Acer helpdesk and the man there said they are being inundated with calls relating to the firefox/linux problem and can only recommend running the recovery disc.

If you're unsure how to do it, then here's a tutuorial from the acer guy:

http://www.theacerguy.com/2008/09/aspire-one-recovery/