Ever since version 4.0, Netscape included an uninvited addition to Communicator: AOL Instant Messanger (AIM). Even if you choose the Custom install, there's no option to remove it from the installation. However, there is a way to do that:
1. Make sure your TEMP dir (normally C:\WINDOWS\TEMP) is empty.
2. Start your Communicator installation as you normally would.
3. As soon as the first screen appears, ALT+TAB out of the installation.
4. You should find the extracted files in your TEMP dir. Copy all of them to a directory of your choice
(except the subdirs - unnecessary).
5. Return to the installation, and cancel it out.
6. Now you have an extracted installation set. in it, Open AIM.INI.
7. Find the line ";INVISIBLE=YES", and change it to "INVISIBLE=NO" (or just remove the entire line).
Now install Netscape from the modified installation set, and choose Custom. You'll get the option not to install AIM!
I've performed this procedure on the standard editions of Communicator, versions 4.04, 4.05, 4.06, 4.07, 4.5 (PR1, PR2, final), 4.51, 4.6. It works well on all of them.
NOTE:
You will breach the terms and conditions of the NETSCAPE CLIENT PRODUCTS END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT, if you distribute this modified version without using CCK (Client Customization Kit).
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