Here we present brief comments on how to install and configure the right combination of the browser and molecular display plug-in (Chime) for a PC and Mac computers. You may also want to review the general information on compatibilities issues (check the browsers link), how to view our pages, and how to use Chime.

Read the instructions completely before you proceed (you may want to print this page for reference). If you are unsure how to do these installations, find a computer-expert friend. Note that the PSU computer labs have restrictions on program installation.

I.  Installation options for PCs running Windows (NT, 2000, XP)

A.  Internet Explorer/Chime (the recommended combination)

1. Always install the browser first, and Chime second. Remove (uninstall) any old versions of Chime, if your computer has any (use "Add/Remove Programs" utility from your control panel).
2. Check your version of IE (under "Help-About IE" menu of your browser)
3. If you have an older version of IE (< 6) check the compatibility list on the MDL site. For most versions of Windows, a reasonably recent version of IE (> 5.5) is going to work fine with Chime, although we recommend the newest version of IE.
4. If necessary, download the newest IE and install it.
5. Download Chime.
6. Install Chime. Let Chime find automatically your browser(s) when asked during the installation.
7. Test the installation by viewing the Chime-help page using your IE browser (Chime should also work in NN 4.7x browser if you have one installed on your system, but it would not work in the recent version of NN  or FF).

B. Netscape Navigator 4.7x/Chime (not recommended, but simple)

1. Always install the browser first, and Chime second. Remove (uninstall) any old versions of Chime, if your computer has any (use "Add/Remove Programs" utility from your control panel).
2. Check your version(s) of Netscape (under "Help-About Netscape" menu of your browser). You may also want to check you program list using the Add/Remove Program utility in the control panel of your computer. If you have NN version 4.7x (4.75 - 4.79), skip to step 5 and proceed from there. 
3. If you do not have Netscape Navigator 4.7x, download one and install it. Version 4.75 is supported by MDL, but other 4.7x versions (4.75 - 4.79) work as well. You only need the Communicator; all other components (e-mail, newsgroups, etc) are not required. Chose base download, and unmark all extras during the installation. We do not recommend that you use this old version as your default browser. Just use it to view our site, if you do not like the other installation options (A above, or C below).
4. The NN 4.7x will install to a separate directory, and would not affect your newer installed Netscape or Firefox (if you have them). In principle, all these Netscape-based browsers can be run at the same time, but it often leads to conflicts, especially in older Window versions. We recommend that you run only one version at a time, and reboot between running different versions.
5. Download and install Chime. Let Chime find automatically your browser(s) when asked during the installation.
6. Test the installation by checking the Chime-help page using NN 4.7x (At this stage, Chime should also work in any IE (>5.5) browser, if you have one installed on your system, but it would not work in any newer version of NN or FF without further manipulations-see below).
7. Note that our website is not specifically designed to support older versions of Netscape. NN 4.7x may give you occasionally some unusually formatted/colored pages, especially if you resize the browser window during viewing. In most (but not all) instances, the reloading of the page will cure the problem. This is a bug in Netscape 4.xx.

C. (Netscape or Firefox)/Chime (recommended only for the brave: proceed at your own risk!)

1. The NN  or FF may not be totally compatible with Chime, but they work with the 3D displays on our website, if Chime is installed manually (some computer expertise is required).
2. You need Netscape 4.7x and one of the two newest browsers, NN or FF (either one is acceptable, FF is recommended, and having both is also possible), before you can manually install Chime. Check first if you have any of these installed, and remove any old version of Chime (use Add/Remove Program Utility in the control panel of your computer for both operations).
3. If you have NN  or FF (or both) skip to step 8.
4. If you have NN or FF (or both) and NN 4.7x installed, skip to step 11.
5. If you have NN  or FF(or both) and NN 4.7x installed, and the newest Chime installed skip to step 13.
6. If you do not have NN  or FF, download and install one.
7. The NN  or FF will install to a different directory than NN 4.7x and would not affect it (if you have one). In principle, all Netscape browsers can be run at the same time, but it often leads to conflicts, especially in the older Window versions. If you want to have more than one installed, we advise that you run only one version at a time, and reboot between running different versions.
8. If you do not have one, download and install version NN 4.75. You will temporarily need this older version of the browser to get the installation files for Chime.
9. The version 4.75 is supported by MDL, but other 4.7x versions (4.75 - 4.79) work as well. You only need the Navigator; all other components (e-mail, newsgroups, etc) are not required, and in this case are only a ballast that you will remove later anyway. Get the base download, and unmark all extras during the installation.
10. The installation of NN 4.7x will not interfere with the installed newer versions of Netscape or FF. Each of the program has its own directory.
11. Download and install Chime. Let Chime find automatically your browser(s) when asked during the installation.
12. Test the installation by viewing the Chime-help page with NN 4.7x. (At this stage Chime should also work in any IE (>5.5) installed on your system, but would not work with NN or FF (not yet).
13. Now, the "manual" part (worm up your fingers): Chime has installed 6 files on your computer (not counting the installation program itself). If you have used the default directories during the installation (recommended), these files will be located as indicated in the first table below. There might be small differences between different versions of Windows (for example \Windows\System32 folder may be used instead of \Windows\System). Use the "find" ("search") function from the Start menu to locate them all, and write down their locations for reference.

14. Copy these files to new locations as indicated in the table below. Some of the directories listed were created during the installation of NN or FF. They may be differently named, if non-default directory names and locations were used. If necessary, find where your Netscape or Mozilla folder is, and adjust accordingly.

15. Now it is time to test the installation by checking the Chime-help page using NN or FF. At this time, Chime should work in any IE (>5.5), NN 4.7x, NN  and FF browsers that you may have installed on your computer.
16. Bravo! You managed to do better than some people at MDL who claim that Chime is not compatible with NN. As a reward you may remove NN 4.7x (uninstall it using "Add/Remove Programs" utility from your control panel).

II.  Installation options for Mac (PowerPC) running MacOS (8.6, 9.0, and possibly X)

A. Netscape Navigator 4.7x/Chime (not recommended but the only option possible for Mac)

1. Always install the browser first, and Chime second. Remove (uninstall) any old versions of Chime, if your computer has any.
2. Check your version of Netscape (under "Help-About Netscape" menu of your browser). You may also want to check your disk for "forgotten" versions of Netscape. If you have version 4.7x (4.75 - 4.79), skip to step 5.
3. If you do not have Netscape Navigator 4.7x, download one and install it. The version 4.75 is supported by MDL, but other 4.7x versions (4.75 - 4.79) work as well.
4. The NN 4.7x will install to a separate folder.
5. Download and install Chime. Let Chime find automatically your browser(s) when asked during the installation.
6. Test the installation by checking the Chime-help page using NN 4.7x.
7. Note that our website is not specifically designed to support older versions of Netscape. NN 4.7x may give you occasionally some unusually formatted/colored pages, especially if you resize the browser window during viewing. In most (but not all) instances, the reloading of the page will cure the problem. This is a well documented bug in Netscape 4.xx.

B. (Netscape Navigator/FF)/Chime

We are checking if Chime can be made to work with NN or FF and try to verify the compatibility of the newest operating system.

C. Internet Explorer/Chime

Chime is not compatible with any version of IE on MacPPC.