Microsoft is warning that the new version of Netscape's browser will crash Internet Explorer.

Dave Massy, senior programme manager for IE, posted the news on the Microsoft IE blog along with a temporary workaround.

Installing the Netscape browser disables IE's XML capabilities, which are vital for building data tags on web pages.

"We have just confirmed an issue that has started to be reported on newsgroups and forums that, after installing Netscape 8, the XML rendering capabilities of Internet Explorer no longer work," Massy wrote.

"We are currently continuing our investigation and are looking forward to working with Netscape to resolve this issue."

The workaround requires the removal of Netscape's browser and some registry editing. If the competitor's code is left on the machine it automatically rewrites the registry code.