This ISN'T a request for specific information about how to get back to IE6
after having installed IE7 or IE8. Rather, I'd like some sense of: a) is it
possible?; b) is it relatively painless. "It" being getting back to IE6.

I'm running xp sp3 and recently received an automatic update from MS that
would have installed IE8; fortunately, I asked for custom install, which told
me it was about to install IE8. Seems like that is a task that should not be
done "automatically"!

TIA,

Phil

[We meet again! <wink>]

Where to begin?

=> How to uninstall or remove Internet Explorer 8
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700

=> About WinXP SP3 and IE7 and/or IE8

If you installed IE7 or IE8 and then installed WinXP SP3, you will not be
able to uninstall the IE upgrade(s) without having first uninstalled WinXP
SP3.

Reference: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...and-xpsp3.aspx

=> About Automatic Updates (AU) and IE8:

If AU is set to the default "Automatic" or the "Download but Notify"
configuration, AU will download IE8 automatically but IE8 will NOT install
without user-approval.

If AU is set to the "Notify Only" configuration, IE8 will neither download
nor install w/out user-approval.

NB: This is /exactly/ what happened when IE7 was released to Windows Update
a few years ago.

References:

IE8 Installation: the User is in Control
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...n-control.aspx

Prepare for Automatic Update distribution of IE8
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...on-of-ie8.aspx

=> Those with IE7- and/or IE8-specific questions or comments can post to and
seek support in IE General newsgroup:
microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

On the web:
http://www.microsoft.com/communities...plorer.general

In your newsreader:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof...plorer.general
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


cellist wrote:
> This ISN'T a request for specific information about how to get back to IE6
> after having installed IE7 or IE8. Rather, I'd like some sense of: a) is
> it
> possible?; b) is it relatively painless. "It" being getting back to IE6.
>
> I'm running xp sp3 and recently received an automatic update from MS that
> would have installed IE8; fortunately, I asked for custom install, which
> told me it was about to install IE8. Seems like that is a task that should
> not be done "automatically"!

Thanks.

Phil

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> [We meet again! <wink>]
>
> Where to begin?
>
> => How to uninstall or remove Internet Explorer 8
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700
>
> => About WinXP SP3 and IE7 and/or IE8
>
> If you installed IE7 or IE8 and then installed WinXP SP3, you will not be
> able to uninstall the IE upgrade(s) without having first uninstalled WinXP
> SP3.
>
> Reference: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...and-xpsp3.aspx
>
> => About Automatic Updates (AU) and IE8:
>
> If AU is set to the default "Automatic" or the "Download but Notify"
> configuration, AU will download IE8 automatically but IE8 will NOT install
> without user-approval.
>
> If AU is set to the "Notify Only" configuration, IE8 will neither download
> nor install w/out user-approval.
>
> NB: This is /exactly/ what happened when IE7 was released to Windows Update
> a few years ago.
>
> References:
>
> IE8 Installation: the User is in Control
> http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...n-control.aspx
>
> Prepare for Automatic Update distribution of IE8
> http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...on-of-ie8.aspx
>
> => Those with IE7- and/or IE8-specific questions or comments can post to and
> seek support in IE General newsgroup:
> microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general
>
> On the web:
> http://www.microsoft.com/communities...plorer.general
>
> In your newsreader:
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof...plorer.general
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>
>
> cellist wrote:
> > This ISN'T a request for specific information about how to get back to IE6
> > after having installed IE7 or IE8. Rather, I'd like some sense of: a) is
> > it
> > possible?; b) is it relatively painless. "It" being getting back to IE6.
> >
> > I'm running xp sp3 and recently received an automatic update from MS that
> > would have installed IE8; fortunately, I asked for custom install, which
> > told me it was about to install IE8. Seems like that is a task that should
> > not be done "automatically"!
>
>

YW. In summary:

1. Yes, you should be able to uninstal IE8.

2. Yes, you should be able to uninstall IE7, but if IE7 was installed and
then WinXP SP3 was installed, you'd have to first uninstall SP3 before
you'll be able to uninstall IE7.

NB: After uninstalling any version of IE, go immediately to Windows Update
and install any critical security updates offered.

NB: To stop Automatic Update from downloading and offering to install IE8,
go to Windows Update, select CUSTOM & scan, then uncheck IE8 and "hide" it.


cellist wrote:
> Thanks.
>
> Phil
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> [We meet again! <wink>]
>>
>> Where to begin?
>>
>> => How to uninstall or remove Internet Explorer 8
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957700
>>
>> => About WinXP SP3 and IE7 and/or IE8
>>
>> If you installed IE7 or IE8 and then installed WinXP SP3, you will not be
>> able to uninstall the IE upgrade(s) without having first uninstalled
>> WinXP
>> SP3.
>>
>> Reference: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...and-xpsp3.aspx
>>
>> => About Automatic Updates (AU) and IE8:
>>
>> If AU is set to the default "Automatic" or the "Download but Notify"
>> configuration, AU will download IE8 automatically but IE8 will NOT
>> install
>> without user-approval.
>>
>> If AU is set to the "Notify Only" configuration, IE8 will neither
>> download
>> nor install w/out user-approval.
>>
>> NB: This is /exactly/ what happened when IE7 was released to Windows
>> Update
>> a few years ago.
>>
>> References:
>>
>> IE8 Installation: the User is in Control
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...n-control.aspx
>>
>> Prepare for Automatic Update distribution of IE8
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/200...on-of-ie8.aspx
>>
>> => Those with IE7- and/or IE8-specific questions or comments can post to
>> and seek support in IE General newsgroup:
>> microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general
>>
>> On the web:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/communities...plorer.general
>>
>> In your newsreader:
>> news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsof...plorer.general
>> --
>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
>>
>>
>> cellist wrote:
>>> This ISN'T a request for specific information about how to get back to
>>> IE6
>>> after having installed IE7 or IE8. Rather, I'd like some sense of: a) is
>>> it
>>> possible?; b) is it relatively painless. "It" being getting back to IE6.
>>>
>>> I'm running xp sp3 and recently received an automatic update from MS
>>> that
>>> would have installed IE8; fortunately, I asked for custom install, which
>>> told me it was about to install IE8. Seems like that is a task that
>>> should
>>> not be done "automatically"!