Uninstall Internet Explorer

[Andy]

In Windows XP you could go into ADD/REMOVE Programs and totally uninstall
Internet Explorer (not in the main add/remove window but in another part)
how can I do this on Windows Vista please?

Andy.

 

[Chad Harris]

Hi Andy--

Actually you definitely could not uninstall IE from Add/Remove in XP. If
you think you have the way , please by all means post it. In Win 9X (98,
98SE, ME) you could do just that. The best practices way to fix most IE
problems in XP and often in Vista is SFC.

You can't uninstall IE in XP and you can't explicitly show me how you
described you could do it in XP.

You also could have been more helpful by stating exactly what it is that
moves you to want to "uninstall IE"--what particular problems you're having
and we could be more helpful. If you could describe the problem you're
actually having with IE or Vista, more of us could be more specific.
Meanwhile, here's what I'd try:

I'd either use System File Checker (and if that does not helpyou), Startup
Repair (if you own a Vista DVD), which does not require a no boot situation
to help you fix many Vista components, or try Sytem Restorefrom either the
Vista DVD's Recovery link or from the F8 menu. Links that show you how to
do this are below.

***SFC as a Remedy***:

SFC or System File Checker is a bit like the spare tire in your car or a
backup battery I suppose. In Vista of course, they have changed it somewhat
and come up with a new name--Redmond stands for name it something different
twice a year and now it's part of WRP or Windows Resource Protection. It
scans protected resources including thousands of files, libraries, critical
folders, and essential registry keys, and it replaces those that are
corrupted with intact ones. It fixes a lot of problems in Windows XP, OE,
Windows Vista, Win Mail, IE6, and on Vista or if it is installed on XP, IE7.
It protects these things from changes by any source including
administrators, by keeping a spare of most of them.


How to Run SFC:

Type "cmd" into the Search box above the Start Button>and when cmd comes up
at the top of the Start menu>right click cmd and click "run as Admin" and
when the cmd prompt comes up at the cmd prompt type "sfc /scannow" no quotes
and let it run. This may fix things quite a bit. It replaces corrupt files
with intact ones, if you're not familiar with it.

If no help from SFC, you can try a restore point to before this happened or
you try the steps below if you have a Vista DVD:

***Startup Repair from the Vista DVD***

How to Use The Vista DVD to Repair Vista (Startup Repair is misnamed by the
Win RE team and it can be used to fix many Vista components even when you
can boot to Vista):

http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

If you elect to run Startup repair from the Vista DVD (it can fix major
components in Vista--I've verified this many many times; it's good for more
than startup problems, and the Win RE team simply screwed up when they named
it not understanding its full functionality):

Startup Repair will look like this when you put in the Vista DVD:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us

How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm

It will automatically take you to this on your screen:

http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png

That will allow you to go to the Vista setup that has a Repair link on
thelower left corner>click it and then you'll see a gray backgrounded list
and I want you to click Startup Repair from it and follow the directions.

The gray screen after you click the first link in the above pic will look
like this:

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winvista/images/repair/staruprepair/Image17.gif

Click Startup Repair, the link at the top and after it scans>click OK and
let it try to repair Vista. It will tell you if it does, and if it
doesn't, try System Restore from the Recovery Link on the DVD. If these
don't work booting into Safe Mode by tapping the F8 key and using System
Restore from one of the safe modes besides VGA may work. That means you
have the option to try 4 different safe modes to get to system restore, (one
from the Recovery link on the DVD) and sometimes one will work when the
others won't.

You could also try a Repair Install with Vista which is done exactly the
same way as in XP:

***Repair Install Steps*** (can be used for Vista) MVP Doug Knox
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx


***Using the F8 Environment***

***Taking Full Advantage of the F8 Options (Windows Advanced Options Menu)
by starting the PC and tapping F8 once per second when the firmware screen
with the pc manufacturer's name shows a few seconds after restarting***:

The F8 options in Vista are the same as XP, and the link for Safe Mode Boot
options is labled XP by MSFT but they are the same for Vista (they haven't
updated to add Vista to the title as they have with several MSKBs that apply
to both).

Again, pressing F8 repeatedly when you seem the firmware screen may be is a
generic way to launch Windows RE on some OEM Vista computers.

You could also:

Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration


Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.

These methods are outlined in

A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore from MSFT:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/faqsrwxp.mspx


System Restore can be run from the Win RE recovery environment from the same
link as Startup Repair, and sometimes it will work from one F8 safe mode
location or from the Win Recovery Environment when it won't work from other
locations.


How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449

Good luck,

CH

 

[Andy]

Hello thanks for your help. To elaborate in Win XP I would go into
Add/Remove in cotrol panel then over to the left you had something like
Add/remove windows programs or features and then you had Internet Explorer
and then you could tick or untick the box.

The reason I am thinking I might want to uninstall IE7 in Vista is because I
have loaded what I find to be a better Browser (Opera browser) but it seems
to be crashing/freezing every now and again and I am thinking maybe its
because I have not uninstalled IE7 they are conflicting with eachother so I
was figuring that if I try and uninstall IE7 from Vista (if thats possible)
then the opera browser might work better.

Thanks,

Andy.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Andy;
Uninstall IE through "Add/Remove Programs" - No
Use "Set Programs Access Defaults" to set another browser as
default - Yes
Uninstall some IE upgrades in "Add/Remove Programs" - Yes

Some have managed to remove IE themselves, Google for the procedure
and use at your own risk.
I am not sure if anything similar has been developed for Windows
Vista.

 

[Fred B.]

IE should have no effect whatsoever on Opera. I've run both programs side by
side for years, and there are no conflicts.

I've found Opera 9.xx less stable (at least on my systems) so I've stayed
with v8.54, which is available at the Opera Web Site in their archive
section.

 

[DP]

The reason I am thinking I might want to uninstall IE7 in Vista is because
I have loaded what I find to be a better Browser (Opera browser) but it
seems to be crashing/freezing every now and again and I am thinking maybe
its because I have not uninstalled IE7 they are conflicting with eachother
so I was figuring that if I try and uninstall IE7 from Vista (if thats
possible) then the opera browser might work better.

Opera works fine for me with IE7 installed, so maybe your problem is due to
something else.

 

[Chad Harris]

Andy--

I'm glad you're trying out new browsers. You should. To my knowledge, and
people will correct me if I'm wrong, tons of people are using Opera on Vista
with IE7 and I'm not aware of IE7 causing Opera to crash chronically.

See:

http://operawatch.com/news/2006/08/opera-visits-microsoft-in-preparation-for-windows-vista.html

http://operawatch.com/news/2007/01/opera-problems-on-windows-vista.html

Fairly representative comment from OperaWatch:

"I'm with James Cassell on this one. Works perfectly on Vista RTM. It didn't
work nicely on RC2, where it did't downgrade the theme from Aero to Basic.
Not so any more.
In fact, Opera is tons more faster in Vista than it ever was in XP (even
with the TCPIP connection number hack). Furthermore, I'm running the 64-bit
version of Vista with the 32-bit Opera and everything is working nicely."

I'm not plugged into the Opera forums and maybe some people here are, but
I'd strongly urge you to check them out to get the best and latest info.

Good luck,

CH

 

[Not Me]

Actually removing IE7 from your system would be like removing the wiring
harness for your car.
MS has integrated it so much into the OS that it won't run properly without
it.
You don't have to use it, but it has to stay installed.
I haven't had any issues with Opera, FF or Netscrape because of IE.
They all have their quirks.

 

[Andy]

Opera works fine for me with IE7 installed, so maybe your problem is due
to something else.

So no unexpected opera browser crashing from time to time?

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Hello thanks for your help. To elaborate in Win XP I would go into
Add/Remove in cotrol panel then over to the left you had something like
Add/remove windows programs or features and then you had Internet Explorer
and then you could tick or untick the box.

That allowed you to remove ACCESS to IE. IE was still there.

 

[Andy]

Andy--

I'm glad you're trying out new browsers. You should. To my knowledge,
and people will correct me if I'm wrong, tons of people are using Opera on
Vista with IE7 and I'm not aware of IE7 causing Opera to crash
chronically.

See:

http://operawatch.com/news/2006/08/opera-visits-microsoft-in-preparation-for-windows-vista.html

http://operawatch.com/news/2007/01/opera-problems-on-windows-vista.html

Fairly representative comment from OperaWatch:

"I'm with James Cassell on this one. Works perfectly on Vista RTM. It
didn't work nicely on RC2, where it did't downgrade the theme from Aero to
Basic. Not so any more.
In fact, Opera is tons more faster in Vista than it ever was in XP (even
with the TCPIP connection number hack). Furthermore, I'm running the
64-bit version of Vista with the 32-bit Opera and everything is working
nicely."

I'm not plugged into the Opera forums and maybe some people here are, but
I'd strongly urge you to check them out to get the best and latest info.

Good luck,

CH

Thanks for that. Yes its crashing quite frequently with me just sometimes by
browsing from one Internet window to another window it grays out and says
check online for a solution but click on that and it does nothing. When I
start opera back up again it asks if I want to go back to where I was last.
Anyhow may I will try uninstalling opera and re-installing it again and see
what that does. Its a brand new PC so I shouldn't think there are too many
other problems anywhere else. Opera seems to bee the only program crashing
on my vista and no other programs have crashed in vista on me yet which
leads me to think that there is a problem with my install of opera at the
moment.

Andy.

 

[Andy]

Actually removing IE7 from your system would be like removing the wiring
harness for your car.
MS has integrated it so much into the OS that it won't run properly
without it.
You don't have to use it, but it has to stay installed.
I haven't had any issues with Opera, FF or Netscrape because of IE.
They all have their quirks.

The thing I am liking about Opera is where you can place the back & forward
buttons and address bar and move them about where you want them whereas IE7
are static top left and you cannot move them I wish MS never designed it
this way. And the moving of toolbars in opera is more flexible than in IE7.

Although these things are not big problems I find I am infuriated that I
cannot design the IE7 browser how I want it and move the buttons and
toolbars around like I want it.


Andy.

 

[Andy]

That allowed you to remove ACCESS to IE. IE was still there.

Oh, right I thought it removed it.

Talking about Windows 98 now, when you went into Add/Remove and Internet
Explorer and you have 3 options and one of them was 'repair internet
explorer' has Vista got the same kind of facility where you can just repair
IE7 or do you just have to run SFC?

Andy.

 

[Andy]

IE should have no effect whatsoever on Opera. I've run both programs side
by side for years, and there are no conflicts.

I've found Opera 9.xx less stable (at least on my systems) so I've stayed
with v8.54, which is available at the Opera Web Site in their archive
section.

Thanks I have 9.23 so I might try uninstalling and trying v8.54 then and see
if that is more stable.

Andy.

 

[Charlie Tame]

Thanks I have 9.23 so I might try uninstalling and trying v8.54 then and
see if that is more stable.

Andy.

Bit late but everything you have been told so far is correct as far as I
can tell and I think your problem is due to something else. I would add
that I strongly suggest you never install browser add ons for IE,
including "Reputable" ones like Google and Yahoo, in my experience they
eventually cripple IE and although I can't prove it they do seem to
increase the apparently "Random" glitches elsewhere. I think IE still
has some things that are not quite right, but if not in use then you
shouldn't see them.

Also remember that some malware "Can" use parts of IE so make sure you
don't have anything running that shouldn't be.

 

[Guest]

If you can't uninstall internet explorer 7 in vista means you cannot.In XP
you can?
Well,If you can uninstall IE7 from XP it means it is actually an upgrade.You
can't uninstall it from vista.If you want to uninstall it from vista and get
another web browser you can just install a new web browser and set it as a
default.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Oh, right I thought it removed it.

Talking about Windows 98 now, when you went into Add/Remove and Internet
Explorer and you have 3 options and one of them was 'repair internet
explorer' has Vista got the same kind of facility where you can just
repair IE7 or do you just have to run SFC?

Andy.

Internet Options | Advanced | Reset down at the bottom.
You can get to Internet Options through the Control Panel.

 

[Andy]

Internet Options | Advanced | Reset down at the bottom.
You can get to Internet Options through the Control Panel.

Thanks for that - does it work in the same way though? as in Windows 98/ME
it used to say sometimes Internet Explorer cannot be repaired - reinstall
Internet Explorer.

Andy.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Thanks for that - does it work in the same way though? as in Windows 98/ME
it used to say sometimes Internet Explorer cannot be repaired - reinstall
Internet Explorer.

Andy.

See
How to use Reset Internet Explorer Settings (RIES):
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/92373