Uninstalling Internet Explorer?

**Spartan198** · 11-02-2008, 23:47

Is it possible?

Since switching to Firefox several months ago, I haven't used IE at all and probably won't in the future.

**Evil_Maniac From Mars** · 11-03-2008, 00:10

EDIT: Nevermind.

**Whacker** · 11-03-2008, 00:24

Unpossible. IE is an integrated part of Windoze.

**Evil_Maniac From Mars** · 11-03-2008, 00:30

Originally Posted by Whacker

Unpossible. IE is an integrated part of Windoze.

In XP, I'm fairly sure you can get around it by going to Add or Remove Programs, then Add/Remove Windows Components.

EDIT: Yes, just tried it, it worked.

**Whacker** · 11-03-2008, 01:07

Originally Posted by Evil_Maniac From Mars

In XP, I'm fairly sure you can get around it by going to Add or Remove Programs, then Add/Remove Windows Components.

EDIT: Yes, just tried it, it worked.

Try to run Windowsupdate through windowsupdate.microsoft.com now.

Edit - So just for giggles I looked it up, because I'd forgotten exactly what happens when you do that. You can't uninstall it. If you are at 8, it'll automatically revert you back to 7. If you uninstall 7, it'll automatically revert you back to 6. You can't remove it, it really is an integral part of windows.

**TevashSzat** · 11-03-2008, 02:39

Originally Posted by Evil_Maniac From Mars

In XP, I'm fairly sure you can get around it by going to Add or Remove Programs, then Add/Remove Windows Components.

EDIT: Yes, just tried it, it worked.

Go to run and type "iexplore"

Does IE pop up then?

**LeftEyeNine** · 11-03-2008, 03:06

Well after seeing this, I've searched around a bit.

There are methods that completely wipes IE out of your system, however it's something like removing nails from your hands completely: Although you can live without them, they will hurt forever and there will be times you'll be saying "it would be better if I had my nails".

Since it's nothing easy and flawless during and after doing it, I am not recommending complete removal of IE from your system.

If you're a die-hard anti-IE fan, google is your friend.

**CrossLOPER** · 11-03-2008, 04:04

Is OP the kind of guy that really feels a strong need to delete programs off his system if he does not use them for a while?

**Spartan198** · 11-04-2008, 07:10

I'm not really "anti-IE", I just prefer Firefox.

Originally Posted by CrossLOPER

Is OP the kind of guy that really feels a strong need to delete programs off his system if he does not use them for a while?

Yeah, if I haven't used a program in six or so months, I tend to remove it in order to better utilize the space left on my HD.

IE was just a special case that I've been wondering about.

**caravel** · 11-04-2008, 20:39

If you uninstall IE 7/8, you'll end up with IE 6. Even if you then go to add/remove programs and Windows Components and remove IE 6, all this does is removes the shortcuts from the start menu and desktop. IE is still there, and opening a Windows Explorer window and tryping in a URL will turn Windows Explorer into IE.

**Xiahou** · 11-04-2008, 23:52

Originally Posted by LeftEyeNine

Well after seeing this, I've searched around a bit.

There are methods that completely wipes IE out of your system, however it's something like removing nails from your hands completely: Although you can live without them, they will hurt forever and there will be times you'll be saying "it would be better if I had my nails".

Since it's nothing easy and flawless during and after doing it, I am not recommending complete removal of IE from your system.

If you're a die-hard anti-IE fan, google is your friend.

I think that describes it pretty well. You can tear IE out of XP... it's just not necessarily a very good idea. Note I said "tear out" and not uninstall- it's not a simple process.

**Tellos Athenaios** · 11-05-2008, 15:52

Originally Posted by Spartan198

I'm not really "anti-IE", I just prefer Firefox.

Yeah, if I haven't used a program in six or so months, I tend to remove it in order to better utilize the space left on my HD.

IE was just a special case that I've been wondering about.

You can always try to just delete the files, leave the registry be. A notch more sophisticated would be to delete the files but the main entry point, and replace that entry point with a script named the (case insensitive) same. All the script should do is parsing any arguments to IE and if possible convert that to a parametrized call to the Firefox program. So if any app tries to launch IE it will in fact be tricked into launching Firefox -- though possibly not everything will work in the app that launches the browser.

**Aemilius Paulus** · 11-14-2008, 02:05

You really shouldn't uninstall IE, since as I, being a Firefox user myself, found out that you need IE to access certain parts of the Microsoft website, such as support or updates.