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I have downloaded Mozilla and FireFox to my system. After going to the "delete program" section, I was unable to locate the IE program to delete. What is the proper way to go about deleting IE from my HD?
Nick
Discussion is locked
If you are running Windows you can't delete it because it is a part of the Operating Sysyem.
Just don't use it. Set your Mozilla to be the dafault browser.
Although this thread is quite old now, I thought I would reply to the answer given above, ie;
Just rename IEXPLORE.EXE.
This is "NOT" a good idea!
Sure, it may stop Internet Explorer, (IE), working, but as IE is an integral part of Windows and Windows Explorer, changing its name may cause some parts of the Windows shell to stop working properly.
In addition, IE is needed to download Windows Updates. Microsoft.com does not allow any other browser to download WIndows updates.
No, not wise.
Mark
<quote>
If you are running Windows you can't delete it because it is a part of the Operating Sysyem.
</quote>
That's simply not true.
http://litepc.com/
This programs lets you completely remove IE from any flavor of Windows from 98 - XP.
Although to *completely* get rid of it, you do need a copy of Windows 95 on CD. This is where you will get the old file system.
But even without 95, you can reduce IE's size and influence with Lite PC.
It's a great program, and I use it.
You will lose some functionality, since IE is so completely intertwined with Windows, but it's mostly fluff stuff, like Active Desktop and stuff like that.
-Chad
1. How To Remove IE on Win98
2. How To Remove IE6 On Win98/98SE/Me/NT 4
and as previous reply, you cannot remove IE on WinXP and later versions.
Regards,
Sorry...WinXP. Thanks for the info, I'll just remove the desktop icon.
Thanks again.
I would keep IE in standby to get Win XP Critical Updates... this is vital!!!
Glenn
There is a program called IEradicator, and I think there is a version for XP...
You do not need IE to get updates! You can select and download them from the Microsoft Download center with any other browser. Just takes a bit more effort but at least you can choose exactly what to download.
Yes you can this... but how many average users know how much less which updates to install. I choose to update the normal way letting Microsoft direct me to the Critical Updates.
Glenn
If you are running Winows XP, this is simple. Just
go to control panel, click the add/remove programs
icon, then on the left side click "add or remove windows components" then remove the checkmark from
the internet explorer box, click next, and finish and reboot the computer. If you ever want to re-install internet explorer just do this again and put the checkmark back in the box. Hope this helps!
That doesn't get rid of the program, that just removes the icon. Internet Explorer is so integrated in the OS that it cannot be removed without harming it. If you go into Windows Explorer on Win98 or above and compare it with Win95, you can notice that 98 and above all use IE as the Explorer shell - very annoying.
http://www.litepc.com/xplite.html should be able to take care of some of it. Don't know if it can really uninstall the browser itself, but there's so much customizable features that it can at least get rid of the traces the program would leave. Haven't used it myself - my dad won't let me buy it.
This doesn't remove it from the HD it just removes the access to it
Just changing program access properties and uninstalling IE explorer does not always render it mute. XP system won't allow this to be totaly disabled. Why I am not sure but I have Mozilla too and when I go on line every time I have to close IE first then open Netscape manually and re-default it to use it for my On Line session. I have done every proceedure possible to render it disfunctional and it pops up 1st every time! so good luck!!
Who asked for adaptive OS software that favors its own products anyway! XP sucks! MS is BS.
still fighting it Ron
Windows XP has a way to put IE asay except for when the system demands it. Use set program access and defaults; select custom and expand the choices. I set netscape 7.2 as my default, allowed acces to IE incase somthing demands it but sofar that is seldom but you can deny acces if youare determined to never use it but it will pop up if you have automatic updates.
1) While you are logged on as an administrator,click
Start, and then click Run.
2) In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
a) then click on the + besides HKey_Local_Machine
b) click on the + besides SOFTWARE.
c) click on the + besides MICROSOFT.
d) click on the + besides Active Setup.
e) click on the + besides Installed Components.
f) then click on the yellow folder "{89820200-ECBD-
11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}.
3) Locate the appropriate registry subkey, on right
side of the window that says "IsInstalled".
4) Double click on "IsInstalled".
5) "CHANGE THE VALUE FROM 1 TO 0".
6) And restart the computer, you'll get the message
when you restart the computer and would say
something like "DO YOU WANT TO COMPLETELY REMOVE IE
AND ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS".So just follow the
instructions and after this IE WILL BE REMOVED....
Thank you so much < raj22 > I have now been running IE free for 2 weeks and haven't had one virus alert or nuissance since - the revolution has begun !
Work on it another two weeks, and see how it goes. Hope your backups work.
Interesting. I just wonder what happens when e.g. Outlook calls up IE when you click on a link in a mail?
When you click on a URL link on any Windows program, Windows doesn't call Internet explorer, it calls a system Variable called "default browser" which stores the name of "Your default browser" doesn't matter if it's IE, Mozilla, Opera, or whatever you have installed.
As mentioned above, IE is so integrated into XP that eliminating it might be unwise.
But if you have Mozilla, and don't ever want to use IE again, just set your firewall to prevent IE from accessing the internet. This will likely null the looming security risk the program poses, while leaving it on your computer if you ever want to say, use Windows Update.
Zone Labs produces a decent FREE firewall (see link) http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp?lid=nav_za
although almost any firewall should work for this purpose.
I had the same problem when I installed Firfox. Because IE is so heavily intergrated in to the XP structure and applications like Office, you can not simply delete IE.
You also need IE to run the windows update facility.
I have just made Firefox my default browers and removed all references to IE from my applications. I have also removed all visable shortcuts to IE from my menus and desktop.
Sorry I could not be much help.
Just one person's view, but do you suppose that firefox (and Mac's) are so virus attack free because they are so good or is it that they are so little of the marketplace that there is no return to the hacker to attack them. Assume all you are successful and in a few years IE has only 5% of the browser market.. do you think it will be be hacked.. or will the hacker now explore the weakness in the market leader browser?
I guess right now, as IE is still the main browser that is being used, hackers and other malicious code-writers are targeting it. Also, with the security lapses and other deficiencies, it's also easier to do so. Thirdly, as it's from Microsoft, well...
As of now, FireFox is tops in terms of security, features, etc... But I'm not one to tear apart the code to look for problems... I guess we won't get many probs from that area yet... When (emphasis) FireFox becomes mainstream, I believe there will be people who will try to do funny stuff to fulfill their own agenda, like trying to circumvent the pop-up blocker, for example... But that's where the open-source aspect comes in, right? We, the people, will surely step in to do something about it... Whatever weaknesses would be (hopefully) patched up and solved, with transparency!
My hopes, actually... 
No one is risking anything, i have uninstalled IE many years ago, i've been using Netscape since then, by now im using Ver. 7.2. It works great, it has a mail client, a Composer to create Web pages or HTML mail, a News reader, an IM ICQ & AOL compatible, it controls how do you want to receive cookies, Pop Up Blocker, supports Tabed browsing, Address book, IRC client, it stores all your paswords encrypted, it fills WEB forms if you wanto to, & many other things Micro$oft just dreams by now.
Netscape & Mozilla shares to much code & features, they look very similar too, but you can choose any browser you want, the only sugestion is: have the courage to try somthing different.
Note: I'm running Linux & Windows, he he he, sometimes at the same time.
[Quote] No one is risking anything, i have uninstalled IE many years ago [/EndQuote]
When was the last time you downloaded and installed any critical security issue Windows Updates without using Internet Explorer?
Mark
XPLite can remove any unwanted XP application, it may be
puchased from http://www.litepc.com/xplite.html. I used
their 98lite in the past and improved the overall speed of my system at least 250%.
Wow. All this effort to get rid of IE? IMPO, the best way to not only get rid of IE, but also M$ is to not use Windows! Linux is fine, but unless you are ready to get to know your OS intimately (and I mean "intimately" as in "you will practivcally have to BECOME the OS to fully appreciate it"), then the only logical alternative is to get a Macintosh running OS X. Mac OS X is basically UNIX--which Linux is based on--with a graphical overlay that allows John/Jane User to actually use the OS without becoming "absorbed" by it. It is SAFER, MORE SECURE, EASIER and is ATTCKED LESS OFTEN by malicious computing (Viri, Worms, Spyware, Adware, Hacking, etc.). You can use Firefox, Netscape, or even IE for Macintosh if you need to and watch as you surf and when the ads come and malicious scripts are attempting to be run, they FAIL because they target Windows which you are not using! OS X has available to it M$ Office (minus the Access Database Application) which is fully compatible with the Windows' version of the same name. Any document created with Word for OS X (now up to Micro$oft Office 2004) will be able to be opened and used transparently on a Windows machine using Word of any version from Office 97 on. This is also true for Excel and Powerpoint.
So, if you are so concerned about IE making it easier for your system to be compromised and if M$ is going to force you to keep an ailing browser riddled with security flaws by tieing into its core OS, I say move on to something better for your safety. GET A MAC!
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