IE vanished

btpena, Look in the C:\Progtam Files\Internet Explorer folder where you should find IEXPLORE.EXE

Tufenuf

The same thing happened to me on two different machines (not at the same time). I had to re-install IE from a CD (which I got from a friend in the business). If you cannot get a ''branded'' copy of the IE CD, then try having someone burn a good copy from their system & attemp to install from the burned CD. Or, you may be able to "restore" from your restoration software.

I tried installing the download, too, but kept getting the same message as you. I hope this works for you.

This happened to me last summer after I upgraded to XP from win98. I was getting microsoft updates and one of them asked me if I would like to clear up some space on my hard drive by removing unused components. It popped up the add/remove programs section from the control pannel. I did not want to remove any programs after looking at what was available, and closed the window. Immediately IE6 and Outlook express vanished. I attempted to reinstall them, but they were already installed, just no icons or listing in the programs menu. I could get to them from the Search function, but could not get the icons. After about 3 weeks of searching I finally got someone to suggest going into the add/remove programs and check on the Windows Components section. Sure enough, these programs and several other handy windows tools were unchecked. I had to put the XP disc back in and check the windows component functions I wanted again, and they all came back.
So it seems that Microsoft has a problem with one of it's updates where it will remove access to some of the most used components of your system, but they can be easily reinstalled if you know what you are looking for. So check under the Windows components in add/remove programs, they may just be unchecked there.

btpena,

Do you have, or have you created a set of recovery CDs? If not, then you should make a set, assuming that you have a CD writer and your Compaq has the Recovery CD-DVD Creator software. Follow the steps below as given on HP's Web site. You should then be able to use the recovery disks to locate and reinstall or repair the version of IE6 that was originally installed on your machine.

Recovery disk creation is accomplished as follows:

(From: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?dlc=en&lc=en&product=1118242&lang=en&cc=us&docname=bph08097 )


Creating Recovery discs from Windows:

Complete the following steps to create the recovery disc set:
NOTE: Some versions of Recovery CD-DVD Creator will not work with certain discs (for example, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, or Dual Layer DVD discs).

1. Disconnect from the Internet and close all other software that may be open. This is not necessary but may help avoid problems that can occur.

2. Click Start, and then All Programs.

3. Choose the option below that applies to your PC:
* For HP Pavilion and Media Center PCs, click Hewlett-Packard and then HP PC Recovery CD Creator to start the program.
or
* Click PC Help & Tools and then HP CD Recovery CD-DVD Creator to start the program.

* For Compaq PCs, click Compaq and then Compaq PC Recovery CD Creator to start the program.
or
Click Compaq, click Compaq PC Tools, and then Recovery CD Creator
When first opening the recovery CD-DVD creator program, a Welcome screen and Readme screen describe the operation of the software.

4. Click the Continue button on each screen to start the disc creation process.

5. A window appears listing the number of blank discs required to make a complete recovery set. Click Yes to continue.

6. Label the blank discs appropriately, for example, Recovery disc 1 of 11.

7.Click Yes to continue. The PC Recovery CD Creator screen appears. While this screen is viewable, several processes will take place:
* List Files - Program builds a list of the files needed.
* Collect file contents - Program collects needed files from the hidden recovery partition.
*Write files onto CD or DVD - Program is now ready to burn the first disc.
*Verify CD or DVD contents - Program verifies the content of the discs.

8. When the Write Files onto CDs process begins, insert disc 1 of 8 (CD or DVD) into the CD-RW/DVD disc drive.

9. Once the write process is completed, the disc is verified and ejected. The write and verification processes take approximately 10 to 12 minutes for each CD-R disc and approximately 45 minutes for each DVD+R disc. When Disc 1 is verified, the door of the CD drive automatically opens. The software will then collect the file contents of the next disc before accepting another disc.
CAUTION: Do not insert the next blank disc until receiving an onscreen prompt. Inserting a disc and closing the drive tray, before the prompt, can result in a corrupted and unusable disc.

10. When the prompt screen appears, insert requested disc number. Continue the process until all discs are written to and verified. The Congratulations screen appears when a complete and valid set of recovery CDs is successfully created.

11. If a break is needed, because of the time involved in completing all discs at one time, click Abort (see CAUTION below before aborting). The Recovery CD-DVD Creator software will remember where it left off and will continue at the same spot the next time it is started.

CAUTION: Aborting during the write process might result in a corrupted and unusable disc. Before aborting, wait until the disc has completed its write and verification process and prompts for the next disc.

12 If the Recovery CD Creator program is started again after you have created a complete set of recovery CDs, another screen appears stating only one recovery set is allowed. The only choice is to click OK to exit the program. If you were unable to create one set of recovery discs and this message occurs, you will have to use another method to obtain new recovery discs .

Creating a Recovery CD Set from a command prompt
Use the following steps to create a Recovery CD set without having Windows open:
NOTE: You cannot create recovery DVDs using this method.

Turn on the PC and repeatedly press the F10 key when the first screen appears.

When the recovery screen opens, click Advanced Options.


Press the Alt and the D key at the same time to go to a command prompt.
If the PC did not come with a memory card reader, type the following: d:
If the PC came with a memory card reader, type the following: h:
Press Enter and type the following: cd windows
Press Enter and type the following: cd creator
Press Enter and type the following command exactly as it is shown here (including quotation marks and space): "CD Creator.exe"
Click Start Creation and follow the directions to create the Recovery CD set.

Good luck.

Al

just use firefox and download the google toolbar for firefox...firefox is better than IE any day and if you need Internet explorer to work for some web pages download IE tab extension for firefox which uses the IE engine within firefox in a new tab...