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Q: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP ( No Answer,   13 Comments )
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Subject: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
Category: Computers
Asked by: mysticsinger1-ga
List Price: $25.00
Posted: 22 Aug 2005 12:00 PDT
Expires: 26 Aug 2005 08:53 PDT
Question ID: 558808
How can I either reinstall Internet Explorer or Windows XP without
doing a System Restore (I don't have XP CDs, came with Sony
workstation)?  Here's what's happened:
1. IE became corrupted, now cannot open - states Runtime error.
2. Downloaded IE6setup.exe but would not run, states "newer version found"
3. Couldn't find how to uninstall/remove IE (at first, only looked
under Uninstall/Remove Programs)
4. Edited the Registry from 1 to 0, as per instructions in MS knowledge base
5. Found Uninstall/Remove Windows components - did that
6. Upon restart, system confirmed IE had been removed and asked if I
wanted some files cleaned up, I clicked yes
7. Found that although I had deselected all other components besides
IE, it seems to have removed other things like Outlook Express.
8. ie6setup.exe still indicates "newer version detected"
9. My Sony Vaio workstation came with XP loaded, so I do not have XP
only CDs.  I only have System Restore and I'd really rather not run
that so as not to have to reinstall every blessed thing besides what I
started with 2 and a half years ago.
10. I have backed up all my files into a backup drive I have installed
in my G slot.
11. My sanity will be greatly improved if I can fix this.

Clarification of Question by mysticsinger1-ga on 22 Aug 2005 14:33 PDT
12. I have now also run the System File Checker tool that scans all
the protected files, and then installed updates that it downloaded. 
Still no change.  IE still gives me runtime error and I still can't
run ie6setup.exe.

Request for Question Clarification by missy-ga on 22 Aug 2005 15:04 PDT
Hi there!

You should be able to back up to a Restore Point without wiping out
your system entirely - in other words, without having to start
completely from scratch.  Try this:

Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> System Restore

Select "Create a Restore Point", so you can get back to your
computer's current settings if this next doesn't fix your problem. 
Click next, give it a descriptive name (like Google Answers Restore
Point or somesuch), and click create.

When it's done, go back to the System Restore menu.

Select "Restore my computer to an earlier time" and click "Next", then
in the calendar, choose the *latest date* you are absolutely certain
IE still functioned properly.  All programs that were in place on that
date will remain, but you might have to reinstall programs that you
installed after that date.  This does not wipe out your entire system
- rather, it just backs you up to the last known good configuration.

If IE still doesn't function correctly, go back to the System Restore
menu, and restore to the Restore Point we had you create above.

Let me know how this goes, and we'll see about figuring out what else may help.


-- Missy

Clarification of Question by mysticsinger1-ga on 22 Aug 2005 18:53 PDT
Thanks Missy.  I will give that a try and post again, probably in the morning.

Clarification of Question by mysticsinger1-ga on 22 Aug 2005 18:58 PDT
Missy,
Well, it looks like I'm unable to restore to an earlier time.  The
latest date that I know my IE worked was 8/4, but it only gives me
options going back to 8/9 as the earliest date.  Any other suggestions
in this vein?
Sheri

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 23 Aug 2005 06:52 PDT
mysticsinger1-ga,

Ahhh...the joys of trying to undo what some monopoly has tried very
hard to make sure you can't undo!

Actually, the microsoft help page that was linked to earlier (in the
comments, below) DOES contain information about
uninstalling/reinstalling IE from the registry.  It does not appear
you need the CDs in order to accomplish this.

If you scroll about half-way down the page, you'll see the following:

==========
Windows XP and Windows XP SP1: Edit the registry and install Internet Explorer 6

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious
problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system.
Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result
from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your
own risk.

When you try to reinstall the same version of Internet Explorer, you
may receive the following error message:

Setup has detected a newer version of Internet Explorer already
installed on this system.
Setup cannot continue.

To avoid this error message and reinstall the same version of Internet
Explorer and Outlook Express, follow these steps:

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. 
3. Locate the appropriate registry subkey, right-click the IsInstalled
(REG_DWORD) value, and then click Modify.

To reinstall only the Internet Explorer 6 browser component on Windows
XP, use the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed
Components\{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}
To reinstall only Outlook Express 6 on Windows XP, use the following registry key: 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed
Components\{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}
4. Change the value data from 1 to 0, and then click OK. 
5. Quit Registry Editor, and then install Internet Explorer 6.  
6. To reinstall Windows XP updates, visit the following Microsoft Windows 

Update Web site: 
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/) 

By default, Internet Explorer 6 is preinstalled in all versions of
Windows XP and cannot be removed. To provide computer manufacturers
more flexibility in configuring desktop versions of Windows XP,
Microsoft has made it possible for OEMs, administrators, and users to
remove user access to Internet Explorer while leaving the Internet
Explorer code intact and fully functional to make sure the
functionality of programs and operating system functions that rely on
it. For example, Windows XP supports an "IEAccess=off" switch in the
Unattend.txt file, and Internet Explorer has been added to the
Add/Remove Windows Components section of the Add/Remove Programs tool
in Control Panel.

This does not reinstall Internet Explorer. 
========== 

Everything perfectly clear now?!?!?!?   

Give it a try, and let me know how it works out (and good luck!)


pafalafa-ga

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 23 Aug 2005 06:53 PDT
From your original question, it wasn't clear that you stepped through
the entire procedure here, so I wanted to make sure you had the whole
enchilada.

paf

Clarification of Question by mysticsinger1-ga on 23 Aug 2005 10:21 PDT
Hi Pafalafa-ga,
The only thing of that procedure that I had not done was to edit the
registry for Outlook Express 6.  So I went through the procedure
again.  Interesting to note that although I'd changed the registry for
IE from 1 to 0 last week, it was back to 1.  So I changed both
registries as listed to 0.  Closed all my apps.  Clicked on
ie6setup.exe again.  And yet again, it detects a newer version.
I did not reboot in between the regedit step and trying to reinstall.

Still at a loss.
Sheri

Clarification of Question by mysticsinger1-ga on 23 Aug 2005 15:25 PDT
Okay, have now rebooted after editing the registry for both IE6 and
Outlook Express 6 as indicated in the comment from Paf.  Upon
restarting, I got two messages - one said "Internet Explorer has been
removed from this computer.  Do you want to clean up personalized
settings for this computer?"  I clicked OK.  Then it said "Outlook
Express 6 has been removed.  Do you want to clean up..." same thing. 
I clicked OK.
I then verified that the registries for both still said 0.  They do.
I then tried to run ie6setup.exe.  It still finds a newer version.
How is this possible?
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: nautico-ga on 22 Aug 2005 12:47 PDT
 
Is this the MS article you consulted?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318378
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: pantagruel-ga on 22 Aug 2005 12:49 PDT
 
hmm well I don't seem to have rights to answer this so I'll do it as a
comment, I would suppose that the technique for doing multiple
installs of IE would work just as well for fixing this problem, or at
least providing a quick hack

http://www.skyzyx.com/archives/000094.php
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: mysticsinger1-ga on 22 Aug 2005 14:35 PDT
 
Hi nautico-ga, 
I went to that MS article you referenced and ran the System File
Checker tool.  No change.  I cannot do a reinstall as they advise as I
do not have the Windows XP CDs.
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: corwin_02-ga on 23 Aug 2005 01:26 PDT
 
Get ie6setup.exe
Rename it to ie6setup.cab
unpack the cab file
find iesetup.cif
open it with notepad
look for DetectVersion= and put a ; infront of it or remove it entirely 
it is in the file twice 
then run ie6wzd.exe
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: haszan-ga on 23 Aug 2005 02:58 PDT
 
Is the system restore a CD? or a partition on your computer? If it is
a CD, just insert it when it asks for the Windows XP cd it should
search for the IE installation files.

-Haszan
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: mysticsinger1-ga on 23 Aug 2005 05:10 PDT
 
I changed the name of ie6setup.exe to ie6setup.cab.  I'm not sure what
you mean by 'unpack' but I clicked on it and it gave me the same
message that it detected a newer version.  If clicking on it isn't
unpacking it, just let me know what I need to do to unpack it. 
Thanks!
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: picsrmybis-ga on 23 Aug 2005 06:30 PDT
 
Sheri,

   After having a problem of the same nature with my Windows XP, I
went on the computer at work and found the following information that
will help solve any problem with Internet Explorer, all the way back
to v.4.

   The link to that site is:
        http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;276393&spid=2073&sid=186

   Also, there is a Internet Explorer repair tool that you can use
under the following website on Microsoft that will actually show you
step by step instructions on how to repair/replace your old version of
IE.

   The link to that site is:
        http://support.microsoft.com/kb/194177/EN-US/

   With all this information, you should be back on the road using IE
in no time flat.  Hope this helps...

Cliff
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: comptech4049-ga on 23 Aug 2005 09:00 PDT
 
Since your labtop most likely has the cd-key needed on the cover, I'd
ask a friend or co-worker to borrow their xp disk. If you reinstall, a
good idea would be to go to sony's website and download any drivers
for your labtop and store them on yor backup drive for future use. A
fresh install of xp may not have all the drivers needed to get you to
the net to get the drivers.
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: mysticsinger1-ga on 23 Aug 2005 15:31 PDT
 
I'm happy to get folks' comments on this issue, but several
individuals' comments indicate things that I've already either done or
that don't apply to the situation I've described.
I don't have a laptop, I have a Sony Vaio workstation.
I don't have XP Cds, and I don't know anyone that does.  I work from
home by myself.  So I have no key.

Also, at one point I ran some software I saw a link to in another
Google Answer question called IEFix.  This is supposed to return all
the files to their original condition.  When it asked for one or more
files, I indicated the path suggested (Service Pack folders and such)
and when those didn't work, I tried inserting all of my System Restore
CDs, and it was unable to find what it needed on any of them.

I know I can use my System Restore CDs to go back to my original image
on the computer, but I'm trying to avoid that as I've had this
computer for 2.5 years, and would really rather not have to reinstall
everything I've added over that time.

I was hoping that someone could offer an alternative.
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: biv2k-ga on 24 Aug 2005 17:50 PDT
 
A complete workaround would be to install an alternative web browser.
Mozilla Firefox is very similar to IE in looks and use, and is
extremely easy to use, and quick to install. It's also more secure.
More info: http://www.getfirefox.com

I realize completely that this isn't a solution to your problem, but
it's a quick and easy fix without resorting to time-consuming fixes or
re-istallation.
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: mysticsinger1-ga on 24 Aug 2005 18:57 PDT
 
Thanks Biv2K,
I have installed both Firefox and also MSN Explorer, so at least now I
have web access.  The only thing that comes up without IE are things
like that I can't check for Windows/MS updates/downloads from their
site with IE and I can't run videos from MSN news sites.  Those aren't
huge, but I guess life would be easier in a way.
I really wish I'd found out about this site ten days earlier than I
did and could have then gotten Missy's suggestion about the System
Restore to an earlier date fix when the dates offered were before IE
crashed...heavy sigh.
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: harlidxb-ga on 25 Aug 2005 01:43 PDT
 
To avoid this error message and reinstall the same version of Internet
Explorer , follow these steps:
 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. 
3. Locate the appropriate registry subkey, right-click the IsInstalled
(REG_DWORD) value, and then click Modify.

To reinstall only the Internet Explorer 6 browser component on Windows
XP, use the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed
Components\{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}
To reinstall only Outlook Express 6 on Windows XP, use the following registry key: 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed
Components\{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}
4. Change the value data from 1 to 0, and then click OK. 
5. Quit Registry Editor, and then install Internet Explorer 6.  
6. To reinstall Windows XP updates, visit the following Microsoft
Windows Update Web site:
Subject: Re: Fixing Internet Explorer and/or Windows XP
From: mysticsinger1-ga on 25 Aug 2005 06:03 PDT
 
Regarding editing the registy:
Tried it twice (see above).
Didn't work.  IE setup still detects a newer version.

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