Internet Explorer 7 and repairing Windows XP

October 30th, 2006 by jahewi

My eyes allmost popped out of their sockets, while i was reading this blog from Temerc.

It says, that repairing Windows XP, while IE 7 is installed, is not possible … at least if you want to keep using Internet Explorer.

Another goof-up by Microsoft? It certainly seems that way.

In this support-article, Microsoft says:

Before you perform a repair installation of Microsoft Windows XP, you must uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 from the Windows XP-based computer. If you perform a repair installation of Windows XP when Internet Explorer 7 is still installed, Internet Explorer will not work after the repair is completed.

To resolve this issue, uninstall Internet Explorer 7 from the computer, and then install Internet Explorer 6. After Windows XP is repaired, you can reinstall Internet Explorer 7.

… and why all that trouble? Quite simply because the new IE7-files aren’t compatible with the old IE6-files, wich are installed in the system32-folder of Windows.

So, basically, after repairing Windows, you have 2 partly installed IE versions, wich both fail to work!

Keep it in mind, IE7-users!

Comments (7)

  1. TeMerc says:

    This flaw has allegedly been fixed, accorind to the IE team. However, there are no ‘official’ links to show the correction. I got confirmation from another MS MVP and he quoted me a link, but due to NDA restrictions, I can’t share that info.

    That being said, the IE team still recommends uninstall of IE7. Which kind of sounds as tho it’s not REALLY fixed.

    My updated blog:
    http://temerc.blogspot.com/2006/10/ie7-xp-repair-update.html

  2. milligansghost says:

    I think thats the Same Error that IE7 Beta had and i think that some people will discover that even if they uninstall IE7 and install IE6 and then reinstall IE7 they will never be able to use restore Via Explorer as Restore needs IE to make it work and reinstall messes this up …

  3. jahewi says:

    Thanks for the heads up, Temerc.
    It seems to me that M$ is at least is trying resolve the issue and that’s a good thing …

  4. jahewi says:

    @Milligansghost,

    Is that true? Even if you make a new restore-point after installing IE7 and use that in case of need?

  5. milligansghost says:

    Hi Jahewi all i know is what i have seen from Beta IE7 and from 2 laptops that i have seen in the last few days they both had older Xp systems so im not 100% sure about this
    i think we will just have to wait and see what happens..

  6. [...] Internet Explorer 7 and repairing Windows XP [...]

  7. ciccio says:

    xp sucks
    ie7 sucks even more

Leave a Reply

Download SCars (Beta) v0.6.5b2


Download SCars

Click here for the secondary mirror.

Testimonials for SCars

  • "SCars is probably one of the better programs I have in my arsenal to help keep people up to date and cleaned up. Yes, you could tell people to run cleanup programs once a week. Or you could get SCars to remind them!" - Olrik Lenstra
  • Contact us to add yours.

Securitycadets on Facebook


Securitycadets on Facebook