IE7 Will Auto-Install; Here's How to Stop It

Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:07PM EDT

See Comments (17)

So far, early reviews of Internet Explorer 7 have been mostly positive, but I can confess from early experience that certain web pages (especially those with complicated forms) don't render properly in the new browser.

Problem: If you use a browser to do actual work (or even find IE7 is incompatible with your bank's website) you might not want to leap headlong into IE7 until you've given it a thorough going-over. But you don't have a choice: Microsoft will be pushing IE7 to PCs automatically through Windows Update. Wake up one morning (and no one knows what morning that might be; the release date hasn't been announced) and you may find your old familiar IE6 has been replaced with Folgers Crystals.

Solution: If you don't want IE7 automatically pushed to your PC, you need to install this simple IE7 Installation Blocker, which Microsoft released back in July. With the blocker installed, you'll still be able to install IE7 through Windows Update, but you'll have to select it manually by visiting the Windows Update website (click Tools > Windows Update) and selecting it by hand.

Alas, the blocker that Microsoft released is a script designed for administrators and is hardly user friendly (it requires running a command line instruction as administrator). If you want an easier solution, check out the simple, free, and seamless IntelliAdmin Blocker, which puts a pretty face on the Microsoft script. There's a version for local machines (pictured) and one that lets you do local or remote computers on your network. I've checked them out and they work perfectly.

Comments on IE7 Will Auto-Install; Here's How to Stop It

Post a Comment

Join in the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.

  • 6 Posted by geiger2004@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:07PM EDT Report Abuse

    I downloaded IE7 and lost my yahoo mail.I could not get in to my mail box even after removing IE7.had to call yahoo

  • 7 Posted by brown_eyed_girl_03220 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    I downloaded it yesterday and it totally screwed up my computer. I had to delete the program and do a revert. No thanks Microsoft....

  • 8 Posted by wm_mercer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Man, I want to the InteliAdmin (sic) site to try to download their blocker tool. This is WAY over my head. I've never seen windows like those and if I did, would jump out of my skin and pull the plug on my machine. Isn't there some link that all I have to do is click it and it's done? I have no idea what my computer's name is, much less about this administrator stuff. I tried IE 7 and absolutely HATED it. Now, it appears I'm going to be stuck with this MONSTROSITY. This similar to Yahoo's "new and improved" home page which was forced down our throats. FORGET about their "new and improved" mail system. Enough ranting.

  • 9 Posted by rjl2621 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    IE7 will NOT auto-install. Quit spreading false statements. Microsoft stated in the release details that November 1st it will be added to the available updates in Microsoft Update. It will be staggered into Automatic Updates and even those who have Automatic Updates enabled will still have the OPTION to install or not. This means it will not be FORCED on anyone as the post implies. Additionally, even if you do install IE7 it is easily uninstalled if you do not like it or want to go back to IE6 SP1 for some reason. DO YOUR RESEARCH!!

  • 10 Posted by rjl2621 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    Apparently you don't know much about uninstalling software then, do you? Add/Remove Programs - Find the program (in this case "Windows Internet Explorer 7" if you have RC1 or the final release) and click "Remove". I've done it a number of times and had no issues. Perhaps your computer has other issues if you can't uninstall software.

  • 11 Posted by nachothecheesyone on Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    two misconceptions here -- -- Fully Automatic Updates would mean that you can't review installing IE7 before it happens. It is still possible to happen. -- The first post here said the script didn't work with Win 2000. IE7 doesn't work on Win 2000 anyways, as with anything for Windows Vista that MS is trying to flaunt before the Operating System release. (XP is apparently the 'jerk' of the MS Windows releases. Nothing made for it works on older ones... just wait until Microsoft starts excluding XP.)

  • 12 Posted by suemellgren on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    I installed IE7 & hated it. Uninstalled it with no problem. How do I remove the "Get IE7 now!" from my tool bar?

  • 13 Posted by paravantes on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    Loaded IE7 and Internet window did not completely load. Looked at task manager and IE7 was using 100% of the CPU. I have XP Professional. I removed IE7.

  • 14 Posted by j.loe@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    I downloaded IE7 and lost my connection to my server. I agree with pastorpagno and I also run XP Pro. If and when I am force fed IE7 I will delete it and stay with IE6. Enough is enough Microsoft!!!!

  • 15 Posted by mikeharabis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    Now that it's January, could someone else post their comments on IE7? I personally found that it did things I surely didn't want. I have Spybot Search and Destroy on my PC and it's run great for over two years now. After Microsoft decided to automatically download IE7 for me, SSD found many instances of registry changes and other problems were identified as well. That might be expected but SSD couldn't fix the problem even though I uninstalled IE7 and then did a system restore. Yep, evidence of it is still there. Microsoft says it can be easily unistalled. Even after the two aforementioned attempts, I used the search feature to find any pieces of IE7 that may be left and it was everywhere! It didn't uninstall it, it just restored IE6 to the screen. This is another instance of the devious underhanded things Microsoft does to your computer that they don't want you to know about. I also lost my Flash feature. Hunting it down to reinstall is a major pain for me because I'm using my time to correct a problem I shouldn't have to. I also lost media connections. When I, for instance, want to watch a news article from Yahoo!, The player window comes up but it remains blank. Don't tell me it's something with the codecs, because I've uninstalled, reinstalled, updated, and used hours of my time to trying to correct the situation. Yes, I know how to use the help features on any PC program and followed them to the letter, but Microsoft's help is somewhat vague, and if you want more help, you gotta pay for it, unless your PC is still under warranty. As for IE7, I might be a conspiracy theorist, but I think that the computer you are using right now is stacking up information just waiting to be delivered to the law enforcement authorities. And it's all right there. Under your nose. In IE7.

  • 16 Posted by i_am_auntie_mayhem on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    Yeah. I downloaded IE7 and later found that some of my work sites are incompatible with it. Tried to uninstall it and go back to IE6, but whatever is left after the uninstall causes 6 to look and act like 7. Like a virus that's taken over my computer. Even the 6 that I pulled off my external storage drive looks and acts like 7. How 'bout a class action suit against Microsoft for the time and money lost with the inability to access work pages? Firefox is awesome except it's never been compatible with these work sites. I'm disgusted with Microsoft constantly conning or forcing us into being their beta testers. My Virus Software actually considered the automatic update of IE7 to be a virus and stopped its installation!!

  • 17 Posted by meeramy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use IE6 now and i download IE7 several time but unable to install, each time it gives error and makes an icon on desktop refering to microsoft web page. I am using Compaq Prasario R3000 Laptop with Intel P4 #.0Ghz, 80GB HD

More Posts: First Prev 1 2 Next Last

Post a Comment

Sign In to Post a Comment

My Tech

Please enable your browser's cookies to activate the My Tech column.

Also on Yahoo! Tech

Computers Home Office Wi-Fi & Networking Phones & PDAs Cameras & Camcorders TV & Home Theater Portable Audio
 

Site Map | Tour | Subscribe to Yahoo! Tech

Question and Answer content at Yahoo! Tech is written by Yahoo! users at Yahoo! Answers. Yahoo! does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any Yahoo! Answers content. For more information, read the Full Disclaimer.

Opinions expressed by the Advisors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Yahoo! Inc. Yahoo! receives no compensation from any manufacturer or distributor nor does it compensate any Advisor for the coverage of any product or service in any Advisor's content.