Subj : Re: can't remove ie8 To : All From : jbclem4@charter.net Date : Thu Jan 31 2019 19:16:21 Path: eternal-september.org!reader02.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org !.POSTED!not-for-mail From: "jbclem" Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general Subject: Re: can't remove ie8 Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2017 22:14:20 -0700 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 175 Message-ID: References: Injection-Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2017 05:14:28 -0000 (UTC) Injection-Info: reader02.eternal-september.org; posting-host="13e6687ea992b0ebcd245c740e2aa3af"; logging-data="13769"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX19D9g1F+WnFFwCzJ/o14aqH" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5512 X-RFC2646: Format=Flowed; Response X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5512 Cancel-Lock: sha1:VNfqLzNmm8dlEJI43ym2Z+c9Xd4= X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Xref: news.eternal-september.org microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:134430 First, I checked the entire computer for spuninstal.exe before I did anything. The only ones I found were tied to kb numbers. There was no spuninstal.exe in the IE8 folder anywhere. Second, before I deleted the folder I copied the entire IE8 folder to a flash drive. So I can easily copy it back, but I wonder if I unregistered it when I deleted it. But also, I don't even know if it was registered as there was no entry for it in Add/Remove Programs and no uninstall file. And since there was no Outlook Express anywhere, that may also point to an unregistered (improperly installed) IE8. Also, I searched my computer for mshtml.dll and found three copies of it, two are identical (4-14-2008) and one of these is in windows/system32 so hopefully that's where it's supposed to be. But you've given me a good idea, if IE8 comes with Outlook Express then if I can find an installer for it maybe I can get it properly installed with an uninstall file, and also Outlook Express. Although I was under the impression that everything after Windows XP came with Microsoft Outlook. I've run into mention of "Spoon.net - Sandboxed IE6 IE7 IE8 Standalone" but haven't found one yet and don't know if it includes Outlook Express since it's for people who are testing browsers. Later... I just found (and downloaded) IE8-WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe (16,488 kb). Now we'll see if it works, first I have to transfer it to a different computer. "Paul" wrote in message news:otlpdu$bhh$1@dont-email.me... > jbclem wrote: >> I'm trying to remove Internet Explorer 8 completely from WinXP so I can >> install IE6 and get Outlook Express back. But IE8 isn't listed in >> Add/Remove Programs, and in the IE8 folder under Program Files there is >> no uninstall file. I removed the IE8 folder completely, but I still >> can't install IE6 because the installer finds some reference to IE8. >> >> Can someone help me with this...I'm not sure where else to look for IE8 >> references. >> >> John > > This is copied off my (dead) WinXP install. Which once had > IE8, and I later removed it. These logs are dropped in > C:\Windows if you're looking for them. You can see the > path printed out, as to what the uninstall process uses. > > [ie8Uninst.log] > 0.000: > =============================================================================== = > 0.000: 2012/06/01 22:28:13.125 (local) > 0.000: C:\WINDOWS\ie8\spuninst\spuninst.exe (version 6.3.15.0) > > Apparently there was an uninstaller in the ie8 folder. > > ******* > > The installer really isn't standalone, in the sense that it > uses Windows Update or other packages to add dependencies > the IE8 package needs. Perhaps some sort of graphics support. > > IE8-WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe 16,883,056 bytes > > I have a previous version of IE8 installer, that was somewhat smaller. > > Previous versions of IE, such as IE6, now that was a > proper standalone. It didn't hide what it was doing > from you (you make one of those for your own self, by > snagging the install folder when IE6 installs, then you > can use that folder forever, as an installer of IE6). > > I had some install of IE8, that took a > significant portion of an hour, downloading other > stuff, but I haven't been able to reproduce that > one. Most other attempts only screwed around > for a minute or two. The installer doesn't tell you > what it is doing. Only those log files (which I never > noticed before), might contain hints. > > ******* > > Once you remove the IE8 folder, you're cooked. > You can try re-installing the package, but it's going to > attempt to run the spuninst registered for the job, and > it's going to find it missing. > > The reason Internet Explorer behaves strangely, is mshtml.dll > or similar ("the HTML engine") is a part of the OS. Key parts > of the OS rely on it for rendering. It can *never* go missing. > It might be in the windows folder itself, and perhaps your > "sweep" with the big hammer, didn't get it. This means that > one copy of IE must be installed at all times. When you > bump up to IE8, it replaces the engine. When you uninstall > IE8, it puts IE6 (or whatever was there previously) back > in control. So that there is always an "engine" component. > This is what happens, when parts of your OS are implemented > with HTML/activex/javascript or whatever. The ole bailing > wire and binder twine trick. Something I do not approve of. > The core components of the OS should be immutable, not > some hot potato the user is forever juggling. They should > not dangle this stuff in plain sight, so the user can get > themselves in trouble. > > I'm not an IT guy and can't fix this for you. You can > try re-installing the package, but at this point, > I really can't see why that would work. This is not > like other packages. It always expects existing materials, > for the install or uninstall sequence to work. This is > the one time, you should *not* have deleted that folder :-/ > > If I did what you did, in my computer room here, right > now I'd have Macrium open, mount my last WinXP backup, > get that IE8 folder, copy it, and put it right back... :-) > > Before you do anything else, make a backup, so you can > get back to a (semi) working system if need be. Maybe > you'll be doing additional desperate things, and having > a reference copy of the OS will come in handy later. > > Note that even Repair Installing the OS, can have > "trouble" with IE versioning. Normally, the sage advice > is to down-level IE first, before doing the Repair Install, > which of course is impossible advice most of the time. I > think I discovered, during some experiment, that if > I Repair Installed the OS, then installed IE8 on top, > as long as the "final" IE level was the same as the > OS before Repair Install, it actually works OK. Repair > Installing something with as many Windows Updates as > that thing is going to need, isn't really all that > practical an option. > > ******* > > These are examples of WinXP virtual machine files that > have a copy of the IE8 folder in them. But there's no > way of knowing whether one of these folders, exactly > aligns with the patch level of what you're running. > Still, it would give the spuninst.exe something to > chew on, on its way back to IE6 etc. These were offered > for download on Microsoft modern.ie web site, but > they were discontinued for download some time ago. > Right now, I think Windows 7 is the oldest OS on offer there. > You can try Googling on the SHA1 checksum and see > if there are copies around somewhere. > > IE8.WinXP.For.WindowsVPC.exe 910,335,488 bytes > SHA1: 12E08B0B6AF6BF4B6FC3EE054F2F59A1509A86FB > > IE8.XP.For.Windows.VirtualBox.zip 1,229,679,520 bytes > SHA1: 0A766326C61DEBDAC638EFD244042295B1113172 > > This would not be my first choice as a triage technique, > but if you don't have any other options (i.e. that backup > you made), you could go looking for a copy of one of those. > VPC2007 is the Microsoft hosting software that works with > the first file. Oracle VirtualBox is the hosting software > that runs the second one. The 7-ZIP version 16.04 utility, > can burrow into both those packages, all the way down > to the IE8 folder, so you don't need to install any > hosting software at all to get the folder out of there. > Just a copy of one of those files, plus the installation > of 7-ZIP, would get you inside those archives. > > (7-ZIP, the all-purpose can opener...) > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-zip > > At this point, I'm hoping you have a backup. > > Paul --- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.1 * Origin: Prison Board BBS Mesquite Tx //telnet.RDFIG.NET www. (1:124/5013) .