Upgrading to IE 8--without IE

[Joe McGuire]

Is there a way to upgrade from IE6 to IE8 without using IE? That is, using
another browser like Firefox? It's pretty complicated but for various
reasons I reinstalled SP3 for Windows XP (long story, but I was led to
believe that some SP3 files were missing, all arising from my persistent
attempts for several days to use Windows Movie Maker) and thereafter found
that I was back to IE6 when previously I was using IE8. But IE6 for some
reason is totally unstable. Most of the time I cannot even enter text in my
Google search window and even if I can, such as to enter a new URL the
program crashes--and it is a pain in the %^&*! to end. Of course I tried
downloading with IE but once I typed in the URL--crash! And if I try to do
this with Firefox I am greeted by the message that I have to use IE. A
catch-22 for sure. Interestingly, a Microsoft support paper prescribed some
steps to stabilize IE (clearing cache, temporary internet files, passwords,
cookies, which I tried to no avail. The next recommendation was to use
system restore. Well, restoring my computer to before I reinstalled SP3
would rather defeat the point of the reinstall although I suppose that's
where I might end up after some18 hours of frustration and aggravation--back
where I started. Any suggestions?

 

[Joe McGuire]

Never mind. Somehow "Download Internet Explorer 8 popped up and after a
lengthy installation it seems to run OK.

"Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:%23Iv6ckbkKHA.2780@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Is there a way to upgrade from IE6 to IE8 without using IE? That is,
> using another browser like Firefox? It's pretty complicated but for
> various reasons I reinstalled SP3 for Windows XP (long story, but I was
> led to believe that some SP3 files were missing, all arising from my
> persistent attempts for several days to use Windows Movie Maker) and
> thereafter found that I was back to IE6 when previously I was using IE8.
> But IE6 for some reason is totally unstable. Most of the time I cannot
> even enter text in my Google search window and even if I can, such as to
> enter a new URL the program crashes--and it is a pain in the %^&*! to end.
> Of course I tried downloading with IE but once I typed in the URL--crash!
> And if I try to do this with Firefox I am greeted by the message that I
> have to use IE. A catch-22 for sure. Interestingly, a Microsoft support
> paper prescribed some steps to stabilize IE (clearing cache, temporary
> internet files, passwords, cookies, which I tried to no avail. The next
> recommendation was to use system restore. Well, restoring my computer to
> before I reinstalled SP3 would rather defeat the point of the reinstall
> although I suppose that's where I might end up after some18 hours of
> frustration and aggravation--back where I started. Any suggestions?
>

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

>> ...I reinstalled SP3 for Windows XP...and
>> thereafter found that I was back to IE6 when previously I was using IE8.
>> But IE6 for some reason is totally unstable.

Assuming you meant you reinstalled WinXP, not SP3...

Did you do a Repair Install or did you format the HDD & do a clean install?

Had IE7 and/or IE8 been installed before you reinstalled Windows?

If you did mean that you uninstalled/reinstalled SP3...

Which was originally installed first, IE7 and/or IE8 or SP3?


Joe McGuire wrote:
> Never mind. Somehow "Download Internet Explorer 8 popped up and after a
> lengthy installation it seems to run OK.
>
> "Joe McGuire" <mcguirejw@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:%23Iv6ckbkKHA.2780@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Is there a way to upgrade from IE6 to IE8 without using IE? That is,
>> using another browser like Firefox? It's pretty complicated but for
>> various reasons I reinstalled SP3 for Windows XP (long story, but I was
>> led to believe that some SP3 files were missing, all arising from my
>> persistent attempts for several days to use Windows Movie Maker) and
>> thereafter found that I was back to IE6 when previously I was using IE8.
>> But IE6 for some reason is totally unstable. Most of the time I cannot
>> even enter text in my Google search window and even if I can, such as to
>> enter a new URL the program crashes--and it is a pain in the %^&*! to
>> end.
>> Of course I tried downloading with IE but once I typed in the URL--crash!
>> And if I try to do this with Firefox I am greeted by the message that I
>> have to use IE. A catch-22 for sure. Interestingly, a Microsoft support
>> paper prescribed some steps to stabilize IE (clearing cache, temporary
>> internet files, passwords, cookies, which I tried to no avail. The next
>> recommendation was to use system restore. Well, restoring my computer to
>> before I reinstalled SP3 would rather defeat the point of the reinstall
>> although I suppose that's where I might end up after some18 hours of
>> frustration and aggravation--back where I started. Any suggestions?