IE 8 installation, acting weird

  • Thread starter Thread starter Penang
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Penang

I just install IE 8 on an old XP machine, --- using the file IE8-
WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe, --- and it's acting really weird

The machine has Firefox as the default browser, but before I install
IE 8 on it, I could still use Internet Explorer when I wanted to

All I had to do is to go to "My Computer" and type in the "http://
url.com" (or any other url) on the box on the top and then hit enter,
and IE will appear

However, that is no longer the case *AFTER* I installed IE 8

Now, when I call up "My Computer", and type in an URL on the top box
and hit enter, instead of getting Internet Explorer, Firefox is being
called up instead !!

What did I do wrong?

How to correct that mistake?

Please help !!
 
Make IE the Default Browser.
--
Michael

Windows 7 RC
IE 8
Windows Live Mail 2009 (latest)
Office 2007 (latest)
 
If IE is not your default browser what other action would you expect?
You can open IE from the shortcut
 
I just install IE 8 on an old XP machine, --- using the file IE8-
WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe, --- and it's acting really weird

The machine has Firefox as the default browser, but before I install
IE 8 on it, I could still use Internet Explorer when I wanted to

All I had to do is to go to "My Computer" and type in the "http://
url.com" (or any other url) on the box on the top and then hit enter,
and IE will appear

However, that is no longer the case *AFTER* I installed IE 8

Now, when I call up "My Computer", and type in an URL on the top box
and hit enter, instead of getting Internet Explorer, Firefox is being
called up instead !!

What did I do wrong?

How to correct that mistake?

Please help !!
Click to expand...

1. Start IE.

2. go to tools->internet options->programs.

3. put a check beside internet explorer should check to see whether it is
the default browser. Click apply and then ok.

Next time you start up IE it will ask and change it if you select yes.
 
Penang said:
I just install IE 8 on an old XP machine, --- using the file IE8-
WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe, --- and it's acting really weird

The machine has Firefox as the default browser, but before I install
IE 8 on it, I could still use Internet Explorer when I wanted to

All I had to do is to go to "My Computer" and type in the "http://
url.com" (or any other url) on the box on the top and then hit enter,
and IE will appear
Click to expand...

Why would you want to do that (even if it works)? If you want IE to
appear, simply run it!
However, that is no longer the case *AFTER* I installed IE 8

Now, when I call up "My Computer", and type in an URL on the top box
and hit enter, instead of getting Internet Explorer, Firefox is being
called up instead !!

What did I do wrong?
Click to expand...

I doubt you did anything wrong.

It sounds like when you installed IE8, the option to have Windows
Explorer in essence become Internet Explorer disappeared. Since I can't
see your computer, though, I can't tell you how or why. But again, why
would you want to even do that in the first place?

Do you want FF to remain your default browser? If so, good. Leave it
alone. And for those rare occasions you want IE to "appear," simply
*run* it instead of using the My Computer approach!
 
I can't even make IE the Default Browser

In fact, I can't even call up IE at all !!!!!!

I had been calling IE from the "My Computer" windows, now, it's NOT
even there

As soon as I type something like "http://yyy.com" into the box,
Firefox shows up !
 
The problem is, after the upgrading to IE 8, the shortcut is GONE !!

Now I can't even call up IE !!!
 
Uninstall Firefox and see what happens.
--
Michael

Windows 7 RC
IE 8
Windows Live Mail 2009 (latest)
Office 2007 (latest)
 
Penang said:
I just install IE 8 on an old XP machine, --- using the file IE8-
WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe, --- and it's acting really weird

The machine has Firefox as the default browser, but before I install
IE 8 on it, I could still use Internet Explorer when I wanted to

All I had to do is to go to "My Computer" and type in the "http://
url.com" (or any other url) on the box on the top and then hit enter,
and IE will appear
Click to expand...

What is the box on the top of My Computer????
 
Penang said:
I just install IE 8 on an old XP machine, --- using the file IE8-
WindowsXP-x86-ENU.exe, --- and it's acting really weird

The machine has Firefox as the default browser, but before I install
IE 8 on it, I could still use Internet Explorer when I wanted to

All I had to do is to go to "My Computer" and type in the "http://
url.com" (or any other url) on the box on the top and then hit enter,
and IE will appear

However, that is no longer the case *AFTER* I installed IE 8

Now, when I call up "My Computer", and type in an URL on the top box
and hit enter, instead of getting Internet Explorer, Firefox is being
called up instead !!

What did I do wrong?

How to correct that mistake?

Please help !!
Click to expand...



Penang

One possibility is your settings were corrupt before you installed IE8 and
the IE8 installation has corrected the corrupt bits to the 'default' browser
(FireFox)

It would appear the 'normal' action when you type a URL into Windows
Explorer (which is what displays 'My Computer') is to open the 'default'
browser.
The fact that IE opened when the default was FFox suggests something was
corrupted.

If after the IE8 install you can't find any IE8 icons (I take it you've
looked under All Programs?) that would also suggest something is not quite
right with your system

One way to force Internet Explorer to open is to:
Start
Run
Type "iexplore.exe" into the box and click OK.

If IE is installed correctly it should open and you can then set it as
default.
Tools
Internet Options
Programs Tab
Click the "make default' button.

Best
Paul.
 
Penang

One possibility is your settings were corrupt before you installed IE8 and
the IE8 installation has corrected the corrupt bits to the 'default' browser
(FireFox)

It would appear the 'normal' action when you type a URL into Windows
Explorer (which is what displays 'My Computer') is to open the 'default'
browser.
The fact that IE opened when the default was FFox suggests something was
corrupted.

If  after the IE8 install you can't find any IE8 icons (I take it you've
looked under All Programs?) that would also suggest something is not quite
right with your system

One way to force Internet Explorer to open is to:
Start
Run
Type "iexplore.exe" into the box and click OK.

If IE is installed correctly it should open and you can then set it as
default.
Tools
Internet Options
Programs Tab
Click the "make default' button.

Best
Paul.
Click to expand...

Many thanks for the very detailed info !!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again !!!!!!!!
 
You don't need a shortcut to start IE. Just Run... (e.g. press Win-R
and enter:)

iexplore.exe


BTW please avoid using Quoted-Printable for your postings.
Some Google posters apparently know how to post in plain text.
Even better IMO would be to use a real NNTP newsreader to post
to these newsgroups. E.g. Run... this: news://msnews.microsoft.com/


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---


<QP>
The problem is, after the upgrading to IE 8, the shortcut is GONE !!

Now I can't even call up IE !!!

If IE is not your default browser what other action would you expect?
You can open IE from the shortcut
Click to expand...
</QP>
 
Now I understand. :-)

Another annoying Windows quirk. See this page:

http://www.tipandtrick.net/2008/res...rnet-explorer-desktop-icon-in-windows-xp-sp3/

Here is how to get that desktop shortcut icon back:

1. Click Start, Run.

2. Type regedit.exe.

3. Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel
(wrapped for easy reading)

Note: If HideDesktopIcons and NewStartPanel do not exist, create new
registry keys for them.

4. In the right hand pane, double-click
{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D} key.

If the registry value name does not exist, create a new DWORD value and
name it as {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}

5. Enter dword value data as 0 to enable the Internet Explorer icon on
the Desktop.

For users who are using Classic Start Menu, replace NewStartPanel with
ClassicStartMenu instead so that the registry key location is as follow:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu (wrapped for easy reading)

Other steps are exactly the same with the above. Refresh the desktop
after change to display the IE desktop icon.

If you would rather not do the above, there should be a .reg file called
reset_ie_icon.reg that will automatically accomplish all of the above.

Also, it appears that Kelly has a reg file on her excellent site that
does the same thing called sp3iefix.reg:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Line #408, right-hand side.

HTH.
 
One may not *need* that shortcut, but it is convenient to have. First,
it is quicker to simply double-click it. And it is superior to a
shortcut you would create because of the contextual menu's choices,
including starting in the No Add-ons mode and selecting Internet
Properties.
 
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