How to Reinstall Internet Explorer 7 in Vista

If you don't like IE8, you can always reinstall IE7

Internet Explorer 7 is a popular browser that many people prefer over newer versions. Because Vista shares some system components with Internet Explorer 7, IE7 is not as easy to reinstall as other browsers. Microsoft does not provide a Vista download for IE7, but you can still reinstall it by removing IE8. Once you remove Internet Explorer 8, Vista will automatically restore a copy of Internet Explorer 7. You can use this method to switch between different versions of Internet Explorer without experiencing any adverse effects.

Things You'll Need

• Windows Vista

Instructions

Instructions

1. Open the Vista "Start" menu and click "Control Panel" to open the control panel.

2. Click "Programs and Features". A list of installed programs will appear.

3. Click "View Installed Updates" (located on the left of the screen). Vista will display a list of all Microsoft system updates that have been applied to the operating system.

4. Locate "Internet Explorer 8" in the list of installed updates and double click that entry. A final confirmation menu will appear asking if you want to uninstall IE8.

5. Click "Yes" to begin the installation process. Follow the system prompts and Vista will reinstall Internet Explorer 7.

6. Restart your computer and open IE7. All of your old browser settings should be intact.

Tips & Warnings

• Although you can reinstall IE7, Microsoft recommends installing the latest version of Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer 8 resolves many of the performance and security issues found in IE7. If you do not see "Internet Explorer" in the list of installed updates during step 3, perform these steps to reinstall Internet Explorer 7: Click "Start" and type cmd to open the command window. Paste the following string into the command window and press "Enter".

• FORFILES /P %WINDIR%\\servicing\\Packages /M Microsoft-Windows-InternetExplorer-8*.mum /c "cmd /c echo Uninstalling package @fname && start /w pkgmgr /up:@fname /norestart"

References

• Arizona Western College Helpdesk: Uninstalling Internet Explorer 8

Resources

• Microsoft: Alternative IE7 Installation Method
• Techspot: How to Open and Copy/Paste to Command Prompt Windows