2

Possible Duplicate:
Downgrade from IE9 to IE8 on Windows 7

I'm sure this was already asked before and I know about "Turn Windows Features on/off" or uninstalling from Windows Upgrades screen. The issue is that we have an image and IE9 is preinstalled. So, when I uninstall IE9 Windows doesn't know how to return to IE8 and I'm stuck with no browser at all. I also couldn't find any IE8 installation for Windows 7, probably Microsoft didn't bother to create one.

Is there any way to get rid of IE9 and return to IE8 under those circumstances? I have Windows 7 SP1 installed with IE9?

Community
  • 1
AlM
  • 59
  • 3

2 Answers2

1

Go into Program and Features> click View installed updates and find IE9 on the list. Uninstall it and Windows 7 will revert to IE8.

kinokijuf
  • 8,175
  • 9
  • 54
  • 97
  • This only works if the installation information is not wiped. It is possible to make immpossible to go back to IE8. – Ramhound Jul 18 '12 at 11:39
  • @Ramhound It’s impossible to do it without corrupting `winsxs`. – kinokijuf Jul 18 '12 at 11:40
  • I've tried this and Win 7 doesn't revert to anything. Windows is stuck without any browser. What you suggest in my case simply removes IE9 without restoring IS8. The only thing left is the "orphaned" IE shortcut on the desktop which says "Application is not found" when clicked. – AlM Jul 18 '12 at 12:33
  • 1
    -1 why did this get voted up, when the OP clearly said he already did this, and what the results were? Voting up a contradiction? Come on people. – Bon Gart Jul 18 '12 at 13:50
  • @AlexMaximov you have a problem. That means that the system component information is corrupted. I would suggest a reinstall (inplace upgrade) of Windows. – kinokijuf Jul 18 '12 at 16:20
  • Well, now my question was closed as a duplicate. But none of those threads gives an answer to my question, that is: What to do when after you uninstall IS9 Windows 7 doesn't revert back to IE8, but simply leaves you without any IE installed. That happens when Windows 7 is shipped with IE9 or has SP1 preinstalled. Can someone link an official response from M$ that in such a case it is impossible to get rid of IE( and get back to IE8? – AlM Jul 19 '12 at 07:02
  • @Alex SP1 does not contain IE9. Your windows install seems to be corrupted. – kinokijuf Jul 19 '12 at 09:36
0

Why do you want to downgrade?

It is possible to run IE9 in IE8 mode.

Press F12 and in the right part of the menu select Browser Mode IE8. It's engine will act like of ie8 and all pages will load just like in original ie8.

enter image description here

  • After testing many websites I must reason, that there are several differences between using IE 9 and emulating IE 8 or directly using an original IE 8 install. – feeela Jul 18 '12 at 10:42
  • True it won't be 100% exact as using original. –  Jul 18 '12 at 10:46
  • We have a financial software that doesn't work with IE9. It also doesn't help to use Developer Tools as the program doesn't recognize any compatible browser and refuses to work. – AlM Jul 18 '12 at 11:21
  • 3
    @AlexMaximov - Fix the software. – Ramhound Jul 18 '12 at 11:40
  • 1
    And here I get -1. For what?? Original question didn't say it was software not recognizing browser. –  Jul 18 '12 at 12:03
  • 1
    @Ramhound 'Fixing' the software isn't an option for most people - they have to use whatever is supplied by management/outside providers. – HaydnWVN Jul 18 '12 at 12:38
  • @Ramhound I didn't write that software and I don't have access to the code. In any case, asking someone to 'fix' the faulty or buggy software is strange. When your Windows installation crashes because of faulty driver do you fix the driver? – AlM Jul 19 '12 at 07:06