Can I remove IE frommy computer and still get to the internet?

scottmandue · 03-04-2013, 07:01 AM

So I picked up a cheapo HP computer to check email and surf the web at home...

It came with Vista and IE of course... problem is IE is festooned with toolbars and loads of other junk I don't need/want.

No problem, I just downloaded firefox and use it to get to the web...

Just curious if I can uninstall IE and maybe reload a fresh clean version of IE, or does IE run in the background and need to be there to get to the Internet?

Don't want to remove IE then be stranded unable to download a (newer) web browser.

Thanks in advance!

KaptKaos · 03-04-2013, 07:05 AM

Not really.

Have you looked in your Programs & Applications for the tool bars and removed them?

scottmandue · 03-04-2013, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaptKaos

Not really.

Have you looked in your Programs & Applications for the tool bars and removed them?

I cleaned up the computer (deleted a bunch of c**p) by using control panel "uninstall".

I'm guessing you are referring to the upper right hand icon? Tried that and it seemed kinda limited...

Thanks

JAR0023 · JAR0023's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaptKaos

Not really.

Have you looked in your Programs & Applications for the tool bars and removed them?

I'm forced to use IE due to compatability issues at work. The newer versions of IE can be slimmed down a bit. I guess it's a peeve of mine but it irks me when I see someone open IE in front of me and the top half of the window is toolbars. Try here. Uncheck what you don't need. -J

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

Just stop using IE and install another browser.

KaptKaos · 03-04-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I cleaned up the computer (deleted a bunch of c**p) by using control panel "uninstall".

I'm guessing you are referring to the upper right hand icon? Tried that and it seemed kinda limited...

Thanks

Nope. From control panel. Sounds like you found the right place.

gacook · gacook's Garage

Download Chrome (Google) or Firefox (Mozilla). Then delete IE--forever.

**edit** For what it's worth, I prefer Chrome to Firefox, but both are superior to IE.

scottmandue · 03-04-2013, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gacook

Download Chrome (Google) or Firefox (Mozilla). Then delete IE--forever.

**edit** For what it's worth, I prefer Chrome to Firefox, but both are superior to IE.

Have you deleted IE on your computer and are still able to get to the Internet, are you running Windows OS?

I have reason to believe IE still runs in the background when you use Chrome or Firefox and if I delete IE I won't be able to connect (with firefox or chrome).

Thus my question...

KaptKaos · 03-04-2013, 09:35 AM

You can't really delete IE. It's part of the OS. There are ways to remove it for browsing purposes. I am making an assumption that since you're asking here how to do this on Vista, that it's not really a good idea for you to try this. You can mess up the PC if you do it wrong.

Just install Google Chrome and use it all of the time. Make it your default browser, and move on.

Baz · Baz's Garage

Scott - FWIW I have used Firefox for years now but never 'deleted" IE. I just don't open it. I don't see it as a problem if I never use it. Never thought of removing it.

I'm not the 'most' savvy computer person so I try not to push the envelope.

gacook · gacook's Garage

Yeah, there's really no reason to fully delete IE--as others have said, just don't use it. I had a laptop (alienware, so basically a Dell) where IE just stopped working; it would never open a web page. Luckily, I'd already downloaded Firefox for some reason or another, so no issues. Ever since then, I never click the big blue "E" on any of my machines, except for when they're brand new...and then the first thing I do is download Chrome.

Baz · Baz's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by gacook

Yeah, there's really no reason to fully delete IE--as others have said, just don't use it. I had a laptop (alienware, so basically a Dell) where IE just stopped working; it would never open a web page. Luckily, I'd already downloaded Firefox for some reason or another, so no issues. Ever since then, I never click the big blue "E" on any of my machines, except for when they're brand new...and then the first thing I do is download Chrome.

Ha.....your post, Guy, got me to thinking....why do I even have the big blue E on display in the first place? So I just left-clicked on it and hit DELETE!

Gone...pfftfffffft!

Life is good.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Every now and then you may run across a website that doesn't work properly with one browser but does with another. Banking websites for instance. Keep IE around for that.

scottmandue · 03-04-2013, 02:41 PM

Actually I am going to keep IE as a backup, but wanted a fresh install without all the annoying HP added popups toolbars etc.

I just want to remove all that cr*p without having to pick through the software settings for each little trashy gadget they have installed.

flatbutt · 03-04-2013, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaptKaos

You can't really delete IE. It's part of the OS. There are ways to remove it for browsing purposes. I am making an assumption that since you're asking here how to do this on Vista, that it's not really a good idea for you to try this. You can mess up the PC if you do it wrong.

Just install Google Chrome and use it all of the time. Make it your default browser, and move on.

this is what I did. No issues at all.

scottmandue · 03-04-2013, 03:18 PM

Just to confirm... I don't use the big E... I browse with Mozilla...

The question is/was if one were to uninstall IE would Firefox/Chrome/Yahoo still work... I gather that the answer is no (for a windows user), I need IE in the background to get on the Internet.

As an aside not a big google fan... been using Bing instead.

flatbutt · 03-04-2013, 03:29 PM

OH. Never mind.

id10t · 03-04-2013, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Just to confirm... I don't use the big E... I browse with Mozilla...

The question is/was if one were to uninstall IE would Firefox/Chrome/Yahoo still work... I gather that the answer is no (for a windows user), I need IE in the background to get on the Internet.

As an aside not a big google fan... been using Bing instead.

In theory you could.... if windows would work. But so much stuff is intertwined between the OS and the application.... good luck.

I'd try a bootable Linux live disk, and if all your hardware works, just install Linux and be done with it.

spuggy · 03-04-2013, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Just to confirm... I don't use the big E... I browse with Mozilla...

The question is/was if one were to uninstall IE would Firefox/Chrome/Yahoo still work... I gather that the answer is no (for a windows user), I need IE in the background to get on the Internet.

No, that's the kool-aid. The EU fined Microsoft millions for that lie after a protracted court case - and forced them to give people the choice.

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

If you're worried that it's running look for the iexplorer task in task manager. But you do not need IE to connect to the internet. That's handled by the HTTP service which you can start and stop independently of everything else. Browsers and services using HTTP calls use that as the socket transit. It's an unlisted service in the GUI but you can query it from the command line with the "net" command.