Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview 2.0

Last reviewed: November 26, 1997
Article ID: Q170757

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0

SUMMARY

This article describes how to uninstall (or remove) Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview 2.0 version 4.71.1008.

NOTE: To determine what version of Internet Explorer you are using, in Internet Explorer, click About Internet Explorer on the Help menu. The version number is displayed in the dialog box that appears.

When to Remove Internet Explorer

Remove Internet Explorer 4.0 before you perform any of the following actions:

  • Installing an earlier version of Internet Explorer (3.0, 3.01, or 3.02).
  • Restoring a registry that was created before you installed Internet Explorer 4.0. For example, replacing a current registry with the System.1st file (this applies to Microsoft Windows 95 only).
  • Using a Windows NT Emergency Recovery Disk (ERD) you created before you installed Internet Explorer 4.0 (this applies to Windows NT only).
  • Upgrading to a later build of Internet Explorer 4.0.
  • Reinstalling your operating system.

Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 May Not Be Supported

There are some configurations in which Internet Explorer 4.0 uninstall does not work. Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 is not supported in the following situations:

  • Internet Explorer 4.0 is installed in multiple operating system installations (Windows 95, Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2, or Windows NT 4.0) on the same logical hard disk drive. If you need to run Internet Explorer 4.0 in multiple operating systems, you must install Each operating system on a separate logical disk drive.
  • You remove the Internet Explorer 4.0 backup files. If you remove the backup files, you are unable to uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 without reinstalling Windows to a different folder, and then reinstalling Internet Explorer 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION

Before you uninstall Internet Explorer, quit all running programs. For information about problems that can occur if you do not quit all running programs before uninstalling Internet Explorer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165646
   TITLE     : Program Settings Lost After Internet Explorer Setup or
               Uninstall

To uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 in Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, follow these steps:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs, and then click the Install/Uninstall tab.

  2. In the list of installed programs, click Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, and then click Add/Remove.

  3. In the Add/Remove Internet Explorer 4.0 dialog box, click the "Remove Internet Explorer 4.0 and the components selected below" check box to select it, and then click any additional components you want to remove.

  4. Click OK.

  5. When Setup starts in Maintenance mode, click Remove All.

    If there are any files in the Recycle Bin, you receive the following message:

          Internet Explorer 4.0 has modified the format of the
          Recycle Bin.
    

          If you want to keep any of the items currently in the
          Recycle Bin, open the Recycle Bin and move the items
          to a different location.
    

          To permanently delete all items from the Recycle Bin
          and continue, click OK.
    

    Click OK after checking that there are no files in the Recycle Bin that you want to restore.

    You may also receive the following message

          <Program> has been removed from this computer. Do you
          want to clean up your personal settings for this program.
    

    where <Program> is Microsoft Outlook Express, Microsoft FrontPad, or Internet Explorer 4.0. If you plan to install a later version of Internet Explorer 4.0, click No. Otherwise, click Yes.

Removing Internet Explorer 4.0 Files and Restoring Internet Explorer 3.02

The following steps are optional instructions that describe how to remove extra files associated with Internet Explorer 4.0 after you remove it and restore a working installation of Internet Explorer version 3.02:

  1. After Maintenance mode Setup has finished removing Internet Explorer 4.0, use the Find command on the Start menu to find and delete the following files:

        - Inetcfg.dll
        - Icwdial.dll
        - Isign.dll
        - Icwphbk.dll
    

    These files are associated with the Internet Connection Wizard and are not removed during uninstall.

  2. Remove Internet Explorer 3.x using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. To remove Internet Explorer 3.x, follow these steps:

        a. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
    

        b. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
    

        c. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Internet Explorer 3.0 or 3.02 in
           the list of installed programs, and then click Add/Remove.
    

  3. Install Internet Explorer 3.02.

    For information about the availability of Internet Explorer 3.02, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: 164475
    
          TITLE     : Availability of Internet Explorer 3.02 for Windows 95
                      and NT 4.0
    
    

Known Issues with Uninstall

  • You cannot uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 if you have previously removed Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 Backup using the Add/Remove Programs tool. Removing the backup information also removes Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 from the list of programs that can be removed If you run Setup.exe from the Setup folder in your Internet Explorer 4.0 installation folder, you receive the following error message:

          Setup was unable to uninstall the Integrated Browser Mode feature.
          The required uninstall information is missing. Internet Explorer
          4.0 cannot be uninstalled.
    

    If you click OK, the following message is displayed:

          Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup was not completed
          successfully.
    

    NOTE: You should be able to reinstall the same or a later build of Internet Explorer 4.0 in this situation, but you are still unable to uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0.

  • When you uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0, some user settings are lost, including the following:

          Recycle Bin:       The Confirmation Dialog Box option is turned on.
          Windows Explorer:  Settings in the Options dialog box are reset
                             to the installation defaults.
          Task Bar:          The Auto Hide option is turned off.
    
    
  • You cannot uninstall Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95 after uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0.

    Using the Remove All option in Microsoft Plus! Maintenance-mode Setup results in the following error message:

          Custom Action Error"  The system cannot find the specified file.
    

    For additional information about uninstalling Microsoft Plus!, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: 165623
    
          TITLE     : Cannot Remove Microsoft Plus! After Installing Internet
                      Explorer
    
    

General Troubleshooting

If Maintenance-mode Setup does not work or you cannot run Setup, try one of the following methods:

  • In Windows 95, try restarting your computer in Safe mode, and then use the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel to uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0. To restart the computer in Safe mode, click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart The Computer, and then click OK. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then choose the Safe Mode option from the Startup menu.
  • Reinstall Internet Explorer 4.0, and then uninstall it.
  • For Windows 95, restore a registry created before installing Internet Explorer 4.0, and then use the Ieremove tool to restore your shell files. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: Q166313
    
          TITLE     : Using System.1st after Internet Explorer 4.0 Is
                      Installed
    
    
  • For Windows NT, use an ERD created before installing Internet Explorer 4.0 to replace necessary system files, and then run the Ieremove tool to restore previous shell components. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: Q166314
    
          TITLE     : Using an Older ERD after Internet Explorer 4.0 Is
                      Installed
    
    
  • Reinstall your operating system and previous browser in a "clean" folder, or restore from a complete system backup made before installing Internet Explorer 4.0.


Additional query words: 4.00
Keywords : msient msiew95 kbfaq
Version : 4.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto


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Last reviewed: November 26, 1997
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