How to Install Internet Explorer and Troubleshoot Setup Problems

Last reviewed: January 26, 1998
Article ID: Q170993
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0

This article describes troubleshooting steps that may help you solve problems setting up and uninstalling Internet Explorer. This information is also available in our Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup and Uninstall Troubleshooting Wizard. We recommend using this wizard, but we have also created this text-based article for your convenience. The Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup and Uninstall Troubleshooting Wizard is located on:

   http://support.microsoft.com/support/tshoot/default.asp

SUMMARY

This article provides general information about installing Internet Explorer. The following topics are discussed:

  • Internet Explorer system requirements
  • How to install Internet Explorer
  • Common Internet Explorer Setup problems

MORE INFORMATION

Internet Explorer System Requirements

To install Internet Explorer, your computer must meet the following minimum hardware requirements:

  • A 486 with a 66 Mhz processor (Pentium processor recommended)
  • For Microsoft Windows 95: 12 MB of RAM minimum, 16 MB with Active Desktop For Microsoft Windows NT: 24 MB of RAM minimum
  • For Microsoft Windows NT: You must be running Service Pack 3 (or higher)
  • 40 to 70 MB of hard-disk space (depending on installation type)
  • Mouse
  • Modem
  • CD-ROM

If you do not know if your computer meets the above listed requirements, consult the documentation included with your computer.

How to Install Internet Explorer

To install Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

  1. If Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview 2.0 is currently installed on your computer, uninstall it. For information about how to do so, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: Q170757
    
          TITLE     : Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview 2.0
    
    

  2. Download Internet Explorer from the following Microsoft Web site:

          http://www.microsoft.com/ie/download/
    

  3. If you already downloaded the Ie4setup.exe file, verify that you are still connected to the Internet and then double-click the file in My Computer or Windows Explorer to start the Active Setup Wizard. If you did not already download the Ie4setup.exe file, locate the link to the file on the Microsoft World Wide Web site, click the link, click Open It, and then click OK to start the Active Setup Wizard.

  4. Click the desired download option, and then click Next.

        - Install: Downloads the Internet Explorer installation files and
          then installs Internet Explorer on your computer.
    

        - Download Only: Downloads the Internet Explorer installation files,
          but does not install Internet Explorer on your computer. To install
          Internet Explorer, you must run the Ie4setup.exe file located in
          the folder to which you downloaded the installation files.
          You can use this option to install Internet Explorer on your
          computer at a later time or copy the installation files to another
          computer and then install Internet Explorer on that computer.
    

  5. Click the desired installation option, and then click Next.

        - Full Installation: Requires 59 MB of disk space to download and
          installs the following components.
    

           - Internet Explorer
           - Outlook Express
           - NetMeeting
           - FrontPad
           - NetShow
           - Web Publishing Wizard
           - Wallet
           - Multimedia enhancements
    

        - Standard Installation: Requires 50 MB of disk space to download and
          installs the following components.
    

           - Internet Explorer
           - Outlook Express
           - Web Publishing Wizard
           - Multimedia enhancements
    

        - Browser Only: Requires 43 MB of disk space to download and
          installs the following components.
    

           - Internet Explorer
           - Multimedia enhancements
    

    NOTE: To reduce traffic on the Internet and reduce the amount of time it takes you to download or install Internet Explorer, you should use the Minimal Installation option the first time you run the Active Setup Wizard. Additional components can be installed at a later time using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or by running the Active Setup Wizard again and clicking the Full Installation or Standard Installation option.

    For information about how to install additional components using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: Q171229
    
          TITLE     : How to Add and Remove Internet Explorer 4.0 Components
    
    

  6. Click the integration option you want, and then click Next.

        - Yes: Integrates browser functionality into the desktop and into
          many common shell activities.
    

        - No: Does not integrate browser functionality into the desktop or
          into common shell activities.
    

    NOTE: The integration mode can be enabled or disabled after Internet Explorer is installed. To change the integration mode, follow these steps:

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

          double-click Add/Remove Programs.
    

    b. Click the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft Internet Explorer

          4.0 in the list of installed programs, and then click Add/Remove.
    

    c. If the Web Integrated Desktop is not active, click "Add Web

          Integrated Desktop from Web site" to enable it. If the Web
          Integrated Desktop is active, click "Remove Web Integrated
          Desktop, but keep the Internet Explorer 4.0 Web browser" to
          disable it.
    

  7. Click the appropriate region, and then click Next.

  8. Type the path to the folder in which you want to install Internet Explorer in the Install In Folder box, and then click Next. If you clicked the Install option in step 3 and Internet Explorer is currently installed on your computer, the folder in which Internet Explorer is currently installed is selected by default. If you clicked the Install option in step 3 and Internet Explorer is not currently installed on your computer, or you clicked the Download Only option in step 3, a different folder is selected by default.

  9. Click the appropriate region and download location in the Region and Download Location boxes, and then click Next. After you click Next, the Active Setup Wizard starts downloading the Internet Explorer installation files.

If you clicked the Download Only option in step 3, the following message is displayed after the Active Setup Wizard downloads the Internet Explorer installation files:

   Setup has finished downloading Internet Explorer 4.0.
   Run "IE4SETUP.EXE" from the <path> folder when ready to complete
   Setup. You must run IE4Setup.exe to complete the installation.

If you clicked the Install option in step 3, the following message is displayed after the Active Setup Wizard downloads the Internet Explorer installation files:

   Setup has finished downloading Internet Explorer 4.0.
   If you are connected to the Internet, you can disconnect now if you
   want. Installation will continue in a few moments.

If your computer stops responding (hangs) after this message is displayed or the installation does not continue for some other reason, you can restart the Setup program by running the Ie4setup.exe file located in the folder to which you downloaded the installation files. When you restart the Setup program, the Smart Recovery feature allows the Active Setup Wizard to recognize where the installation halted and recover the installation where it left off.

After the installation is finished, the following message is displayed:

   Configuring your system. Please wait...

While this message is displayed, all remaining files are copied to your hard disk, the registry is updated, and all remaining Setup log file entries are made.

Common Internet Explorer Setup Problems

When you attempt to install Internet Explorer, one of the following error messages may be displayed:

  • Setup could not retrieve the information needed for the installation. The network is probably busy. Please run Setup again later.
  • Setup was unable to download information about available installation sites. The network may be busy, do you want to retry? If you continue having this problem, please try Setup at a later time.
  • Installation Failed.
  • The folder '<path>' is invalid.
  • Setup cannot upgrade the current version of Internet Explorer. You must uninstall it before you can install this version of Internet Explorer. Setup cannot continue.
  • There is not enough disk space to install Internet Explorer 4.0 using the installation option you selected. You need to have <xxxx> KB free on drive C. Currently, there are <xxxx> KB free.

    Please free up some hard-disk space, and then click Next. Or click Back to change your installation options or folder.

  • You do not have enough disk space to install Internet Explorer 4.0 with the options you selected. You need to have <xxxx> KB free on drive C. Currently, there are <xxxx> KB free.

    Please free up some hard-disk space, and then click Next. Or click Back to change your installation options or folder.

  • Error initializing the cache. Shut down all programs and run Scandisk or Chkdsk. Delete the cache, cookies, and history directories in your Windows directory and the restart Internet Explorer. If the problem persists reinstall Internet Explorer.

Only the desktop wallpaper may appear when you restart your computer after you install Internet Explorer.

For information about these problems, please see the appropriate section below.

  • Setup Could Not Retrieve the Information Needed for the Installation:

    To resolve this behavior, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: Q166917
    
          TITLE     : Err Msg: Setup Could Not Retrieve the Information
                      Needed...
    
    
  • Setup Was Unable to Download Information About Available Installation Sites:

    This behavior can be caused by either of the following situations:

        - The location from which you are attempting to download Internet
          Explorer is extremely busy or there is a different behavior with the
          location.
    

        - The proxy server settings that Internet Explorer is configured to
          use or the settings for the Dial-Up Networking connectoid that
          Internet Explorer is configured to use are incorrect.
    

    To work around this behavior, use the appropriate method:

        - Try downloading Internet Explorer from a different location or
          downloading it at a later time.
    

        - Verify that the proxy server settings or the settings for the Dial-
          Up Networking connectoid are correct. For information about how to
          do so, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge
          Base:
    

             ARTICLE-ID: Q153967
             TITLE     : Internet Explorer Err Msg: Could Not Open...
    
    
  • Installation Failed:

    If this error message is displayed, Setup also displays a red X next to all the items in the install list. If the error message is not displayed, Setup may display a red X next to one or more items in the install list.

    This behavior can be caused by any of the following situations:

        - There is not enough free space on the hard disk.
    

        - A file that Internet Explorer is attempting to copy to your hard
          disk is already being used by another program.
    

        - One or more of the installation files is damaged.
    

        - You are no longer connected to the Internet.
    

    To work around this behavior, use the appropriate method:

        - Increase the amount of free space on the drive on which you are
          installing Internet Explorer. To do so, follow these steps:
    

          a. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then
    
             double-click Add/Remove Programs.
    
          b. Click a program you do not use, and then click Add/Remove.
             Follow the on-screen instructions, until the program is removed.
    
        - Quit all programs that are currently running. To do so, right-click
          a program name appearing on the taskbar, and then click Close.
          Repeat this process until no programs appear on the taskbar.
    
        - Delete the folder to which you downloaded the installation files and
          then download the files again. For information about how to do this,
          view the online Help topic deleting.
    
        - Verify that the proxy server settings are correct and then connect
          to the Internet again.
    
       After performing one of the above steps, attempt to install Internet
       Explorer again.
    
    
  • The Folder '<path>' Is Invalid:

    For information about this behavior, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: Q166990
    
          TITLE     : Error Message: The Folder '<Path>' Is Invalid...
    
    
  • Setup Cannot Upgrade the Current Version of Internet Explorer:

    This behavior can occur if either of the following conditions exist:

        - You are installing Internet Explorer 4.01 (Version 4.72.2106.8)
          over Platform Preview 1.0 (Version 4.71.544.) or 2.0 (Version
          4.71.1008).
    

          To resolve this problem, uninstall the Platform Preview version of
          Internet Explorer 4.0 before you install Internet Explorer 4.01.
          For information about how to do so, please see the following
          articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    

             ARTICLE-ID: Q166322
             TITLE     : Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview
                         1.0
    
             ARTICLE-ID: Q170757
             TITLE     : Uninstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 Platform Preview
                         2.0
    
        - The Active Setup Wizard cannot determine which version of Internet
          Explorer is currently installed on your computer.
    
          To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods:
    
           - If you are upgrading to Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01 from
             Internet Explorer 3.x and you have never successfully
             installed Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01, or Internet Explorer
             4.0 or 4.01 has been uninstalled, reinstall the version of
             Internet Explorer 3.x you are currently running before
             you installing Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01.
    
           - If you are upgrading Internet Explorer 4.0 to 4.01 (or
             reinstalling Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01), then check the
             Active Setup Log.txt file for lines that begin with "File
             Version" to determine the cause of the problem.
    
             NOTE: If any of these files have a version number of 4.71.544.x
             or 4.71.1008.x, rename them before you run Internet Explorer
             4.0 or 4.01 Setup.
    
             When you install Internet Explorer, it checks the version of
             several files to determine which version of Internet Explorer is
             currently installed on your computer. If Internet Explorer 4.0 or
             4.01 is currently installed, it determines whether the Web
             Integrated Desktop is enabled. The results of this version check
             are added to the Active Setup log.txt file.
    
    
  • There Is Not Enough Disk Space to Install Internet Explorer 4.0 Using the Installation Option You Selected:

    This behavior can occur when you install Internet Explorer on a drive other than the drive on which Windows is installed and the drive contains less than 50 MB of free disk space.

    To work around this behavior, increase the amount of free space on the drive on which you are installing Internet Explorer and then attempt to install Internet Explorer again.

  • Error Initializing the Cache:

    This behavior can occur if you are using Windows NT and you disabled long file name support for partitions using the FAT file system.

    To work around this behavior, enable long file name support for partitions using the FAT file system and then attempt to install Internet Explorer again. For information about how to do this, view the online Help topic long filenames.

  • Only the desktop wallpaper appears when you restart your computer:

    For information about how to work around this problem, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

          ARTICLE-ID: Q174486
    
          TITLE     : Only Desktop Wallpaper Appears When You Start Your
                      Computer
    


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


THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: January 26, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.