Removing IE

seun

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OK, I'm prepared to look really stupid with this question so here it is: if I remove Internet Explorer from my computer, will this have horrible consequences? I ask because I've been using Mozilla for ages and IE has just been sitting in the background doing nothing. It only dawned on me the other day I don't need it, so if I remove it, will I cock things up or free up some space?
 

petec

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It is very hard to remove IE safely.

Disable could be the way to go

THIS may be of interest
 
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When IE7 gave me problems last year, all I did was switch to Firefox. I didn't mind having IE on the outside looking in. Now I have IE8 and so far it hasn't given me any problems. It's the only browser I have. I haven't even needed to download another one. :)
 

RJK

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When I was using Windows XP I switched from IE8 to Firefox. I found it to be faster and maybe a little more user friendly. Problem was, I got creamed with a Google redirect virus while using Firefox. I'm not saying it wouldn't have happened in IE8, but it did happen while using Firefox. Yes, I had up to date Anti virus software running.

Nothing I tried got rid of the Trojan. I ended up buying Windows 7 and doing a clean install, wiping the hard drive. When running Windows 7, IE8 runs in its own sandbox that keeps it isolated from the rest of the computer. The other browsers don't. For safety's sake, I'm sticking with IE8.
 

seun

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Thanks for the help, all. I could try disabling it but I suppose if it's better to keep it, I should.
 

cbenoi1

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Other Microsoft applications such as Office expect IE to be present. It's an eight-headed beast you can't kill. But you can remove the icon from the desktop and replace it with any old browser you like.

-cb
 

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Funny, I'm running Office without IE and I haven't had any issues. Then again, I use a Mac and Microsquash killed IE for Mac at 5.0.
 

seun

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It may end up being a moot point. I'm about a second away from throwing this computer in the bin and buying a new one. Can't afford it but this thing is such a chunk of shit, I'm almost beyond caring.
 

Adam

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Meh, just keep it (IE I mean). Never know when you may need a spare browser. ;)
 

benbradley

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I'm running XP, Microsoft Update appears to use IE for loading security patches. Other than that I rarely use it, and when I do I cringe launching it.
 

kuwisdelu

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Internet Explorer is too deeply tied into Windows to remove without screwing up your system. At least it was in XP and prior. I have no idea if Vista or 7 did anything to fix that. Just leave it alone, out of sight, and out of mind, and keep using whatever other browser you prefer.
 

Sophia

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I was hoping there was a simple answer to this, too. :) When I got a desktop back in 1998, the very first thing I did was uninstall IE. Everything messed up; IE seemed to be linked to Windows Explorer somehow, as kuwisdelu said. Fortunately for me, there was a Win XP installation disk in the box!
 

Jamesaritchie

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I used Firefox for years, but much to my surprise, IE woprks better on my Windows 7, and is probably twice as fast as Firefox. Lot of neat, new, and very useful addons, as well. In short, I switched back, and now can't stand Firefox.
 

seun

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Not sure why you want to delete it. I have 5 browers on my computer. Never know when one might work better than another.

Just to free up some memory. My computer is slower than hell so I'm looking at deleting anything I can. Or simply chucking it and getting a new one. By the sounds of it, I should just leave IE as it is.
 

kuwisdelu

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Just to free up some memory. My computer is slower than hell so I'm looking at deleting anything I can. Or simply chucking it and getting a new one. By the sounds of it, I should just leave IE as it is.

IE isn't that big. Deleting it won't help too much disk space wise (I assume that's what you meant by "memory"; memory usually refers to RAM), but it'll hurt lots of other things.

You could always upgrade your hard drive if you don't want to get a new computer yet. And upgrade the RAM while you're at it, for some added snappiness.
 

Deleted member 42

Just to free up some memory. My computer is slower than hell so I'm looking at deleting anything I can. Or simply chucking it and getting a new one. By the sounds of it, I should just leave IE as it is.

What OS and how much RAM have you got? RAM is about the cheapest and often, the most efficient upgrade. I'd suggest installing as much as possible.

What size drive and how much free space have you got?

Are you running any toolbars for your browser that you downloaded and added?
 

Lhun

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Just to free up some memory. My computer is slower than hell so I'm looking at deleting anything I can. Or simply chucking it and getting a new one. By the sounds of it, I should just leave IE as it is.
Ie, or any other Windows component, doesn't really take up much space on the hard drive. Pretty much the only kind of large data is optical, i.e. pictures, or things that contain pictures (from videos to games). Even Audio data doesn't take a lot of space unless uncompressed. (Of course, having thousands of mp3s can make for the small size by sheer numbers)

Anyway, there's no real reason to try and delete IE. Just block it in the firewall to feel safe, and ingore it from then on.
 

benbradley

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And having a full or nearly full hard disk doesn't slow down a computer. What slows it down is a lot of installed programs where many of them load these "quick start" things (essentially a large part of the program) into RAM at boot time. Each one takes up "just a little" RAM and processor time (they ping/"phone home" looking for updates), but they all add up into a mess. Even then, it's often just one, maybe two things sucking CPU cycles, and if they're at low priority it's not noticeable. But running out of RAM is Very Noticeable, as it starts to store parts of "RAM" on disk, and that's where things turn to molasses.

When suspecting something is wrong I run Task MAnager (ctrl-alt-delete), enable the CPU Time column and look to see what memory is left. I've mainly had problems when using the Windows search tool, especially when searching for "A word or phrase in the file." Dunno how Microsoft screwed that one up, the command-line utilities for MSDOS and *nix work just fine.
 

seun

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Thanks for the extra info, people. Glad I checked before taking IE off.

I'd have to double check but based on looking into it a few months ago, I have about 250GB of RAM (Windows XP) at the moment. I bought my computer in 2004 and have never added any memory to it. Most of this stuff is Greek to me if I'm honest. Although saying that, I did go through the things that runs on start up and took off what I didn't need which helped a bit.
 

Lhun

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I'd have to double check but based on looking into it a few months ago, I have about 250GB of RAM (Windows XP) at the moment.
No you don't. You might have 250 gig hard drive space.
I bought my computer in 2004 and have never added any memory to it. Most of this stuff is Greek to me if I'm honest. Although saying that, I did go through the things that runs on start up and took off what I didn't need which helped a bit.
Do you have any friends who can take a look? It's a little hard to walk someone through this on a forum. But you could start by activating the task manager and posting a screenshot of the "processes" tab so we can get a look at it.
 

KTC

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It may end up being a moot point. I'm about a second away from throwing this computer in the bin and buying a new one. Can't afford it but this thing is such a chunk of shit, I'm almost beyond caring.

i saw your other thread about wault.exe or whatever it is. i am having ALL the same issues with my laptop that you seem to be having. i almost punched it in the screen the other day. the lag and the wait and the fucking ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! honestly...it feels like you're posting for me. i feel your pain. i too use firefox. i hate what is happening with my laptop...and it sounds like we are having the EXACT same issues.