How do I uninstall Internet Explorer completely ?

[Vitamblu]

I am sick of IE's BS CPU usage lurking around 50%-60%.

Currently using IE Version:6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2
Window XP SP2

 

[fyleow]

..

 

[blackangst1]

Like fyleow said, just remove shortcuts and such, and play with the options to make FF or Opera your default browser. However keep in mind a few webpages REQUIRE IE and wont load or will kload incorrectly in FF or Opera.

Also, if youre using XP, there is no way to remove IE permantly. It is also used to browse files and such. Also, it is written into XP, not as add on, so it is part of the OS.

 

[LouPoir]

You can remove IE - control panel, add/remove programs, add/remove Windows components - Firefox the is the browser

 

[InlineFive]

Try disabling all of the Addons and then restarting IE. And have you done malware scans recently?

 

[hclarkjr]

here is another option if you want to make a new install CD, Nlite this gives you lots of options to remove parts of windows that you do not want or need. i have been using it for some time now and love it. take a look around that forum

 

[Shawn]

You need IE. It's part of the operating system. Just use something else for browsing the web. Also, have you tried upgrading to IE7?

 

[Doh!]

Originally posted by: LouPoir
You can remove IE - control panel, add/remove programs, add/remove Windows components - Firefox the is the browser

That will only remove shortcuts to IE, not the IE components.

 

[cubby1223]

1) You cannot remove IE from Windows
2) If IE is using 50-60% of the cpu, than sorry, but IE is *NOT* the problem but something else that's installed on the computer, possibly malware or some IE add-on that's not working properly.

 

[hclarkjr]

you can remove IE from windows, look at the link i give for nlite.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: hclarkjr
you can remove IE from windows, look at the link i give for nlite.

well you can and you can't.

IE essentially isn't realy much of a real program, per say, it's more of just a wrapper that calls normal Windows API to assemble a web browser out of Window's native GUI stuff. In other words it's built in like the file explorer is built into the system.

At least this is my understand of the situation.

If you look at the IEXPLORER.EXE binary it's only 86K.. this is compared to Notepad.exe which is 69k or Wordpad which is 196K.

I don't realy see the point in uninstalling it anyways. You'll need it for some stuff eventually and if your not using it then it's not going to affect your machine, right?

 

[BladeVenom]

Run Ad-Aware and make sure your anti-virus software is up to date.

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: drag

Originally posted by: hclarkjr
you can remove IE from windows, look at the link i give for nlite.

IE essentially isn't realy much of a real program, per say, it's more of just a wrapper that calls normal Windows API to assemble a web browser out of Window's native GUI stuff. In other words it's built in like the file explorer is built into the system.

That's true, I believe. If you open any explorer (not Internet Explorer) and type a web address, the window will load the web site as if it were IE.

 

[Lemon law]

There is another simplier way---just close ie in the offline position---which puts ie to sleep--the only thing I ever use ie for is for windows updates---and on patch day---second tuesday of every month--it only takes 10 seconds or so to open up ie and put it online to get your updates.---and another 10 seconds or so to put it back to sleep after the patches.---just go to file---work offline.

The rest of the time---ie6 and to only a slightly lesser extent ie7 are just a giant security holes and an accident waiting to happen when left open and listening. Why can't microsoft get security right?

 

[andrewbabcock]

IE7 can be removed somewhat from the removing of windows components tool under add/remove programs in control panel.

 

[stash]

The rest of the time---ie6 and to only a slightly lesser extent ie7 are just a giant security holes and an accident waiting to happen when left open and listening

IE is not a server, so I'm not sure what you are referring to that is left open and listening.

 

[Bozo Galora]

I assume you mean IE shows 60% CPU use in processes window
You did not say if you have installed one of the bloated internet packages like yahoo, or AOL
The fact that the OP posted the question, then left, does not help this thread
There is no need to "uninstall" IE - just rename iexplore.exe to iexplore.com in programfiles
Non compatible website code can do this, but you seem to mean most of the time.
It could also be some sort of IE related toolbar or add in, or some trojan related to that
Perhaps your PC is being used as a bot - does your modem activity light blink constantly like when at a simple site like google? What is cpu usage when at google?
Using netstat viewer would show who you are connected to
Running Firefox and watching cpu usage would be revealing - obviously IE should show no usage.
And a HiJackThis log might be in order here
Knowing what kind of AV/firewall you are running would be helpful also

Since IE is 3D video mode, kind of like a game, it could be vidcard related - hi temps or driver prob
If this were true, you would have probs running something like 3DMark 2006 or 2005

This site is very thorough in scanning your PC for hidden processes and putting them in easy to use chart
http://mypccenter.com/MyPCProfile.asp
http://www.mypccenter.com/detailed_process.asp?ID=F96C868A6817C775397E8A

 

[Lemon law]

To stash,

Try my turn any version to off line and then closed on microsoft patch day---but leave the automatic updates enabled.

You simply won't get automatic updates---and if ie6 or 7 is somehow listening to the microsoft update site when closed but not in a offline position---it can be fooled into downloading something from somewhere else as a point of logic.---and can use cpu resources while its doing this listening.

I won't argue symantics with you---maybe it does not meet the technical definition of a server---but even when the browser is closed---and you are doing something else or using a different browser, such a device is indeed a potential security hole.---and for that matter---the same trick works with other browsers also---and they can also be set to work offline and then closed.---to pretend any browser is totally safe flies in the face of known security literature---but ie is especially dangerous because it uses so much on active X controls.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
To stash,

Try my turn any version to off line and then closed on microsoft patch day---but leave the automatic updates enabled.

You simply won't get automatic updates---and if ie6 or 7 is somehow listening to the microsoft update site when closed but not in a offline position---it can be fooled into downloading something from somewhere else as a point of logic.---and can use cpu resources while its doing this listening.

I won't argue symantics with you---maybe it does not meet the technical definition of a server---but even when the browser is closed---and you are doing something else or using a different browser, such a device is indeed a potential security hole.---and for that matter---the same trick works with other browsers also---and they can also be set to work offline and then closed.---to pretend any browser is totally safe flies in the face of known security literature---but ie is especially dangerous because it uses so much on active X controls.

What are you talking about?!! Microsoft does not contact all computers on patch day. Automatic Updates is the one who contacts Microsoft's servers periodically throughout the entire month to check for updates. Of course you can't argue symantecs because it seems you don't even grasp the basic functionality of automatic updates. Internet Explorer is not a server software, period. It does not do what you say it does. And that is a fact that cannot be debated.

 

[cubby1223]

Lemon law:

By your definitions, everything in the entire world is a security hazard that you can never be assured of. Heck, how do you even trust the Windows XP cd you purchased from Microsoft? Did you see Bill Gates personally certify it's authenticity? How do you know Firefox software you downloaded didn't install a rootkit that you cannot detect that's allowing hackers to send spam through your machine?

That kind of skepticism over computer security that you project is just ludicrous.

 

[stash]

Try my turn any version to off line and then closed on microsoft patch day---but leave the automatic updates enabled. You simply won't get automatic updates

Reading between the broken English, I think you are trying you say you won't get automatically updated if you have IE closed but AU on? Absolutely false.

to pretend any browser is totally safe flies in the face of known security literature---but ie is especially dangerous because it uses so much on active X controls.

Nothing is totally safe, not just browsers. Security is about risk, there are no absolutes. And your comment about ActiveX just further illustrates your complete lack of understanding of the topic. Use any Firefox Extensions lately?

 

[oldgeezzer]

if you are eating cpu cycles like that something is wrong. have you scanned for viruses and all that good stuff? If you are running some sort of high speed connection you may well be sending out spam for someone else.
You can't get rid of IE and some software requires it to download patches and updates easily.
I use Firefox and Thunderbird mostly but I still keep a copy of IE and outlook express just in case.