How to Uninstall Windows Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) in Vista
Fed up with Internet Explorer 8 which is unstable at best? IE8 IE8 Beta 1 may occasionally crashes or not responding when browsing websites, and users have to close the browser with request to send the error report to Microsoft. The bugs or crashes happen more frequently especially if users using third-party add-ons such as Google Toolbar. This is generally expected as this is the first beta of IE 8.
Beside, user interface of IE8 is generally similar to IE7, reducing the enticing for users who face problems when using IE8 to stay using it. If you decided to rollback and revert back to original IE7 or IE6, it’s possible to uninstall IE8 to do so.
IE8 can be uninstall by using Add or Remove Programs module in Windows XP, but in Windows Vista, Windows Internet Explorer 8 is not considered to be a ‘program’. Instead, IE8 is categorizing as an ‘update’. Thus, users will not be able to find Windows Internet Explorer 8 in “Programs and Features” of Windows Vista.
To uninstall Internet Explorer 8, go to Control Panel, and click on Uninstall Programs link or Programs and Features icon. Then on Tasks pane on the left, click on View installed updates link. Locate and select Windows Internet Explorer 8 in the list of installed updates, and then click on Uninstall button. Click on Yes when asked that are you sure want to uninstall the update.
If there is no option of IE8 been found on “Programs and Features” or “Add or Remove Programs” dialog box, or uninstallation of Internet Explorer 8 is unclean (causing error message such as setup cannot continue because a more recent version of Internet Explorer has been detected on this computer when trying to downgrade to IE7), try to manually run the spuninst.exe.
To do so, go to C:\WINDOWS\ie8\spuninst\ folder (your drive letter may be different), and run spuninst.exe. Restart the computer after uninstallation completed.
Related Articles
- How to Remove and Disable IE8 (Uninstall Internet Explorer 8) from Windows 7
- How to Uninstall and Remove Trend Micro Internet Security Pro and (PC-Cillin) Internet Security 2005/2006/2007/2008 Manually
- Vista Uninstall, Change or Repair Programs and Updates Button Disappear and Not Showing
- How to Slipstream Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) into Windows Server, XP or Vista Installation DVD
- Restore, Enable and Display the Missing Internet Explorer (IE or IE7) Icon on Windows Vista Desktop
- Bypass and Crack Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) Final Installation to Skip and Bypass WGA Genuine Windows Validation
- Disable or Turn Off (Or Enable and Turn On) Windows Vista Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) Protected Mode
- Uninstall & Remove Windows XP Updates With Windows Update Remover
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) Beta 2 Available for Full Download
- How to Uninstall and Remove Windows 7 or Vista Leaving Windows XP on Dual Boot System
Entries (RSS)
November 1st, 2008 09:18
First of all mr. “expert” you don’t know any of us….I know computers and I know people that are computer/IT specialists and they hate IE8 too….. AND you don’t have my computer or any of ours and you didn’t have to sit through the problems we did so don’t begin to get high and mighty behind a computer screen please….give me a break. My computer is perfect since I went back and replaced IE8 Beta w/ IE7 …. IE7 NEVER crashed on me whereas IE8 Beta did at least 50 times I had enough of it so don’t tell others or me we don’t know computers wtf.
November 1st, 2008 08:55
Thanks! IE 8 in vista destroyed my anti virus software. I needed to uninstall it, but couldn’t find it in add/remove Programs, so thanks!
November 1st, 2008 00:44
You guys have serious computer issues. None of you know how to properly use a computer. IE8 is perfectly fine and will definitely be an improvement over IE7. If you idiots removed all your special googlebars and such it would never crash. My IE8 never crashed and am only rolling back to IE7 because IE8 isn’t supported by any of my security programs yet. It wasn’t slow, however, if you have vista I do not reccomend installing IE8. Also, everyone saying what a nightmare or I couldn’t remove it, you all should not be using computers… opening your nightmare IE8 and go to google, type in how to uninstall IE8(the new features will even finish it for you!)..you land here. Get a brain.
October 31st, 2008 06:00
Thanks a lot for the tutorial, when i started using computers, always was IE, because it has been the latest browser from microsoft I thought that would be something good, what a piece of s**t!!
Firefox till I die!!!!!
October 20th, 2008 00:25
omg!
if you’ve got Vista
stay with IE 7
if you want the new version your better installing it with XP
i dont even know how to use any of the new features
but twhats the point of them changing the layout of the pages with that stupid button!!!
do not get it!
i spent like half an hour trying to install it, just to get rid of it!
October 18th, 2008 12:51
Hello Everyone with VISTA…Do NOT download Windows Explorer 8 Beta. You will REGRET it. it DOES NOT WORK. Your brand new computer will see stupid messages that “Windows has to close”. Then you have to figure out how to get rid of the JUNK PROGRAM. Bill Gates was on vacation somewhere when his stooges lied to him…just like the AIG flunkies at the top…lies, lies, lies…
October 9th, 2008 13:20
Microsoft thinks they are slick by installing it as a “update” and I could never find it….IE8 sucks so thank you.
October 8th, 2008 22:13
first change the folder settings such that you can veiw hiddden files.
Then go to winndows folder in c:/
there you will find ie8 folder, there you have spuninst folder in which you can find spuninst.exe, by excecuting this you can uininstall ie8.
October 8th, 2008 19:04
Brilliant. wrked ok for me. Tried IE8 for about 10 minutes, what a nightmare. Thanx for the help
October 5th, 2008 20:33
This is the solution I used.
My xp machine did not display ie8 in add/remove
programs.
download both the ie7 and ie8 installers.
save both to desk top.
open task manager, (right click taskbar)
run ie8 installer.
watch dialog box, it will remove itself first,
when dialog box changes to installing/downloading updates,
halt the process, (using task manager)
restart, run ie7 installer,
do not forget to uncheck the update box,
perform the required restart,
worked just fine for me.
October 4th, 2008 09:22
i just installed it and automatically hated it, so thanx helping me to uninstall it
October 3rd, 2008 21:17
This worked fine, thanks. System reverted to IE 7 after restart. Couldn’t get this info from Microsoft. Before uninstalling IE 8 I tried to install IE 7 but it said it was not available for my OS (Vista Home Basic 64 bit)!
I am fed up with Vista and have mothballed the machine in favour of another with XP.
September 28th, 2008 02:12
Ruh, Roh!
That didn’t work. Restarted as prompted after uninstall and ie still lives!!!
The HORROR.
September 28th, 2008 01:50
Whew! That was a booger.
May I say how I despise ie[insert any number!!!]
September 24th, 2008 18:25
I thought i had successfully uninstalled IE8 but how wrog was i! I tried again and it comes up with an error message at the end saying that not all updates were successfully removed and the blooming thing is still there! I have got around it by downloading chrome but it would be nice if i could get rid of IE8 altogether. Any suggestions?
Debbie xx
September 24th, 2008 15:18
Thanks. This post + google saved my day.
September 22nd, 2008 10:27
Thanks
September 19th, 2008 13:26
What the hell is Bill Gates doing these days, developing software like this, piece of shit.
I used ie8 beta 2 for only 15 mins and i am uninstalling it.
September 18th, 2008 09:09
As I mentioned before I resolved my IE8 problems by RESTORING MY SYSTEM to the day before I installed the program now I have no problems with my computer
September 18th, 2008 08:34
Oh wow I would have never guessed to uninstall it. All of these tutorials are fucking bullshit. I would have uninstalled IE8 but it’s NOT LISTED IN UNINSTALL PROGRAMS so give me real tutorial on how to uninstall. BTW I can’t just delete it from my programs folder, I’ve tried and failed miserably.
September 18th, 2008 02:15
Thank you soooo much!!!!
September 16th, 2008 17:36
Thank you so much! IE8 has really played havoc with my cmputer!!!!
Thanks
September 16th, 2008 16:08
Thank God! This has to be the worst IE yet. Even Chrome is better than this disaster.
September 14th, 2008 00:03
thx
September 13th, 2008 05:50
thank goodness. ie is definately not ready for prime time. crash and slowness galore