49 replies to this topic

[Ztruker]

Ron, read here, see if any of it helps. If nothing else works, reinstall IE8 from the link on the same page. Then if still problems, you should be able to uninstall it via Add/Remove Programs.

http://blogs.technet...ix-it-live.aspx

[Doug]

Ron.M, That makes sense now, regarding Full Tests vs. OverDrive To post a link to OverDrive Results - use the URL in Address Bar at the top of Summary Fixes Here's an illustration:

[Ron.M]

Doug;.....

Except for the missing "Tech Express" link , I like the new version better..... .....

Ztruker;....
I went to the link you so graciously provided & tried a few "fixes"....Sorry , no help..... ......
I found the phone # for MS help (866-234-6020) & called them...
To my total amazement they tried to help at NO charge..... ....
When I tried to remove it B-4 I called MS , I kept getting a graphic that said;=>..."File vgx.dll.000"
on Windows NT Service Pack Uninstall Directory is needed" , Type file name
where file is located & click enter."""
NO idea where that's at....
So what I did is I went to the "search" box & entered "Internet Explorer 8" , &
shredded EVERY entry that had IE8 in it....No help....
Back to MS...I told them what my prob is & she said to type IE8 in the "Run" box...
That brings up a page with tons of icons & one that says "spuninst"...
Clicking on that icon brings up another page that has 5 icons , one is a "computer monitor"....
Clicking on that one starts to uninstall IE8....
However it stops when this appears;=>...File vgx.dll.000" on Windows NT
Service Pack Uninstall Directory is needed" , Type file name where file is located & click enter."""
She then said to go back to the "Run" box & type in IE7....
That also brings up a page that has "spuninst"....
But when I clicked on that icon , the next page does NOT have the "Computer monitor" icon.....
That's when she said the most DREADED words I was hoping I'd NEVER hear again....
""You computer files are corrupted & you will need to do a "Repair" with the MS CD"".... ....

Here we go again.... ....




Both;.....
We have a new wrinkle with this problem.... ........
IE-8 is NOW appearing in Add/Remove Programs , but without the "Remove" button....
I've had this problem in the past & know there's a fix for it....
If you or someone else knows what it is PLEASE let me know what it is
so I do NOT have to go thru a "Repair"....
I may NOT be able to do a "Repair"....
I bought this unit used & it came with a "Restore" CD....
That CD will restore the unit back to when I got it with ALL files , programs &
data installed since I got it , removed & lost...
This means I have to copy all that data ,etc , & save it somehow....
Not in the slightest bit eager to do that.....
I DO have a licensed Windows XP Pro CD....
However , my OS is Windows XP Pro Version 2002 , Service Pack 3....
The CD is for Windows XP Pro Version 2002....NO service packs on the CD....
I CAN change the Product key on the computer's OS to match the one on the CD.....
Question is;=>..Can I use the CD to make the "Repair" if I need to even tho it does not
have the service packs on it ???
And how MUCH , if any , data/info , will I lose if I do it ????

I can NOT begin to tell you HOW much I appreciate your help !!!!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!!



Later...Ron.M...... ....

[Ron.M]

Messed up ....This is #2.....SORRY.... .....

Edited by Ron.M, 19 March 2010 - 02:01 PM.

[Ron.M]

Messed up , this is #3....SORRY...... ....

Edited by Ron.M, 19 March 2010 - 02:03 PM.

[Doug]

There may be a long and tedious method to uninstall IE8 as described by Itchy123, here in the last post at the bottom of the page:
http://social.micros...ea-30357e272460

[Ztruker]

Ron, try reinstalling IE8 as I suggested. You should be able to do that from here: http://www.microsoft...ernet-explorer/ (16.1MB)

Alternatively, you could try IE7: http://www.soft32.co...wnload_997.html (15.1MB)

[Ron.M]

Doug;....

There may be a long and tedious method to uninstall IE8 as described by Itchy123, here in the last post at the bottom of the page:

It IS tedious !!!!! ...But , I couldn't get to 1st base.....


From Itchy123:....

went to windows folderin C drive selected folder options then show hidden files then used the search and typed vgx.dll.000 and found one that worked in
C:\WINDOWS\ie8(2)

I found the Windows folder in "C" drive easy enough , but , could NOT find a way to get "Hidden Files" to show up as a choice .....
I don't think I'm getting what I should be getting ...See below;=>....

^^^This ^^^ is after I click on "C" Drive from "My Computer"......
This one below is what I get when I click on the Windows square above;=>....

Could NOT find "folder options" anywhere..... ......
Let alone "Hidden Files".....

I also ran "vgx.dll.000" & "C:\WINDOWS\ie8(2)" thru the "Run" box & Search....NO help there either..... .....
And I tried to re-boot to "Last Known Good Configuration"....No help there either.....

We having fun yet ????.... .....


Later....Ron.M..... ....

[Ron.M]

Ztruker;.....

Ron, try reinstalling IE8 as I suggested. You should be able to do that from here:

I already have IE-7 downloaded from MS....I did have IE8 , but , I used Revo uninstaller to get rid of it....
I'm downloading IE8 as I type this & will post back with results later....
I've tried installing IE-7 & it will NOT complete installation.....
Please keep in mind that in Add/Remove Programs , there is NO remove button for IE-8 even tho it shows it as installed , which it is NOT !!!!....OR is it ???


Be back in an hour or so.....

Later.....Ron.M..... ....

[Ztruker]

Ron, usually if IE8 does not have a Change/Remove button in Add/Remove Programs it's because IE8 was installed before SP3 was installed. To get rind of it, you need to uninstall SP3, then uninstall IE8. You can then stay with IE7 which should be available after you got rid of IE8.

Reinstall SP3 of course. Hopefully you have it on CD as I can't even consider downloading it over a dial-up link.

To show hidden files:
Open Control Panel then Folder Options and click on the View tab.
Select "Show hidden files and folders"
Uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types"
Uncheck "Hide protected operating system files (recommended)" (click Yes when prompted)
Click Apply and OK

[Doug]

Ron, Ztruker is describing a method that considers when an attempt has been made to uninstall an application such as Internet Explorer 8, but the attempt failed (left remnants folders and references to the supposedly uninstalled application) Often, the best strategy to get a clean uninstall is to completely "re-install" the application, followed by a repeated attempt to uninstall. Ordinarily, that second fresh attempt to uninstall after freshly installing, will work. __________________-- But, Before you go to all that trouble... Please answer the following: When you open a browser of Internet Explorer, which version presently opens? 7 or 8 ?

[Doug]

Rich, I had forgotten that part about IE 8 installed before SP3, and needing to uninstall SP3 in order to get a clean uninstall of IE 8. Thanks for the reminder. Doug

[Ron.M]

Ztruker;.....

Ron, usually if IE8 does not have a Change/Remove button in Add/Remove Programs it's because IE8 was installed before SP3 was installed. To get rind of it, you need to uninstall SP3, then uninstall IE8. You can then stay with IE7 which should be available after you got rid of IE8.

When I got this unit , SP3 was already installed.....
It did NOT have IE8..... It came with IE7.....
I got impatient with IE7's slow performance with my emails that I went to Microsoft.com & downloaded IE8...
Then all this started.....More on your suggestion later.....

Reinstall SP3 of course. Hopefully you have it on CD as I can't even consider downloading it over a dial-up link.

The CD I have has NO SP's (I think , not sure) on it , so it will take bou cou hours to get SP1, 2 & 3 downloaded & installed......NOT my idea of fun....
THANK you for the info about "Hidden Files".....


Doug;...

But, Before you go to all that trouble...

Too late.....

Often, the best strategy to get a clean uninstall is to completely "re-install" the application, followed by a repeated attempt to uninstall.
Ordinarily, that second fresh attempt to uninstall after freshly installing, will work.

Immediately at MS IE8 website I got this notice;=>....
.
Notice that it says I already have IE8 installed....


During the re-install , this graphic popped up;=>.....

Notice that it says basically that I'm s.c.r.e.w.e.d. & can NOT get rid of it.....
So I installed the new version that I STILL can not get rid of.... THANK you Mr. Gates !!!!

I just completed re-installing IE8....
When I go to Add/Remiove Programs , I see this;=>....
Still no "Remove" button.....

When you open a browser of Internet Explorer, which version presently opens? 7 or 8 ?

It has been IE8 for 4 days.....



Dat's it fer now....


Later...Ron.M...... ....

Edited by Ron.M, 19 March 2010 - 08:36 PM.

[Ron.M]

Doug & Ztruker or ???;....

It's been over a week (8 days) since ANYBODY replied.....

I'm ready to try ANYTHING to fix this.....

EVEN trying to remove SP3....However , I can't ID SP3.....
There are 52 updates ALL for the same date BEFORE I bought the computer.....
Not a one says SP3....
So , do those updates comprise SP3 ????

If so , then I'd be willing to delete ALL those updates & download IE8 , re-install it & see if I can uninstall it successfully.....
Any chance that would do it ????
If not , or theres ANY doubt , then PLEASE don't ask me to wait til the second coming of Christ before ALL those updates are re-downloaded & re-installed....(I'm on dial-up)....NO OFFENSE !!!


THANK you VERY MUCH for your help.....



Later...Ron.M..... ...... ....

[Ztruker]

Ron, use FireFox. That works, right? The only time you need IE is for Windows Update which can be handled via Automatic Updates and some web sites that think they need it for some reason.

That would at least allow you to do what you need to do.

Also take a look at Google Chrome as another possible alternative.

As for your ancient XP CD, you can bring that up to speed by slipstreaming SP3 and updates. Here is a little tutorial I put together for this:

The simplest way to create a Bootable Windows XP Pro or Home Installation CD Slipstreamed with SP3 is to use Autostreamer. You point to your XP Pro/Home CD, the SP3 Service Pack .exe file, give it a path to write the .iso file to and off it goes. In 5 or 10 minutes you have a .iso file that you can burn to CD with almost any CD burner program you want to use. I used Roxio 7. There is also a good freeware burner called ImgBurn which will do this for you.

Here is the link to Autostreamer: http://www.softpedia...ostreamer.shtml

You can download the SP3 .exe here: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers

An excellent alternative is nLite. It allows you to merge SP3/Windows Updates into a new XP CD image that you can install from. Takes a bit of fiddling with but worth the effort since it also allows you to pre-answer all the questions asked during install so all you have to do is boot the new CD, select where you want to install, format or not and go to lunch. When you come back the install is finished and your are at the latest Service Pack and Update level. See here:
http://www.nliteos.com/

If you have Vista, then give Vlite a try:
http://www.vlite.net/

Use this site to get the MS updates: http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/

You can also get updates from an MS site but it takes more work: http://windowsxp.mvp...saveupdates.htm

Since you are still on Dial-up (groan!) I'd recommend going to a friends house and downloading everything you need there then burn it to CD for your use. That would save you endless hours of download time.