As the title states, I'm looking for some advice.

Background: I currently have IE7 on my system. I always run it sandboxed (Sandboxie) and have had zero problems. Regarding Windows updates, my settings are to notify me when updates are available, but not to download and install them. For a couple of months now, I have ignored the updates alert message that IE8 is available for download and installation.

Issue: A few days ago I clicked the updates alert icon in my system tray and got the message that IE8 was now downloaded on my system and asked if I wanted to install it. I closed that message without installing it. How IE8 got downloaded is a mystery; maybe I was sleeping-walking one night and did it then. ???

Questions:

1) My hunch is Firefox is the preferred browser by most posters in this forum. But for those who use or have good knowledge of Internet Explorer, what do you think of IE8? (I'm trying to figure out if I should reconsider my reluctance to use it.)

2) If I want to keep IE7 for now, how do I remove the downloaded (but uninstalled) IE8 from my system? I don't know where to find it. I tried looking for it in Windows Explorer by searching for it by name, but was not successful.

Thanks in advance.

I have been using IE8 since it's launch, with no problems at all.

Some people can use IE8 with no issues, however just search around this very forum for people that have stated having issues after installing IE8. Such as severe system slowdown that causes other non-IE applications to start loading very slow.

Thanks Mike and Andavari for your input.

Anyone have any suggestions how I can locate the downloaded (but uninstalled) IE8 on my system in case I want to remove it?

Go to Add/Remove Program > scroll down and find IE8 > Remove

It will roll back to previous version IE

I have IE8 and running well.No problem at all.

Hi cc1
I have no problems with IE8 on Vista SP2, though it only gets used when I visit "Windows Update" site
You have to have some version of "Internet Explorer" it's part of Windows
I also kept ignoring the "Update to IE8"...bla bla bla mainly because I use Firefox.
Then one day Windows informed me that IE8 was downloaded and ready to be installed...etc
Out of curiosity I let Windows go ahead with the install.
My preferred browser is still "Firefox"
I just don't like the weird IE8 layout!
I also run my browsers sandboxed!

Actually that's a very good valid point you've made. The majority of IE8 issues to my current knowledge reside in Windows XP.

I appreciate your suggestion abu...but IE8 is not appearing in Add/Remove Program because, as I noted, IE8 is not installed on my system. Windows Update is telling me it's downloaded on my pc, but not installed. So I'm trying to figure out where it has been downloaded to so I can remove it if I want.



That's interesting. It sounds like you had the same experience as I did in that Windows unilaterally downloaded IE8 on your system as well without you giving permission. That's kind of disturbing in that the setting that I selected in my Windows Security Center says "Don't automatically download or install" updates.



Thanks for highlighting that point.

Are there any other suggestions regarding where I can find this downloaded IE8 on my system?

Hi chris.

This is a subject discussed on here very recently. I have my Windows Update set to "Inform But Not Download" because I don't want Microsoft to actually download stuff I don't want.

The subject was highlighted by another member, Alan B, and discussed here:

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=23228&hl=

The downloads are kept in ... C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\

I've added that folder to CCleaners "Include" feature following the discussion in that thread.

Hope that helps.

Hi Dennis. Good to hear from you.

I checked C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download\ on my system. That folder has about 110mb of data consisting of 4 sub-folders and 13 files. I'm not at all familiar with what I'm seeing as I look at that information and I'm having trouble determining which sub-folder pertains to the IE8 download. I'm worried about deleting the wrong thing...(maybe it's safe to delete everything in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download ???).

There is one sub-folder in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download that has a date of 7/30/09, which is around the time that IE8 got downloaded to my system. But, when I open that sub-folder, I don't see anything that clues me in on whether it pertains to IE8. I also recall recently downloading and installing an IE7 security patch. So I'm not sure what would happen if I deleted that 7/30/09 folder and it was not the IE8 download but rather the IE7 patch...or something else.

Do you have any suggestions? Also, do you mind if I PM you if I have more follow-ups?

Maybe this? http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library...568(WS.10).aspx

or this? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283629

I have the update option set to notify me but not install anything, like DennisD. When IE8 showed up, I unchecked the box for it, then checked a box that said "Don't show me this update again". Now it doesn't show up unless I go to the WXP update site and select the option to restore updates I have previously hidden.

If all the updates you wanted installed successfully, it's safe to delete everything. In fact, the folder is supposed to self-clean the updates 10 days after successful installation. Some small files (licences for the software) may remain.

I obviously agree with Glen.

And I've no hesitation in cleaning that folder out the same day MS updates are installed.

If there's a problem during the install, then Windows Update will certainly tell you, and you'll have to try installing any failures again. If all goes OK with no error messages, then everything in that folder goes.

If there's any sort of problem after Windows Updates are installed, then it's probably some sort of conflict, and you'll need the "hotfix uninstaller" to remove the problem update. These are the files you really don't want to remove until you know all's running tickety-boo.

Of course it's a personal choice thing.

@chris. Yea sure, pm me if you need.

For anyone using Windows XP you can also use Dial-a-fix to empty the contents of that Software Distribution folder, which is something I do every now and then, that is when I actually remember to do it.

I have about 300 mb of stuff in that folder, and nothing is wrong on my computer, so is it ok if I use Dial-a-fix to empty out that folder? Or will emptying out that folder cause any types of problems for me in the future (sorry about my paranoia, I have my comp in a perfect state don't want to mess it up).

It's ok to use Dial-a-fix on that folder even with a perfectly working computer.

The option I use in Dial-a-fix is Yes, so that it remembers my preferred settings stored in DataStore.ebd.

It will tell you on a pop up screen how to use it though, such as when having Windows Update issues sometimes emptying out that whole folder can allow an update to properly install which is sometimes actually needed.

Note that emptying out the Software Distribution folder may make hidden updates you don't want start prompting for installation again, so you need to pay close attention or set Automatic Updates to Notify instead of automatic downloading.

Note it doesn't work with Vista.

Hi Hazel

Do you mean "Dial-a-fix" doesn't work with Vista?

Also "cc1" I checked my "Windows Update" settings and found that Install updates automatically (recommended) was checked.
I'm guessing that means "important updates" are going to be downloaded & installed without any notification to the user?
Then there are the updates that need Windows to be "restarted" so Windows needs to let the user know whats going on
In the case of "IE8" as an "update" I'm assuming that Windows was kind enough to let me know that it had only downloaded "IE8" and that it was ready to be installed

Long live Firefox

Craig

Yes D A F doesn't support Vista yet.

See this page under Known Issues.

http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix

So using the Flush Software Distribution folder with the Yes option is safe?

Hello folks.

I appreciate the comments and input. I'm learning a lot.

I went ahead and emptied the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder last night because I wanted to get rid of the IE8 download that occurred courtesy of Windows Update. (Please recall that IE8 was not installed on my system; it was only downloaded.)

Then I went to the Windows Update web site but, unfortunately, it is still indicating that IE8 is downloaded onto my system. If, in fact, IE8 was downloaded into the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder, and I emptied the contents of that folder, I'm confused why Windows Update is still saying IE8 remains downloaded.

Any thoughts?

Did you restart your computer before you went to the Windows Update Website? Maybe the computer hasn't been "refreshed" yet, so the Windows Update website still thinks you have IE8 on your computer.

Yes. I rebooted in-between emptying my SoftwareDistribution\Download folder and going to the Windows Update web site. Good question, though. I appeciate it, Icedrake.

No problem. Btw, did you delete the Automatic Update history files also in the SoftwareDistribution folder? The Windows Update website might be getting it's info about updates on your computer from those files, so maybe it's still thinking you have IE8 downloaded, since your Update history files don't change unless something gets downloaded or installed through Windows Update/Automatic Updates (I think).

Thinking about this since our pm's, I have a feeling you would need to get rid of the "Update History", which Windows Update site is reading, and IE8 is still listed in there as being downloaded.

Which is what Ice is saying as I've just seen his post.

Update history is the "Datastore.edb" file in C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore.

I'm not too sure if anyone on here has any experience of messing with this file, so I played around with it a bit to see what happens.

I removed Datastore.edb (not deleted) from the datastore folder, and then went to Windows Update and clicked on "Review My Update History". Not surprisingly it told me I don't have any updates.

I then clicked on "Custom" check for updates, and even without an Update History I still only got offered updates I don't have and have refused in the past:



So deleting your Update History, as far as I can see, only prevents you getting a printable list from the Windows Update site. It still does the usual scan of your PC before offering you the latest updates with or without the Datastore.edb file.

So for the foreseeable future I'm gonna leave that Datastore.edb where I've stored it, and see if Windows Updates works as it would normally with that file in the Datastore Folder. I'm pretty sure it will.

So maybe try moving that file Chris. You'll hopefully not get the IE8 message. I can't see any particular reason for that file, apart from giving you the ability to get a list of your updates from the update site.

Of course, other members may have a different opinion, so see what other input you get before doing anything.

cc1:

I vaguely recall something about IE updates downloading differently from regular updates. Check to see if you have either of the following folders:
C:\WINDOWS\ie8
C:\WINDOWS\ie8updates

@Icedrake and Dennis,
Thanks for the suggestion about the Update history files in the SoftwareDistribution folder. I haven't tried that. I've got a new storage drive; it seems like I could just move Datastore.edb onto it to see what happens. I'm going to be out of town for a few days again, but will give it a go when I get back.

@Glenn,
I searched for 'IE8' via Windows Explorer to see if the folders you mentioned were on my system, but I came up empty. It was worth a shot though.

All,
Your posts are most welcomed and have been very helpful! I've also put Dial-A-Fix on my flash drive and plan to learn more about it.

When you searched for "IE8", did you enable 'Search system folders' and 'Search hidden files and folders', and disable 'Case sensitive'?

Have you searched your registry for "IE8" (other than the "DoNotAllowIE80" entry for blocking the update)?

In my opinion yes it is, however Dial-a-fix is for Windows XP users only.

I don't use it all the time though, I mainly rely upon it when I have an issue installing a critical update since it may or will cause hidden updates you don't ever want to install to start prompting for installation again, and being offered on the Microsoft Update site.

It's easier to just open the Windows folder to see if those folders are located there.

Okay I ran the Flush Software Distribution folder with the Yes option, and everything is running perfectly.

I think you guys hit the nail on the head. I've been away for a couple of days, but got back home and first gave Dial-A-Fix a try and used the Yes option that preserves the Datastore file (thanks Andavari...this looks like a nice utility ). I rebooted and the Windows Update web site still showed IE8 as being downloaded on my system. Then I copied the Datastore.edb file to a new storage drive and deleted the existing one from C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore. Windows Update no longer indicates IE8 being downloaded.

I wanted to perform a final test by moving the Datastore.edb file back to its original location and then check Windows Update (it should once again indicate IE8 being downloaded), but I was unable to do so. I kept getting a file in use message. I tried to reboot, but that didn't help.

All-in-all, it seems like this mystery has been solved and I appreciate everyone's help.

Take care.

thanks so much for useful info

When new versions of software become available - especially browsers - I wait. And I read all the chatter about them online. My preferred browser has long been FF, but complaints about the 3.0 version stopped me from installing it. Now 3.5 is the current version and I am still with 2.0.0.20 because I've been unsuccessful in my attempts to update. (That's what I'm doing here today in fact, looking for a solution to my FF install problem.)

In the past, I used IE only for Windows Updates, but now, because of the version I am running, FireFox is causing insurmountable problems for me on certain websites, most notably my banking and credit card sites. SO - I'm having to use IE8 more and more. It's fast. It works. It does not slow my XP system down at all. I'm thinking that whatever caused its poor performance initially has been fixed. The way things are, I'm very glad to have it.