Questions About Upgrading IE

[~Di]

I'm technically ignorant and so is my husband. I'm having trouble accessing some web sites with my old IE6, so I have to upgrade. My husband wants to unhook the entire computer and take the 2-hour round trip to have our computer guy do it, but surely it can't be that difficult. When downloading the upgrade, does it actually upgrade my current IE 6, keeping the favorites list in tact, or will I have to delete IE6 and install the new IE7 or IE8? I'm kind of scared to delete something as huge as my internet browser.

 

If anyone can give me some basic information about how this upgrade is done, I'd be ever so grateful!

[Gorth]

I know it is not 'exactly' what you asked for, but I would recommend checking out Firefox as an upgrade/replacement for IE. I was running IE8 (ships with Windows 7, no way to avoid it) and was thoroughly fed up with it. Simply download the 10 Mb (approx.) exefile, install, let it import your current settings/favourites and you will not miss IE

 

That way, you can have the superior firefox and still keep your IE6 around if it makes you feel more at ease

 

Recommended extras are noscript, adblocker and the download helper

[Fionavar]

I would echo Gorth's migration suggestion. The problem, at the moment, is that IE 9 is en route and so too is FF 4.0. All in all, however, FF, with NoScript as plug-in remains the most secure browser out there, imo

[~Di]

Gawk. Can no one answer my questions about upgrading to IE7-8? There's no way I'm techno-literate enough to change browsers, when I don't even know how to upgrade the one I have. Y'all are assuming I have average techo-intelligence. I do not.

[LadyCrimson]

When downloading the upgrade, does it actually upgrade my current IE 6, keeping the favorites list in tact,

Yes, it upgrades your current installation and keeps your Favorites/they should not be lost. (Firefox upgrades do this as well) .... If you're paranoid, you can back up your IE Favorites. IIRC Favorites in XP should be located in Documents and Settings\(username)\Favorites (probably be a gold star next to it...) ... From all I've read you should probably try IE7+all it's possible security updates first and see if that's "good enough" vs. jumping directly to IE8, which is reputedly more bloated and other things.

 

Re:Firefox:

Downloading/installing Firefox does not interfere with or replace your current installation of or ability to use/upgrade IE & you can switch between either browser whenever you want (or run them both at the same time). So it's easy to just install and try it for comparison. If you decide you don't like it you can just go into Add/Remove programs and remove FF.

 

FF may ask you, upon install, if you want to make it your 'default browser'. This means that anything that wants to open in a browser, FF will be the program that auto-opens/loads it (instead of IE). If you don't want this, you can say no, or change it later in the options menus. To get your IE Favorites into FF, you'd open FF, click File then choose Import, and wallah they're in FF.

 

The basic settings/options menu stuff in Firefox is fairly straightforward. More complex preference configuration requires altering the About:config entries, which can seem intimidating at first glance...but it's also something you don't need to mess with just to use Firefox so if it's too scary don't worry about it.

Edited October 6, 2010 by LadyCrimson

[Gorgon]

Get with the times already. No one uses EI anymore

[mkreku]

1. Click this link (Firefox)

2. Click the big Firefox 3.6 button in the middle

3. Click "Run" in the window that pops up

4. Wait until it is done downloading

5. Follow the install instructions

6. When prompted, choose to import every setting from IE

7. When prompted, make Firefox your default browser

8. Finish installation of Firefox

 

9. Start Firefox

10. Click this link (Adblock Plus)

11. Click "Allow" in upper right corner

12. Let the timer count down, click install in the window that pops up

13. Wait until it is done downloading

14. Restart Firefox

15. Choose to subscribe to Easylist

16. Enjoy a safer, faster internet (without ads)

[Gfted1]

~Di, go here. Follow the prompts and everthing will work out fine. All upgrades to IE automatically port your setting and favorites over and should be totally painless.

[~Di]

Thanks to everyone who has been so helpful! When I get up my nerve and actually upgrade, I'll let y'all know what happened. Technologies just keep forging ahead, and I'm stuck in the 1990's. I couldn't make a call on a "smart" phone or Blackberry if my life depended on it.

 

Thanks again!

[I want teh kotor 3]

The easiest way to upgrade IE is to go here and follow the instructions.

[Gfted1]

Ah, that just never stops being funny.

[Humodour]

I'm technically ignorant and so is my husband. I'm having trouble accessing some web sites with my old IE6, so I have to upgrade. My husband wants to unhook the entire computer and take the 2-hour round trip to have our computer guy do it, but surely it can't be that difficult. When downloading the upgrade, does it actually upgrade my current IE 6, keeping the favorites list in tact, or will I have to delete IE6 and install the new IE7 or IE8? I'm kind of scared to delete something as huge as my internet browser.

 

If anyone can give me some basic information about how this upgrade is done, I'd be ever so grateful!

 

To upgrade IE, go here: http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/