Install or Uninstall Internet Explorer in Windows 10

Telos · 16 Jun 2020

While I'm hesitant to crack open an old thread, this weekend I removed IE by unchecking its box in Windows Features per this thread. A day later, after a reboot, I noticed that all hyperlinks in my OneNote pages launched a window saying something along the lines that I had been prevented from this service.

“Your organization’s policies are preventing us from completing this action for you. For more info, please contact your help desk.”

My default browser, Edge (chromium) worked without apparent drawback.

I googled this and found many related posts to the message I received, but they required making changes in the IE settings (which no longer existed for me). After flummoxing around unproductively, I went back to Windows Features to restore IE. After doing so, the OneNote links were fine.

So there is some "trick" I'm not seeing to rid the IE presence? Ideads?

Cliff S · 20 Mar 2021

Hi @Brink!

I decided to "reinsttall" IE11 today, it showed up in settings/optional features, but couldn't install

I then tried Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features\Turn Windows features on off, but it wasn't there

I then tried and down loaded IEll from Microsoft and it said it installed and rebooted, but didn't show up any where

I said screw it, and mounted the ISO to get ready for a repair install, but refined my search query for my problem, and found the answer as the repair install found all it's updates.

Before pulling the trigger, I tried the following and it worked.

The answer:

Mount the current ISO(I was already there)
Go to sources\sxs\microsoft-windows-internetexplorer-optional-package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab
Open an admin command prompt and give the following
dism /online /add-package /packagepath:F(your ISO mount letter):\sources\sxs\microsoft-windows-internetexplorer-optional-package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab
Reboot when asked, and digimagically it's installed

Giving credit where credit is due, I found the answer here: Internet Explorer missing from Windows Features - Super User from Michael W

Cliff S · 20 Mar 2021

Oh!
As there was no start menu shortcut, I needed to go to the install folder C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer and create a desktop shortcut, and place it in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories then rename it

Install or Uninstall Internet Explorer in Windows 10-image.png

jimbo45 · 20 Mar 2021

Hi there
Trouble with "uninstalling" IE11 (you can disable it via turn windows features on or off) is that there are parts of it so entangled with File explorer that it currently can't really be "Classically" uninstalled. If it could be I'm sure that would already have been enabled - - Even on W2K19 server IE11 is still there with "Enhanced security" - although why anybody would chose to use IE11 these days when there's a whole slew of other options most of which work on Server editions too.

Edge - not my favourite browser now operates on W2K19 server(you need to download the Enterprise version -- Free of course) and it has an option to run in "IE 11 Legacy mode" for some old websites that might still need it so I'm sure the days for IE11 are strictly very numbered.

Install or Uninstall Internet Explorer in Windows 10-screenshot_20210320_100607.png

BTW I still prefer FF even on W2K19 server.

Cheers
jimbo