How to: Install multiple versions of IE on your PC

Step by step

[DrDoc]

Here's how to install multiple versions of IE on one PC. Before continuing you will need:

• a PC with Windows installed, the later the better
• WinZip, PowerArchiver, or equivalent

Personally I use PowerArchiver, but the instructions apply to WinZip and other equivalent software as well.

---

Step 1 - Download:

Download the IE versions you wish to install from browsers.evolt.org [browsers.evolt.org]. The instructions in this thread assume that you have downloaded 5.01_SP2 and 5.5_SP2, but should apply to all other versions in a similar way.

---

Step 2 - getting the CAB files we need:

Run PowerArchiver. Open the installation file you just downloaded. (Let's start with ie501sp2.exe)

If you are using NT, 2000, or XP - extract the CABs from following files to a folder ('IE5.01' on your Desktop, for example):
IENT_S1.CAB
IENT_S2.CAB
IENT_S3.CAB
IENT_S4.CAB

If you are using 2000 - extract these as well:
IEW2K_1.CAB
IEW2K_2.CAB
IEW2K_3.CAB

For 98 or Me - extract the CABs from these files:
IE_S1.CAB
IE_S2.CAB
IE_S3.CAB
IE_S4.CAB

---

Step 3 - extracting more files:

Extract all files from your IENT_*.CAB (or IE_*.CAB for 98/Me) files to your folder. For 2000, extract the IEW2K_*.CAB files last, overwriting files if necessary.

---

Step 4 - getting it to work:

Delete SHLWAPI.DLL and COMCTL32.DLL, if they exist. Create a new (empty) file and name it IEXPLORE.EXE.local.

Done!

---

Remember

The number of CABs may vary from one version of IE to the other. You will need all. Also, if there are any files named IE###_*.CAB, where ### is the OS (such as W2K or MIL), you need these files as well. Just extract the files from these last.

---

Note: You may not be able to use your favorites in these versions of IE (which causes IE to crash), but it should function well otherwise. Your system version of IE is not affected at all.

[edited by: DrDoc at 10:54 pm (utc) on Nov. 6, 2003]

[stavs]

Dr Doc - thanks for simplifying this - much appreciated.

However, I'm convinced that I've managed to do something wrong. I've got versions 5, 5.5, 5.5sp2, and 6 is my default browser.

I can run all the versions but they all render sites in exactly the same way as 6 does - I've tried fooling them with sites with css that should cause problems but it always renders the same as V6.

I followed your instructions to the letter. The only thing I can think that I did wrong was creating the 'empty file' IEXPLORE.EXE.local. I did this by creating a text file using notepad. Is there any other way of creating an 'empty file'? And what is the exact case to use?

Also can you point me to a test site on which the CSS causes different effects in different browsers.

Sorry to be the last person to get this right. thanks...

[Drum]

Stavs, you are not the only one having problems, I made my empty file in notepad and mine is not working either.

[MichaelEKauffman]

My IEXPLORE.EXE.local file was created using Notepad and everything works great including all of the Favorites.

[stavs]

I think the file has to be a 'local' file - rather than a text file.

Are you sure your versions work fine? Mine work in so much as they open fine but the version is defaulting to my default browser - i.e. V6.

Try going to quirksmode.org and in the title bar of the homepage it will display what browser you are using. This will tell you what version you are really using.

[stavs]

sussed it.

1. go to your desktop, right click, and select new > text document.

2. the new icon will appear on your desktop - and you'll be prompted to rename - do so to iexplore.exe.local - you are then asked you if you are sure you want to change the file extension - click yes.

3. copy and paste the file into your directory, and you'll see it shows up as a 'local' file as opposed to a 'text' file.

works for me.

[RammsteinNicCage]

Looks like you have to actually type in www.quirksmode.org to get the site to load. I went to the site with IE 6 and it said I was using that. Then I went with IE 5.5 and it said I was using IE 5 (more specific would have been helpful :p), but when I went with IE 5.01, it said I was using IE 6, so it does look like I have a problem with that one. Thanks for that site!

Jennifer

edit: just noticed in the title bar that it tells you what browser you're using. Like I would actually look there. *rolls eyes*

[MichaelEKauffman]

I also did the www.quirksmode.org test and all browsers reported correctly.

[Drum]

I got it to work.

It needs to be "local" file extension and not a "text" file extension.

Thanks.

[IeuanJ]

Yes IEXPLORE.EXE.LOCAL is the full name of the file, not IEXPLORE.EXE.LOCAL.txt

Of the five people I know who have used this method now, three of them had this problem becasue they had they still had the default folder settings that hide the .txt (and many other) extensions.

[Sinner_G]

Has anyone had trouble with this when accessing secure sites (https)?

[MatthewHSE]

It seems as though versions of IE "installed" as described above have problems with secure pages. Specifically, they won't display.

MatthewHSE (Message #40) and I seem to be having the same problem with not being able to view secure pages. I'm sure it's because the IE browser's (5.01 and 5.5) are indicating the Cipher Strength as 0-bit and secure sites now require 128-bit. I have downloaded and extracted the High Encryption Packs for both browsers, and placed the files in the corresponding folders, but still experience the same problem. Does anybody have an idea on how to resolve this problem so testing secure pages is a simple as testing everything else now? Thanks for the help!

I don't see any further answers to this anywhere; fortunately I don't need to view secure pages for testing purposes! :)

[Sinner_G]

Reminder for next time: read the complete thread before asking a question ;).

Thanks Matthew. It helps knowing it's not a problem with me, although I do have some pages on secure.

[MatthewHSE]

Actually I just had a thought. Could you visit the pages using just http instead of https? Obviously insecure if you actually wanted to use the pages, but it might work for viewing purposes.

[Sinner_G]

No, it tells me that the page cannot be found.

[rfentres]

I followed the instructions for installing 5.01SP2 except for deleting SHLWAPI.DLL and COMCTL32.DLL. My system wouldn't let me delete them because it said they were being used. I am able to run IE 5.0.1SP2 and navigator.appVersion checks out as being different, but I wonder if not deleting those DLLs will make the presentation inaccurate (not matching the version). Can anyone tell me?

Thanks,
Rob

[RammsteinNicCage]

Did you have any instance of IE running at the time you were trying to delete those files?

Jennifer

[TheDoctor]

Or have you used IE since you last rebooted? Maybe a restart will sort out the problem.

[Herenvardo]

Maybe a restart will sort out the problem.

Is there any problem in windows or in a MS application that can't be solved rebooting? ;)

Greetings,
Herenvardö

[rfentres]

Didn't have an instance of IE running at the time, but certainly used it since my last reboot. Will try rebooting and see if that works. Thanks for the suggestions.

Rob

P.S. I am supposed to be deleting these files from my windows system folder, right? Just wanted to make sure the instructions weren't referring to the files extracted from the cabs instead.

[RammsteinNicCage]

I think I deleted the extracted ones....

Jennifer

[DrDoc]

Yes, delete the extracted files. Do not delete any files in your system folder :)

[morris minor]

DrDoc - this is just brilliant!

Now - has anyone a way of creating a virtual Mac on a PC? :)

[fwordboy]

no but this is as good as you can get for now
[danvine.com...]

[edited by: korkus2000 at 4:34 pm (utc) on Mar. 30, 2004]
[edit reason] [webmasterworld.com...] [/edit]

[mattmend]

I've tried this on 98 wiht 5.01SP 2 and deleted shlwapi.dll as mentioned in the initial instructions and get the following error:

IEXPLORE caused an invalid page fault in
module SHLWAPI.DLL at 015f:bfb577aa.

Perhaps 5.01SP2 is not compatible with the version installed with Win98?

Matt

[DrDoc]

What's your system version of IE?

[mattmend]

The system says version 4.0 SP1. But then it says 4.72 as a more specific version number so I have no idea which to believe.

[DrDoc]

You need to upgrade your system version to at least 5.0 for this to work successfully.
In general, it is better to have the newest version installed as the system version, and the older just unpacked. Much easier to things working properly that way instead of the other way around.

[zollerwagner]

Hello,

I've been struggling to get this to work on a Win98 system with IE6 installed as the main browser. I've downloaded the files, extracted them (what is it 2 or 3 extraction steps?) so that in the end I do the extraction in the last step in order with cab files IE_S1.CAB
IE_S2.CAB
IE_S3.CAB
IE_S4.CAB
IE_S5.CAB
I've deleted the one file I saw: SHLWAPI.DLL (didn't see COMCTL32.DLL). and created iexplore.exe.local

I reboot, click on iexplore.exe....and it get warning that says "This is being run in compatibility mode and not all features are enabled".

I've tried running Windows Update, renaming Iexplore.exe and Iexplore.exe.local to slightly different names (aaa55_Iexplore.exe and aaa55_Iexplore.exe.local)...

...but so far no cigar. It always seems to be running IE6.

For testing, I've used a javascript browser client test [javascript:alert(navigator.userAgent);], the page title at quirksmode.org, and a page I designed with a div with a colored background. I used several tests because I had a hard time believing that I STILL haven't gotten this to work!

Any ideas on what else could be wrong or what I should try? I'd love to get this working!

[bill]

It always seems to be running IE6.

The About screen will always say IE6. Use a header checker [searchengineworld.com] to see what HTTP_USER_AGENT string it's sending out.

[DrDoc]

I've used a javascript browser client test [javascript:alert(navigator.userAgent);]

Seems like the .local file is iexplore.exe.local.txt, not iexplore.exe.local