Internet Explorer 6 keeps "dying"

Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library: Runtime Error!

[innocbystr]

My IE6 has been "dying" periodically and have been using system restore to revive it. Have done this quite a few times (various restore points) but the last time, a day ago, IE only survived long enough for the latest Windows Update and quit again. Under the Runtime error the pop-up box reads:

Program C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer.exe
This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way. Please contact the applications support team for more information. (LOL)

Have tryed to download it (IE6 Service Pack 1) off of Microsoft's website in hopes that a new download would overwrite the problem but get this message:

Setup has detected a newer version of Internet Explorer already installed on this system. Setup cannot continue.

Seems like a catch-22 thing. Anyone know of an easy fix for this? I use Firefox almost exclusively but would like to have IE for Windows Updates and testing web pages.

[keyplyr]

Have you tried the "repair" feature in Start > Settings > Add/Remove Programs?

- or -

Can you download a copy of IE and save it to your desktop, then remove the installed version, then install the new copy? You may need to download it from somewhere other than M$ like: [browsers.evolt.org...]

[innocbystr]

Have Windows XP and can't find any way to uninstall it. Seems like that option (add/remove for IE) was available in earlier versions of Windows but can't find it on XP.

[tedster]

Have you worked through this support article from Microsoft?

How to reinstall or repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP [support.microsoft.com]

It bailed me out recently when I had the same error message. In particular, this registry edit did the trick:

Setup has detected a newer version of Internet Explorer already installed on this system. Setup cannot continue.
To avoid this error message and reinstall the same version of Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, follow these steps:

1. While you are logged on as an administrator, click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate the appropriate registry subkey, right-click the IsInstalled (REG_DWORD) value, and then click Modify.

To reinstall only the Internet Explorer 6 browser component on Windows XP, use the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components \{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}

To reinstall only Outlook Express 6 on Windows XP, use the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components \{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}

4. Change the value data from 1 to 0, and then click OK.
5. Quit Registry Editor, and then install Internet Explorer 6.

[innocbystr]

Thanks for the info Tedster. Found the values to change and did so. Upon rebooting got pop-up dialog box which read "Internet Explorer has been removed. Do you want to clean up your...." Pressed yes. Still got "Newer version" error message when trying to re-install. Then I removed all IE icons, the Avant Browser (thought it might be mistaking that for IE), still no luck. Any more ideas?

[jessejump]

On install in Run, try /Q and try /? for other options

[innocbystr]

Windows cannot find "install" in Run. I have SP2 if that makes any difference. I'm kinda in unexplored territory here.

[jessejump]

In Run, you have to point to the IE install file.

[innocbystr]

Yes I did try that also. Still same pop-up "Newer version..." Tried adding the /Q and /? after trying to run "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\ie6setup.exe", and it it couldn't find either one. Also tryed the install new programs option in the control panel but it only works with a floppy, CD, or Windows Update (which requires IE).

[innocbystr]

Finally found a fix for this. Simply had to remove the Google toolbar. Works fine now! Thanks for the help everyone.