Running multiple versions of IE

IE having identity crisis

[HelenDev]

I have had our sysadmins at work install IE4,5 and 7 on one of our PCs for testing purposes.

I am using conditional comments to target each of these but it seems not to be working. So by means of further investigation I tried the following

<!--[if IE 5]>
<p>Welcome to Internet Explorer 5.</p>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 4]>
<p>Welcome to Internet Explorer 4.</p>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7]>
<p>Welcome to Internet Explorer 7.</p>
<![endif]-->

...and the results were that IE5 thinks it is IE7! IE4 doesn't know who it is and IE7 seems to be working OK. Has anyone had a similar problem or could suggest what we could try here?

[bedlam]

Has anyone had a similar problem

This used to be the biggest problem with installing multiple standalone IEs:

Another problem [with multiple explorers] you must know about: when you use conditional comments the comments will be interpreted the same by all browsers.

source [quirksmode.org]

However, if you're willing to hack the registry a bit, there's a solution:

Most of the conditional comment behaviors may be restored to the standalones by performing a simple one time edit to your registry. It consists only of renaming a particular key, which currently says IE, so that it says zIE.

source [positioniseverything.net]

It's not too difficult and relatively straightforward, but take PIE's advice and follow the directions exactly!

-b

[HelenDev]

Excellent, thanks bedlam. I was wondering if I was just going crazy!

Now I just need to get the powers that be to go edit the registry...