How many of you that have used other versions of Windows noticed that the ability to repair Internet Explorer in Windows XP is no longer present? Even better yet, it cannot be uninstalled (completely). One of the more useful things about Win 2K and Win 98 was that if IE becomes corrupt, too much garbage installed (BHO's, Active X objects, Toolbars, etc.) you can just repair IE and it returns to it's default good-old self. And with a product as easily hackable as IE, that's a necessity to me.

Well, in PC Magazine this month (April '04), they have found a way to "trick" Windows XP into allowing you to repair IE 6.

Firstly, if you are on any version of IE OTHER than 6, and your version of Windows supports v6, then you should update to the latest version. That's the most common fix for basic problems...updating your software. If you are already on the latest version, then do the following to fool Windows Update into thinking you are not on the latest version...

Go to Start->Run, and then type in "regedit" without the quotes and hit enter. Navigate to key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}.

In the right-hand pane, double-click on DWORD value IsInstalled and change it from 1 to 0 (doesn't matter if it's decimal or hex). Close Regedit and run Windows Update (in IE, this is by going to Tools->Windows Update). You should be prompted to download and install IE, which will do the same thing as the old repair function did from Add/Remove Programs (reinstall the program).

On a sidenote, to do the same thing to Outlook Express, just change the IsInstalled value the same way as you did for IE, but in the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}.

I hope this helps someone.

damn fine tip there .... im gonna use that on my site if thats ok

Sure thing.

its up ... with a submitted by label

np