How to reinstall or repair Internet Explorer in Windows Vista and Windows XP Page 1 of 4

Article ID: 318378 - Last Review: March 27, 2009 - Revision: 9.2
How to reinstall or repair Internet Explorer in Windows Vista and Windows
XP
This article was previously published under Q318378

This article describes how to reinstall or to repair Windows Internet Explorer in Windows
Vista and Windows XP. You may have to do this if you have problems with Internet Explorer
because of damaged files or missing registration information.

You may have to reinstall or to repair Internet Explorer in Windows Vista and Windows XP if
you have problems with Internet Explorer because of damaged files or missing registration
information.

Methods to follow for Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8

Method 1: Reset the Internet Explorer settings

If you have Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8 installed, you can repair damaged files
or missing registration information in Internet Explorer 7 or in Internet Explorer 8. To do
this, follow these steps:

1. Start Internet Explorer.

2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
3. On the Advanced tab, click Reset.
4. In the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box, click Reset to confirm.

Method 2: Reinstall Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8

For Internet Explorer 7

To download and reinstall Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP, visit the following Microsoft
Download Center Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9AE91EBE-3385-447C-
8A30-081805B2F90B (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9AE91EBE-3
385-447C-8A30-081805B2F90B)

For Internet Explorer 8

To download and reinstall Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP, visit the following Microsoft
Download Center Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/?ocid=ie8_s_ad7fa1d4-a75b-
4df7-ad63-f581977282a8 (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/?ocid=ie8_s_a
d7fa1d4-a75b-4df7-ad63-f581977282a8)

Method 3: Install Windows XP Service Pack 3

You may be able to resolve problems with Internet Explorer 7 by installing Windows XP
Service Pack 3.

To install Windows XP Service Pack 3, follow these steps:

1. Visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://update.microsoft.com (http://update.microsoft.com)

2. Click Express Install (Recommended).

3. If your computer qualifies, Windows XP Service Pack 3 will be one of the updates that
are automatically selected. Click Install.
4. Review the Microsoft Software License Terms. Then, if you agree with the terms, click
to accept them

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How to reinstall or repair Internet Explorer in Windows Vista and Windows XP Page 2 of 4

For more information how to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack, click the following
article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322389 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389/ ) How to obtain the latest Windows XP
service pack

Methods to follow for Internet Explorer 6

Any of the methods in this article may resolve your problem. Feel free to select the one that
you are most comfortable with.

Recommendation We recommend that you install the latest version of Internet Explorer,
version 8. Installing the latest version of Internet Explorer will resolve several issues that
were experienced in earlier versions of Internet Explorer. The latest version also includes the
latest security, performance, and feature enhancements. If you do not want to install
Internet Explorer 8, or if for some reason cannot do this, use the methods that are listed
here. Start with Method 1 to reinstall Internet Explorer 6.

For information about how to install Internet Explorer 8, visit the following Microsoft Web
site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx)

Note After you install Internet Explorer 8, you can repair damaged files or missing
registration information in Internet Explorer 8. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Internet Explorer 8.

2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
3. On the Advanced tab, click Reset.
4. In the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box, click Reset to confirm.

Method 1: Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows XP Service Pack 3

If you do not want to install Internet Explorer 8, or for some reason cannot do so, you may
be able to resolve problems with Internet Explorer 6 by installing Windows XP Service Pack 2
or Windows XP Service Pack 3.

To install Windows XP Service Pack 2, follow these steps:

1. Visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://update.microsoft.com (http://update.microsoft.com)

2. Click Express Install (Recommended).

3. If your computer qualifies, Windows XP Service Pack 2 will be one of the updates that
are automatically selected. Click Install.
4. Review the Microsoft Software License Terms. Then, if you agree with it, accept it.

For more information how to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack, click the following
article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322389 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389/ ) How to obtain the latest Windows XP
service pack

Method 2: Repair Internet Explorer 6 by using the System File Checker in

Windows XP
If you already have Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed, and you do not want to install
Internet Explorer 8, you may be able to resolve problems with Internet Explorer 6 by
running the System File Checker.

To run the System File Checker, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run type sfc /scannow, and then press ENTER.
2. Follow the prompts throughout the System File Checker process.
3. Restart the computer when System File Checker process is complete.

Method 3: Reinstall Internet Explorer 6 by using the Ie.inf file

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If you already have Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed, and you do not want to install
Internet Explorer 8, you may be able to resolve problems with Internet Explorer 6 by using
the Ie.inf file to reinstall Internet Explorer 6. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type %systemroot%\inf, and then press ENTER.
2. Find the Ie.inf file that is located in Windows\Inf folder.
3. Right-click the Ie.inf file, and then click Install.
4. Restart the computer when the file copy process is complete.

Troubleshooting for advanced computer users

This section is intended for advanced computer users. If you are not comfortable with
advanced troubleshooting, you might want to ask someone whom you know for help or
contact support. For information about how to do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/ (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/)

If the methods that are listed in this article do not resolve the issue, you may be able to
resolve the issue by performing an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP. For
more information how to complete an in-place upgrade, click the following article number to
view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
315341 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/ ) How to perform an in-place upgrade
(reinstallation) of Windows XP

After you perform an in-place upgrade, visit the following Microsoft Web site to install the
latest software updates that are available for Windows XP:
http://update.microsoft.com (http://update.microsoft.com)

For Windows Vista

For information about how to obtain Windows Vista SP1, visit the following Microsoft Web
sites.

For beginning to intermediate computer users:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/quick-start/sp1.aspx
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/quick-start/sp1.aspx)

For IT Professionals:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bb738089.aspx
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bb738089.aspx)

For Windows XP:

For more information about Windows XP Service Pack 3, visit the following Microsoft Web
site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsxp/sp3/default.mspx
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsxp/sp3/default.mspx)

For more information about how to help protect your personal computer, visit the following
Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/default.mspx
(http://www.microsoft.com/protect/default.mspx)

For more information about how to obtain and to install Windows XP Service Pack 2, visit the
following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/expert/russel_installsp2.mspx
(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/expert/russel_installsp2.mspx)

For more information about how to obtain Windows XP Service Pack 2, click the following
article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322389 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389/ ) How to obtain the latest Windows XP
service pack

For more information about how to install Windows XP Service Pack 2, click the following

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=318378 7/21/2009