IE 6 Upgrade?

[sdtex]

Is IE 6 considered an upgrade or do I have to download the entire file as if it was new. I had IE 5.5 running on my secondary computer and wanted to try IE 6 and had to wait almost an 1 1/2 hrs. for the download. (56K - gulp!!)
Now I'd like ot do the same on my primary, but would rather jsut install over IE 5.5 as an upgrade. Is this possible, or was I just dumb in my first attmept with IE 6?? Thanks!!

 

[ksuwyldkat]

If you already downloaded the file and the two computers were networked you could use the same file to upgrade. If the file was a zip file you could span it across some disks or copy it to a cd if you had a burner. Or what I usually do to upgrade a browser, I use those AOL disks that float around to get the newest versions off them.

 

[savagej21]

The AOL disk suggestion is a great one. Or Earthlink disks for that matter--virtually all the ISP's have the most current versions of IE on them.

 

[Shadow2531]

the ie6setup.exe installer gives you the option "to install later" so you can download the whole IE6 setup files and distribute as you please. Oh do a full registry backup before you upgrade it IE6.

 

[sdtex]

Great idea on the AOL/Earthlink disks...........I appreciate it.
Shadow.......can you explain what you mean about the registry back-up, how........and why?? Remember that I'm only beginning this adventure.

 

[Shadow2531]

you should backup your entire registry before you install IE6.

start>run>regedit>registry>export registry file>export range=all>

then name the file something like "before ie6" (without the quotes) ans save to a directory and to a floppy if it will fit or a CD if you have a burner.

That way if IE6 hoses your instalation and you cannot get it fix correctly, all you would have to do is use internet explorer repair tool to revert back to your previous IE version. That repair alone might fix the problem if you have one, but the repair tool alone doesn't always help. That's where the registry backup comes in.

Since it is too hard to tell every single entry in the registry that IE effects, so you could edit the registry to fix it, all you have to do is merge the good registry file to the existing registry and BAM everything will be fixed.

If you changed a setting after you exported the registry and then merged the exported file into the existing registry, the setting will revert to the one in the exported registry.

I myself have before and after registry exports for every program I install. Plus on the first boot of my Windows install, I export the entire registry and save it as "first boot everything cool"

hope that helps

oh I should mention that editing/merging the registry can be hazordous. So always backup first and you will be fine.