Need help uninstalling IE from XP

ncs22ncs22
edited March 2011 in Science & Tech
Hi. I have Windows XP Home Edition. I would like to completely uninstall Internet Explorer from this computer (my aim is to prevent any internet access on this machine). Right now I have IE 8, as well as Service Pack 3. I read online that I need to uninstall SP3 prior to uninstalling IE 8 (apparently since I installed IE 8 prior to SP3). I also read that once I uninstall IE 8, it will revert to IE 7. But I want to be COMPLETELY rid of Internet Explorer on my machine. Can somebody please tell me how to do this? Right now my thinking is that I would need to do the following sequence:

1. Uninstall SP3
2. Uninstall IE 8
3. Uninstall IE 7
4. If I end up with IE 6 after uninstalling IE 7, then my next step would be to delete IE 6. However, I read online that deleting IE 6 can be tough.

I would appreciate anyone's insight and help, thanks...

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    Internet Explorer cannot be removed from Windows XP. It is literally impossible.

    If you want to block Internet access, use group policy to block WAN traffic.
  • ncs22ncs22
    edited March 2011
    Kind of a newbie here....how do I do that? Actually, my situation is such that I would be willing to take even "risky" measures in order to irreversibly terminate Internet access on this particular computer. Are there any ways to do that? Thanks...
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    ncs22 wrote:
    Kind of a newbie here....how do I do that? Actually, my situation is such that I would be willing to take even "risky" measures in order to irreversibly terminate Internet access on this particular computer. Are there any ways to do that? Thanks...
    Unplug the network cable / remove the wireless card.

    If you need other network access (like to a "server" on your network) then block internet access for the PC's IP address in the router.
  • ncs22ncs22
    edited March 2011
    I guess I can put my needs in better terms...I would like for it to be impossible to browse the Internet on this computer. And I would like that situation to be permanent and irreversible...is that possible? I should have specified the browsing part earlier...Thanks. (btw, The computer in question is a laptop with wireless and a cable modem...but I need the wireless router and cable modem for my other computers).
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2011
    Do you need the computer to get on the network for other means? On most laptops you can go into the bios and disable the network cards. Then just password protect the bios so it can't be changed. That'll prevent it from getting onto ANY network.

    If you are just trying to stop the internet but still expect to be able to get email, netflix and play WoW on it. That's an entirely different situation.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    That still doesn't clarify if the PC needs network connectivity, such as to transfer files, communicate with a server on the LAN, etc.
  • ncs22ncs22
    edited March 2011
    Anything but browsing....that is the one functionality I want gone (and I don't want to be able to reenable it)..I'm not concerned with any other aspect at all. If any other functionality has to be lost along with browsing capability, so be it.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited March 2011
    Do other people have administrative rights on this computer? If the answer is yes - not much you can do.

    But one solution is to go into IE into the tools>Internet Options>Connections>Lan settings and set the proxy to send all traffic to 127.0.0.1

    Then you need to lock down the ability to change that setting.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    Everything that you do can be circumvented with an administrator account. Will you be the only administrator?
  • ncs22ncs22
    edited March 2011
    Let me put it this way...which may sound rather odd: I would like to prevent even myself from being able to ever browse the Internet on this computer. It does not matter to me what the other consequences or ramifications to the computer may be by trying to do this. No other people use this computer.
  • TushonTushon I'm scared, Coach Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    That does sound rather odd. Do what krysst said then forget about changing that setting. You would not want to completely remove access to an admin account, which means you will always be able to undo the change.
  • ncs22ncs22
    edited March 2011
    kryyst wrote:
    On most laptops you can go into the bios and disable the network cards. Then just password protect the bios so it can't be changed.

    Okay...how exactly do I do this? If I did it this way, I would invent a password that I would never remember, use it to "lock" the BIOS..then even I would never be able to change it...is my understanding correct? And is this method better than going into the LAN settings for my purposes?

    Thanks..
  • TushonTushon I'm scared, Coach Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    I would not do it that way, in case you need to change the BIOS later (for booting purposed or otherwise)
    kryyst wrote:
    But one solution is to go into IE into the tools>Internet Options>Connections>Lan settings and set the proxy to send all traffic to 127.0.0.1
  • CycloniteCyclonite Tampa, Florida Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    Develop self-control?
  • ncs22ncs22
    edited March 2011
    Right now, I am leaning toward altering the BIOS under password protection (and making it so that I forget the password). This way, I would not be able to browse, is that right? Thanks..
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    ncs22 wrote:
    Right now, I am leaning toward altering the BIOS under password protection (and making it so that I forget the password). This way, I would not be able to browse, is that right? Thanks..
    No, that means you couldn't even boot the PC if you forget the password.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XnlDV5vAZy8&quot; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    FIXT!
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    Turn the physical WLAN switch to 'off', then pop it off with a screwdriver, and fill the space it once occupied with hotglue, then stick that same screwdriver in the ethernet port and twist it around a few times.
  • ncs22ncs22
    edited March 2011
    fatcat wrote:
    <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XnlDV5vAZy8&quot; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    FIXT!

    LMAO :D

    Thanks everyone...I think I know what I need to do now. I think uninstalling the drivers for now will suffice for my needs. Thanks again..this was important, my life depended on it. Thanks again
  • TushonTushon I'm scared, Coach Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited March 2011
    I'm confused as to how you are on the internet right now if you want this to go away
Sign In or Register to comment.