How to Remove Internet Explorer and Outlook Express from your Computer.

This article describes how to manually uninstall Internet Explorer or Outlook Express from your computer. With IE 4.5 the installer could be used to remove the application, however all files may not be removed in that process.

NOTE: When you remove Outlook Express, it is very important to backup the inbox before you remove any files.

To completely remove all components, follow these steps: WARNING: If you are reinstalling the applications after removing them do not empty the Trash until the applications are reinstalled and fully functioning. This includes all e-mail appearing and opening from within the inbox, and a backup copy created.

1. Locate the following folders and move them to the Trash:
   • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 Folder
   • Outlook Express
   -or-
   • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Folder
   • Outlook Express 4.01
   -or-
   • Internet Explorer 4.5 Folder, which contains the following folders and aliases:
     • Internet Explorer 4.5 (alias)
     • Internet Explorer 4.5 folder
     • Outlook Express 4.5 (alias)
     • Outlook Express 4.5 folder
     -or-
   • Microsoft Internet, which contains the following folders and aliases:
     • Internet Explorer (alias)
     • Internet Explorer 5 Folder
     • Outlook Express (alias)
     • Outlook Express 5.02 Folder
   
   
   
2. From within the System folder, click to open the Extensions folder, then locate and move to the Trash the following files and folders if they exist:
   • ActiveX Controls (folder)
   • Intel raw video (file)
   • Indeo Video (file)
   • Microsoft Component Library (file)
   • MS Font Embed Library (file)
   • MS Library Folder (folder)
   
   
   
3. From the System folder, open the Fonts folder, then locate and move the following files to the Trash:
   • Andale Mono
   • Arial
   • Arial Black
   • Comic Sans MS
   • Courier New
   • Georgia
   • Impact
   • Times New Roman
   • Trebuchet MS
   • Verdana
   • Webdings
   
   
   NOTE: Not all of these files or folders may exist on your computer. If any of these files or folders does not exist on your computer, skip the file or folder.
   
   
4. From within the System folder, open the Preferences folder, and move the following items to the Trash:
   • PPC Registration Database
   • Explorer folder (Internet Explorer)
   
   
   
5. Restart the Computer and install the latest available version of Internet Explorer or Outlook Express.

For a list of files installed with Internet Explorer version 4.5, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: