How to Add or Remove Windows Desktop Update

The Windows Desktop Update component included with Internet Explorer 4.0, 4.01, 4.01 Service Pack 1, 4.01 Service Pack 2, and Microsoft Windows 98 includes the following enhancements to the classic Windows shell:

• The Active Desktop.
• A single, customizable Explorer with Web View.
• A Web-integrated Start menu and taskbar.
• Click (rather than double-click) items to open them; point at items to select them.

This article describes how to add or remove Windows Desktop Update in Internet Explorer 4.0, 4.01, 4.01 Service Pack 1, or 4.01 Service Pack 2 for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0.

NOTE: You cannot remove the Windows Desktop Update from Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or Microsoft Windows 2000 because it is an integrated part of these operating systems.

IMPORTANT: If you are running Internet Explorer 5 or later with Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 without the Windows Desktop Update component that is included with Internet Explorer 4.0, you need to uninstall Internet Explorer 5 or later before performing the steps in this article to add or remove the Windows Desktop Update Component. For additional information about uninstalling Internet Explorer 5 or later, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If you are unable to uninstall Internet Explorer 5 or later, see the note below for information on adding the Windows Desktop Update component. You may be unable to uninstall Internet Explorer 5 if, for example, you remove the backup or uninstall information.

NOTE: Although the Windows Desktop Update is not a part of Internet Explorer 5 or later, Corporate Administrators can include it with a customized version of Internet Explorer 5 or later by using the Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK). For additional information about IEAK, please see the following Microsoft Web site:

Adding Windows Desktop Update

To add the Windows Desktop Update, you must install or reinstall Internet Explorer 4.x and during Setup, click Yes when you are prompted to install the Windows Desktop Update components as follows:

1. Double-click the Ie4setup.exe file in the path\Internet Explorer 4.0 Setup folder (where path is the full path to the Internet Explorer 4.x Setup folder).
2. Click Yes when you are prompted to install the Windows Desktop Update components.
3. If you are prompted to either Upgrade Only Newer Items or Reinstall All Components, click Upgrade Only Newer Items, click OK, and then continue with Active Setup.

NOTE: You are not prompted to install the Windows Desktop Update during Internet Explorer 4.x Setup if either of the following circumstances exists:

• You are installing a downloaded copy of Internet Explorer 4.0 from a folder on your local hard disk or network share, and you chose not to download the Windows Desktop Update components.
• Windows Desktop Update is already installed, and you are reinstalling Internet Explorer 4.x.

IMPORTANT: Internet Explorer 4.x is no longer available for download from Microsoft Web sites. As a result, you can no longer add the Windows Desktop Update by using the Add/Remove Programs utility in Control Panel, clicking Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, clicking Add/Remove, and then clicking Add Windows Desktop Update component from Web site. This simply opens the following Microsoft Web site or displays a Microsoft Web site message that explains "The page cannot be found:" You cannot install the Windows Desktop Update from this Web site.

Removing Windows Desktop Update

To remove Windows Desktop Update, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double- click Add/Remove Programs.
2. Click the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 in the list of installed programs, and then click Add/Remove.
3. Click Remove Windows Desktop Update, but keep the Internet Explorer 4.0 Web browser, and then click OK.
4. If there are any files in the Recycle Bin, you receive the following message:
   Internet Explorer 4.0 has modified the format of the Recycle Bin.
   
   If you want to keep any of the items currently in the Recycle Bin, open the Recycle Bin and move the items to a different location.
   
   To permanently delete all items from the Recycle Bin and continue, click OK.
   Click OK when you are sure there are no files in the Recycle Bin that you want to restore.

Internet Explorer attempts to close all programs and reconfigure your computer to run without Windows Desktop Update.