How to solve Internet Explorer 8 installation problems

You may receive an error message when you try to install Internet Explorer 8.

Problems with installing Internet Explorer 8 can be caused by different issues. That's why there are several troubleshooting methods that you can use to try to resolve your problem. This article will guide you through each method, step-by-step. You can also learn more about the problem and find out where to go for more help if you cannot resolve the problem yourself.

The first part of this article is intended for beginning to intermediate computer users. The "Advanced troubleshooting" section in the second part is intended for more advanced users.

You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

Note Several methods require you to browse away from the page that you are now viewing. By browsing away from this page, the content that you are now viewing will no longer be displayed. So, before you continue, you might find it helpful to create a shortcut to this Web page on your desktop so that you can easily return to this page by double-clicking the shortcut. To create a shortcut to this Web page on your desktop, follow these steps:

1. Right-click this page, and then click Create Shortcut.
2. In the Internet Explorer dialog box, click Yes to create a shortcut on your desktop.

Prerequisites installed by Install Internet Explorer 8

The following updates are installed when you install Windows Internet Explorer 8.0:

• For more information about the updates installed with IE 8.0, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  948564  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948564/ ) Description of updates that are installed when you install Windows Internet Explorer 8
  Update for Windows XP SP2 x86 (KB946501)
• Update for Windows Vista (KB957388)
• Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool for Windows XP SP2 x86 and Windows Server 2003 x86

We know how important it is for you to be able to install and to use Internet Explorer 8, so let's get started.

General troubleshooting

Method A: Reset Windows security settings back to the defaults

Restore the security settings to the default settings.

To have us fix this problem for you, go to the “ Fix it for me ” section. If you’d rather fix this problem yourself, go to the “ Let me fix it myself ” section.

Fix it for me

To fix this problem automatically, click the Fix this problem link. Then click Run in the File Download dialog box, and follow the steps in this wizard.

Fix this problem

Notes:

• This wizard is temporarily in English only. However, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.
• If you are not on the computer that has the problem, you can save the automatic fix to a flash drive or a CD so that you can run it on the computer that has the problem.

Next steps After you run this Microsoft Fix it, go to the "Did this fix the problem?" section.

Let me fix it myself

To restore your operating system to the original installation default security settings, follow these steps:

Note This solution does not apply to Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions. To restore security settings for Home editions, you can use the Fix it, System Restore, or a backup.

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER.
2. In Windows XP, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\repair\secsetup.inf /db secsetup.sdb /verbose
   
   In Windows Vista, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose
   
   You receive a "Task is completed" message and a warning message that something could not be done. You can safely ignore this message. For more information about this message, see the %windir%\Security\Logs\Scesrv.log file.

Next steps After you run this Microsoft Fix it (or complete these manual steps), standard user accounts may no longer appear on the log on screen when you start your computer or try to switch users. This occurs because standard user accounts are removed from the Users group when you reset Windows security settings. To add the affected users accounts back to the Users group, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then All Programs. Or click Programs.
2. Click Accessories, and then click Command Prompt (Windows XP). Or right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run As Administrator (Windows Vista).
3. In the Command Prompt window, type net users and then press ENTER. A list of user accounts is displayed.
4. For each accountname listed in the Command Prompt that is missing from the log on or switch user screen, type the following command and then press ENTER:
   
   net localgroup users accountname /add
5. Now go to the "Did this fix the problem?" section.

Note In Windows Vista, the Defltbase.inf file is a Security configuration template for the default security. You can view the settings for this file in the following location: %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf

For online Help about Secedit, click Start, click Run, type %windir%\help\secedit.chm, and then press ENTER.

Did this fix the problem?

• Check whether the problem is fixed. To verify the method worked, try to install Internet Explorer again. If you need to download Internet Explorer, go to the Microsoft Download Center (http://www.microsoft.com/ie8) .
• If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article. Visit the Fix it for me (http://blogs.technet.com/fixit4me) blog, or send us e-mail (mailto:fixit4me@microsoft.com?Subject=KB949220 - How to solve Internet Explorer 8 installation problems) to provide feedback or to report any issues with this solution.
• If this method did not work for you, try Method B.

Method B: Scan your computer for malware

This method is rated: Easy.

How you scan your computer for malware depends on the malware-protection programs that you have.

Important If you use your own antivirus and anti-malware software, update the antivirus and anti-malware definition files before you scan your computer.

If you do not know how to update your antivirus and anti-malware definition files or if you do not know how to scan your computer, an easy and free way to do this is to use the Windows Live OneCare safety scanner. To use the Windows Live OneCare safety scanner, follow these steps:

1. In Internet Explorer, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://onecare.live.com/scan (http://onecare.live.com/scan)
2. Click Full Service Scan.
   
   Note The behavior that you see on the Windows Live OneCare Web page might be a bit different from what we describe here, but basically this is what will occur. The Windows Live OneCare safety scanner is downloaded and installed on your computer the first time that you perform a scan. The scanner inspects your computer. Then, it gives you results and recommendations when the scan is complete. This might take a while, so be prepared for that.
   
   Note If you currently have no malware-protection programs installed, you can download a 90-day free trial of Windows Live OneCare. To do this, click Download free trial under Get continuous protection for your PC with Windows Live OneCare on the Windows Live OneCare Web page.

Did this fix the problem?

• Check whether the problem is fixed. To verify the method worked, try to install Internet Explorer again.
• If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article. Visit the Fix it for me (http://blogs.technet.com/fixit4me) blog, or send us e-mail (mailto:fixit4me@microsoft.com?Subject=KB949220 - How to solve Internet Explorer 8 installation problems) to provide feedback or to report any issues with this solution.
• If this method did not work for you, try Method C.

Method C: Temporarily disable antispyware and antivirus software

This method is rated: Easy.

Note Before you temporarily disable your virus scanner, make sure that the Windows Firewall is enabled. After you complete the steps, enable the virus scanner again.

Antivirus software is designed to help protect your computer from viruses. You must not download or open files from sources that you do not trust, visit Web sites that you do not trust, or open e-mail attachments when your antivirus software is disabled. For more information about computer viruses, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: As soon as you complete this method, make sure that the virus scanner is enabled, and then visit the following Microsoft Web site to reinstall the latest updates: Warning This workaround may make a computer or a network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

To complete this method, follow these steps:

1. Disable antispyware and antivirus software. To do this, right-click the appropriate icon for the antispyware or antivirus software in the notification area. Then, click Exit or click Disable.
   
   Note For more information about how to disable antispyware or antivirus software, see the program documentation.
2. When the antispyware and antivirus software is disabled, try to install Internet Explorer 8 again.
3. When the installation of Internet Explorer 8 is finished, re-enable the antispyware and antivirus software.
   
   Note For more information about how to enable antispyware or antivirus software, see the program documentation.

Did this fix the problem?

• If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article.
• If this method did not work for you, try Method D.

Method D: Start your computer in a "clean boot" state

This method is rated: Moderately easy.

To complete this method, follow these steps:

1. Start your computer in a "clean boot" state. For more information about how to start your computer by performing a clean boot, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   310353  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/ ) How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
2. After you start your computer in a clean boot state, try to install Internet Explorer 8 again.

Did this fix the problem?

• If this method worked, your next steps are to configure your computer to use a standard startup again. For more information about how to configure your computer to use a standard startup, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  310353  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/ ) How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
• After you configure your computer to use a standard startup again, you are finished.
• If this method did not work for you, try Method E in the "Advanced Troubleshooting" section, or contact Support (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/) .

Advanced troubleshooting

Method E: Check for any files that cannot be backed up or updated

This method is rated: Moderately difficult.

To complete this method, follow these steps:

1. Determine whether a problem is preventing the files from being backed up or updated. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, and then click Run.
   2. Copy and then paste (or type) the following text in the Open box, and then click OK to open the ie8_main.log file:
      %windir%\ie8_main.log
      Note By default, the ie8_main.log file is located in the C:\Windows folder.
   3. Press CTRL+END to move to the end of the ie8_main.log file.
   4. On the Edit menu, click Find.
   5. In the Find what box, type ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Canceled.
   6. Under Direction, click Up, and then click Find Next.
      
      If you find the "ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Canceled" text, this indicates that there is a problem that is preventing an Internet Explorer 8 file from being saved for removal. For example, text that resembles the following in the log file indicates that a problem exists:
      Time_stamp: ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Canceled
      Time_stamp: DoInstallation:UpdSpCommitFileQueue for AlwaysQueue Failed: 0x4c7
      If you do not find the "ArchiveFileForUninstall:ArchiveSingleFile Canceled" text in the ie8_main.log file, contact Support (http://www.support.microsoft.com/contactus) .
2. Reset the permissions for the Vgx.dll file. To set the permissions of the file to the default settings, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK. At a command prompt, copy and then paste (or type) one of the following commands, and then press ENTER:
   • If you are running Windows XP, copy and then paste (or type) the following command:
     echo y| cacls "%CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll" /P BUILTIN\Users:R "BUILTIN\Power Users:C" BUILTIN\Administrators:F "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F"
   • If you are running Windows Server 2003, copy and then paste (or type) the following command:
     echo y| cacls "%CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll" /P BUILTIN\Users:R "BUILTIN\Power Users:C" BUILTIN\Administrators:F "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F" "NT AUTHORITY\TERMINAL SERVER USER:C"
3. Try to install Internet Explorer 8. If Internet Explorer cannot be installed, contact Support (http://www.support.microsoft.com/contactus) . If the log file shows a problem, repeat all the steps in this method.
4. If you repeat the process, and Internet Explorer 8 still cannot be installed, but the log file is clean, contact Support (http://www.support.microsoft.com/contactus)

Did this fix the problem?

• Check whether the problem is fixed. To verify the method worked, try to install Internet Explorer 8 again.
• If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this article.
• If this method did not work for you, contact Support (http://www.support.microsoft.com/contactus) .

If no methods in this article solved your problem, visit the Internet Explorer 8 Readiness Toolkit Web site for information about how to provide feedback about Internet Explorer 8:The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

When you try to remove Windows Internet Explorer 8, the program may not appear in the Currently installed updates list in Windows Vista or in Windows Server 2008. For more information about how to resolve this problem, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: