# Can You Just Re-Install IE8 From Scratch **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-just-re-install-ie8-from-scratch/503054 "2009-07-14T22:45:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-just-re-install-ie8-from-scratch/503054/1 "2009-07-14T22:45:40Z")
I have a friend and he uses IE8. He’s one of these types that just clicks on everything which is fine I guess, but now his IE is just a mess. I ran AVG (latest and updated) as well as Spybot and Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and no viruses or problems. Then I looked at his IE8. He has over 50 (I stopped counting at 50) add ons and the like. Now I don’t use IE so I’m not terribly familiar with it. I went to tools and saw you could disable the add-ons you don’t like, but I was wondering is there a way you can just start over. If it was Firefox, I’d just uninstall it. And reinstall a fresh brand new version of Firefox. As you know it’s very difficult to just get rid of IE. So before I started Googling around, I thought I’d be lazy and see if there were any “expert” IE users who could tell me how I could go about getting his IE8 back to to as if there were no add-ons to it and it was installed clean and fresh. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-just-re-install-ie8-from-scratch/503054/2 "2009-07-14T23:43:25Z")
It’s not that hard, it’s listed in the Control Panel under Windows Internet Explorer 8, just uninstall it from there and it will revert to IE 7. ---
**Author:** ![Chickenwrangler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chickenwrangler/32/91_2.png) [@Chickenwrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenwrangler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-just-re-install-ie8-from-scratch/503054/3 "2009-07-15T02:46:43Z")
As Telperion says uninstalling IE8 will revert back to IE 7 I guess all the add-ons will go away with IE 8 ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-just-re-install-ie8-from-scratch/503054/4 "2009-07-15T18:55:13Z")
IE8 and IE7 have uninstallers in add/remove programs. You can run in safe-mode which disables the add-ons and you can delete them from the add-on manager. > **[Run Internet Explorer in No Add-ons mode](https://www.thewindowsclub.com/run-internet-explorer-8-in-no-add-ons-mode)** > > To troubleshoot incompatible browser add-ons or extensions, run Internet Explorer in No Addons mode. The No add-ons mode in IE is rather useful. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-just-re-install-ie8-from-scratch/503054/5 "2009-07-15T19:56:15Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > IE8 and IE7 have uninstallers in add/remove programs. > > You can run in safe-mode which disables the add-ons and you can delete them from the add-on manager. > > [http://www.thewindowsclub.com/run-internet-explorer-8-in-no-add-ons-mode](http://www.thewindowsclub.com/run-internet-explorer-8-in-no-add-ons-mode) Thanks that is actually a cool place to look over. Thanks for the link The computer in question is running Vista and there is no option the control panel to remove IE. The only way I found so far to do this, is the computer came with IE7 and there and MS update for IE8. I guess I can uninstall the update and then reinstall it. I’ll try that. Thanks for everyone’s help