# MSN v. Internet Explorer (software prob) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882 "2001-02-26T02:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882/1 "2001-02-26T02:53:41Z")
Hi, I got a new computer today and I’ve been having a problem that neither MSN, nor my ISP could resolve. The problem is: On this new computer, when I try to use Internet Explorer, I get a message telling me I have to use MSN. I hate MSN. How can I change this so I can use Internet Explorer again. I have a feeling this is a standard thing on the new Dells so hopefully some Doper can tell me how he remedied the situation. This is with a cable modem and windows ME (if that matters.) ---
**Author:** ![padabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@padabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/padabe)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882/2 "2001-02-26T04:21:04Z")
Who is your ISP? Can you be more specific about the error message? I’m running Win98 SE, IE 5.0 My Control Panel has an applet named “Internet Options,” which has a tab titled “Connections.” If you can find the equivalent on WinME, do you have anything listed under “Dial-up Settings”? I got a Dell a year ago. Didn’t have any problems, but I use MSN. And yeah, MSN yanks, I’m switching over to Telocity DSL 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![padabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@padabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/padabe)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882/3 "2001-02-26T04:23:01Z")
Cable modem. Never mind. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882/4 "2001-02-26T16:27:45Z")
Why don’t you just download Netscape from [download.com](http://download.com) & use it? Or you can try to uninstall IE then visit [download.com](http://download.com) or windows update & select to download IE but that program is huge, about 85 megs when you use an online install. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882/5 "2001-02-26T17:30:13Z")
Not sure if that would help. Heck, if I got that message, I’d probably just wipe everything and do a clean install of windows. That would definitely get rid of any little…additions…Dell tried to add. Of course, that’s just me. Might be too extreme a solution for most useres. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882/6 "2001-02-26T23:48:02Z")
Dell uses special software programs for their computers. IM not sure if you could just reinstall windows without using their very own spiffy recovery disk. Ah, but you can try. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msn-v-internet-explorer-software-prob/55882/7 "2001-02-27T17:57:58Z")
I’ve done it several times on quite a few OEM systems. Just be sure you have all the drivers handy and jot down the names of your components from the device manager. Dell, like most computer manufacturers, uses a lot of no-name parts. The drivers should be on a cd that came with the system. And god help you if you lose that cd, because often-times the drivers aren’t anywhere to be found on the 'net…