# Not asking for tech support, but can someone tell me what this response phrase means? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 24, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452 "2003-09-24T02:00:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/1 "2003-09-24T02:00:40Z")
I have been trying to install Internet Explorer 6. I have 5 now. Whenever I click on the “download now” link, one of two responses comes back. It’s either"The plug-in did not initialize properly" or “The plug-in was found, but an error in the plug-in has occured.” Any idea what is meant? ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/2 "2003-09-24T02:08:30Z")
What OS? Also, can you download any .exe file? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/3 "2003-09-24T02:16:09Z")
Windows 98 Second Edition. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/4 "2003-09-24T03:01:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Berkut \* > \*\*Also, can you download any .exe file? \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/5 "2003-09-24T03:11:41Z")
I am ashamed to admit that I do not know what an .exe file is, so I can’t answer the question. Probably why I am in the fix I am. I think I need to contact the Computer Sciences department at the local high school and hire me a sutdent that can answer some questions without laughing at the old fogey. I feel like such a doofus. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/6 "2003-09-24T04:06:33Z")
Internet explorer allows “plug in” modules. In some ways this is a good thing. Every time someone comes out with a new whiz-bang thing you don’t have to upgrade your explorer, all you have to do is install the plug in for it. For example, if you install the plug in for Adobe Acrobat, you’ll be able to view .pdf format documents in Internet Explorer. The bad thing about plug ins is that any malicious person can write one. So if someone wants to write a plug in to automatically take over your explorer and set your home page to porn, they can do that. Some people disable the warning for plug-ins, so they wouldn’t even know something like that was happening. I’m taking a few guesses here, but I suspect Microsoft is doing its update through some sort of plug-in, which is failing miserably. This could be because something got mucked up the first time, and now you have a partially installed plug-in, or it could be because some other plug-in is interfering with it. It used to be that you could download an executable file (.exe) to use to install Internet Explorer 6. You might try that route if it’s still available. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/7 "2003-09-24T04:12:07Z")
Go to [evolt.org](http://browsers.evolt.org/?ie/32bit/6.0) and download the full IE 6.0 executable file ( ie60.exe, hence the nickname “.exe” file). Careful, it’s 76.74 MB in size. Download it to your temp directory. Then run it to install onto your system. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/8 "2003-09-24T04:22:25Z")
Executable = “.EXE” file It’s the file extension for a windows/dos program. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/9 "2003-09-24T07:58:10Z")
Just wanted to say I appreciate the responses. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-asking-for-tech-support-but-can-someone-tell-me-what-this-response-phrase-means/203452/10 "2003-09-25T07:22:52Z")
**Baker** , I’d be happy to stop by and help you out for a cookie or two. Or I could drop off a CD that will have the entire IE6 installation on it. Email me if you’d like.