Win 7 computer Internet Explorer won't update

[PS85]

Friend from Anguilla has an older computer, he has few computer skills. He uses IE, and has tabs on the bottom line of his browser which take him to a website where he can play Radio Anguilla and Heart Beat Radio from Anguilla. His son, who also occasionally uses the computer and who knows more, used Chrome and my friend has some trouble reaching that website that he goes to those stations from Chrome. Trouble is, now IE is not connecting to the internet.

I went to microsoft.com to download the latest version of IE, clicked on what they offered, but a box saying they cannot download it because there is already a newer version of IE on the computer. I tried to remove IE so I could download the version at microsoft.com, no luck. I downloaded a free trial of Revo Uninstaller and tried to remove IE, still no luck.

As a backup plan I figure I'll download Firefox as a browser and show him how to connect up to the website from which he goes to those radio stations, so he'll know. Still would like to replace IE, if anyone has an idea how I should go about it. Also, if anyone has an idea of a more efficient way to get to Radio Anguilla and Heart Beat Radio, that also would be appreciated. Like I said, he has few computer skills, but he can get around the internet. I'm no expert either, self taught on the computer, but I know how to download, etc and have taught others how to get around the internet.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Ketchup]

Revo Uninstaller cannot uninstall Internet Explorer. If you want to uninstall Internet Explorer, you need to go through Programs and Features, Turn Windows Features on or off.

If you go into that feature, and it says Internet Explorer 11, that computer has the latest version.

If your friend's computer won't get on the Internet at all, installing a newer version of Internet Explorer may not make a difference. One way to tell for sure would be to install another browser and see if that will connect. If it doesn't, move your mouse over the screen icon in the taskbar (usually next to the clock, this) and see what it says about the internet connection (this icon will look different if this computer has a wireless connection.

Also, I don't know your computer skills, so if I am dumbing this down too much, just let me know.

 

[Zahid Iqbal]

just don't use IE but don't disable it. because some site must require IE

 

[Puffnstuff]

I would clear out the cookies and delete the history and see if IE will connect to that site. He might have some of the security settings wrong for that site as well that are preventing him from connecting. Sometimes something as simple as having the date and time wrong will prevent connecting to a https site where authentication is required.

 

[PS85]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply. On his computer he had two browsers, IE and Chrome. IE could not connect to the internet, and said so. Chrome was connected to the internet but he was unable to use the tab system to find his radio stations in Chrome, plus the radio stations, when he found them through a search engine, took a long time to play through Windows Media Player when he used Chrome.

Figuring the sluggish Windows Media Player thing might be the cache, I deleted history and cookies and such through the Control Panel-Internet Options-delete process. I then downloaded Firefox and showed him how to use the tabs to get his two favorite stations. So far so good and WMP is not sluggish.

I tried to use the Programs and Features to remove IE, but it did not appear in the list of programs. Same thing happened with Revo Uninstaller-it did not appear in the list of programs. I tried to remove by going to the folder in Program Files that Internet Explorer is in, but still no dice. I didn't know about the turning on or off of programs through Programs and Features-if IE is turned off, will it appear in the list?

I suspect he might have some damage to his Operating System because when I turned the machine off through normal shut down procedures, I had to wait until 7 updates were installed. However, a few more times I tried to shut the machine down and I had to wait for exactly 7 updates to be installed, which strikes me that something must be wrong with the operating system. It turned out the owner, who knows little about how to use the computer, shut the machine off simply by turning the power switch off at night. He didn't go through the correct shut down procedure. I suspect he might have to get a disk to restore damaged parts of the operating system. It's an HP desktop, Windows 7 Premium. Any ideas on what type of disk he might have to use? I've heard of System disks and Restore disks, I have installed a fresh operating system on a clean hard drive several times-not this particular machine, of course.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I suspect he might have some damage to his Operating System because when I turned the machine off through normal shut down procedures, I had to wait until 7 updates were installed. However, a few more times I tried to shut the machine down and I had to wait for exactly 7 updates to be installed, which strikes me that something must be wrong with the operating system. It turned out the owner, who knows little about how to use the computer, shut the machine off simply by turning the power switch off at night. He didn't go through the correct shut down procedure. I suspect he might have to get a disk to restore damaged parts of the operating system. It's an HP desktop, Windows 7 Premium. Any ideas on what type of disk he might have to use? I've heard of System disks and Restore disks, I have installed a fresh operating system on a clean hard drive several times-not this particular machine, of course.

Yeah, we've all heard anecdotal stories of people like that. Not so good for the system.

If he needs recovery media, there's two ways to go about that. Get a hold of a Windows 7 ISO image for the edition that is on his PC, and do an install, using the key printed on the sticker affixed to his system chassis, or get recovery install media from HP for his particular model of PC. The HP recovery media is preferred, because the other method usually requires a phone call to Microsoft's activation line, and it's a hassle to activate that way.

Edit: I would also download Malwarebytes anti-malware ( http://www.malwarebytes.org/ ) , and do a scan for nasties. Do this even if you already have some other anti-virus product on the PC. IE not communicating may be due to malware on the system.

 

[Ketchup]

Do a 'run as administrator' for the command prompt. Type in sfc /scannow. It may ask to reboot. See if it fixes anything before resorting to a restore disk.

If it fixes anything, try running Windows Update alone (not waiting for shutdown). If it still doesn't work, Microsoft has a fixit it for this:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/troubleshoot-problems-installing-updates#1TC=windows-7

After that is resolved, see if IE will work as intended.

 

[PS85]

Virtual Larry and Ketchup 79: Much appreciated. Will report back after I go over to his house again in a day or two..

 

[lazybedone]

If it can't really be uninstalled then its okay. You could still have that app on your device but don't use it/ Just don't make it your default browser for searching.

 

[PS85]

I haven't been back to his house yet, surprisingly, but I think that is what he'll probably end up doing.