Internet Explorer 7 is a nice browser with a new shiny interface, tabbed browsing capabilities and other interesting bells and whistles. The problem is that Microsoft tried to push Internet Explorer 7 onto users by having it automatically download and install as part of Windows Updates. If you left your computer on at some point, with Windows Update set to install automatic
First, close Internet Explorer and any open windows you may have. Then click on Start and go to the Control Panel. Double click on Add/Remove Programs, and hunt down the Internet Explorer 7 program in the list after it populates. Click on the Remove button once you find it, and this will take IE 7 off of your computer. Usually, your computer will just revert back to whatever version of IE you had before. If you can't find it in the list, click on the Show Updates check box at the top and find it that way.
Once it's gone, you need to keep it from automatically coming back if you have Windows Updates set to install automatically. Many people like that feature of Windows Update, since it gives you critical security patches and other important items as soon as they are available, without you manually having to search for them and download them, but it's not convenient if it is going to keep giving you a program you know you do not want. To stop it from happening, open Internet Explorer and go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. When the update page opens, click on Custom, then uncheck the box for Windows Internet Explorer 7.0. Check the box for “Don't show this update again.” Now it won't show up and you can go back to using any other browser you prefer!
That procedure can also be used to stop other types of updates from automatically downloading, if you choose! Simply uncheck the boxes for the updates you know you do not want, and check the box for “Don't show this update again” and you will not be bothered by it.
