Stupid question - can I install internet explorer 8 on a windows 7 PC?

EdwardTeach · 25 Jul 2011 at 20:09

I need to do an online assessment's as part of an selection process for a job I am applying for.
The online system doesn't support my browsers of choice Chrome or Firefox 5, neither does it support IE9, which I also have installed.

It supports the following:

Internet Explorer 8
Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 6
Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 7.0.x
Mozilla FireFox Version 1.5.x
Mozilla FireFox Version 2.0.x

So I thought fine I will just install IE8. I found this page for downloading IE8:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/internet-explorer/downloads/ie-8

The different version on offer on that page are for XP, Vista and Windows Server in 32 or 64bit.
I have tried installing the XP and vista 64bit version, but it just comes up with an error message stating internet explorer 8 is not supported on this operating system.

So back to my stupid question - can I install internet explorer 8 on a windows 7 PC?

I presume it is, if so can someone please point me in the right direction.

Is it possible to have IE9 and IE8 installed at the same time, or is it the fact that I already have IE9 installed that is causing the problem?

Is the problem that I am not using the correct installer? if so could someone ponit me in the direction of a Windows 7 IE8 installer.

d_brennen · 25 Jul 2011 at 20:10

You can install IE8 on 7, not sure about removing 9 though. I never use IE at all

BinnsY · 25 Jul 2011 at 20:16

If it supports version 2 of firefox it may be easier to just install this?

http://www.oldversion.com/download-Mozilla+Firefox-2.0.html

EdwardTeach · 25 Jul 2011 at 20:29

That prob should work.

I would like to know why I can't install ie8 though as it just seems so stupid!

Mr Gimp · 25 Jul 2011 at 20:32

Uninstall IE9 from Windows Update and it'll revert back to IE8

Coldzero · 25 Jul 2011 at 21:13

Just use IE9's compatibility mode..?

Sudden · 25 Jul 2011 at 21:24

If that's SHL, I had the same issue. The practice test has those stupid requirements, but the real one works fine with IE9/Firefox 5.

EdwardTeach · 25 Jul 2011 at 22:20

BinnsY said:
If it supports version 2 of firefox it may be easier to just install this?

http://www.oldversion.com/download-Mozilla+Firefox-2.0.html

I have tried that that but it doesnt work. Visiting the www.cvmailuk.com website causes it to crash! (tried on two computers).

Pho · 25 Jul 2011 at 22:37

Coldzero said:
Just use IE9's compatibility mode..?

This. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/How-to-use-Compatibility-View-in-Internet-Explorer-9

EdwardTeach · 25 Jul 2011 at 23:09

Mr Gimp said:
Uninstall IE9 from Windows Update and it'll revert back to IE8

This worked, thanks for the tip!

Sin_Chase · 25 Jul 2011 at 23:38

This is where virtual machines are handy

topdog@OC · 26 Jul 2011 at 14:38

VM's a bit heavy handed for the alternative of losing about 10MB of disk space to an alternative browser vendor though for a quick / one-off usage

Compatibility Mode has never been about downgrading IEn to IEn-1 so it's really no good for that. It only targets a couple of things that have changed between browser versions and attempts to deal with those. It's been useful for a few things, but not in tricking a server you're using an older browser than you are.