-----------------------------------------------------------
README for
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools
June 2000
-----------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 2000
This document provides complementary or late-breaking information
to supplement the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Internet Explorer and
Internet Tools documentation. You can also see the Microsoft Web
site for the latest information.
If you're looking for information about a specific program or
component, try searching for it in the Microsoft Knowledge Base
at http://support.microsoft.com. System requirements are listed
in the IE.txt file, which is in the Internet Explorer folder in
the Program Files folder.
------------------------
HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT
------------------------
To view Readme.txt on screen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad
window.
To print Readme.txt, open it in Notepad or another word
processor, and then use the Print command on the File menu.
========
CONTENTS
========
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Disk-Space Requirements for Internet Explorer 5.5 Installation
SETUP
Installing Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools
Running Internet Explorer 5.5 on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Installing Windows NT 4.0 Service Packs over Internet Explorer 5.5
Installing over Windows 2000 Releases
Uninstall Internet Explorer 5.5 Before Upgrading to Windows 2000
High Encryption Support for Internet Explorer 5.5
Running Internet Explorer 5.5 on a Dual-Boot Operating System
Installing or Upgrading the Windows Desktop Update
Installing over Localized Windows 98 Arabic and Hebrew Releases
Installing Outlook Express 5 on Windows Terminal Server
Installing on Windows 98 with Novell IPX/IP client
Installing Windows 2000 over Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools
Uninstalling Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools
Uninstall for Previous Versions of Internet Explorer Unavailable
Uninstalling Internet Explorer 5.5 Returns You to an Earlier Version
Using Download Only
Windows 2000 Upgrade Exception Pack
Outlook Express Removed After Uninstalling Internet Explorer
ADDITIONAL ISSUES
FTP User Interface and Functionality
Font Display Issues
Non-English Characters in URLs and Queries
Internet Explorer 4.x Compatibility Mode
Uninstalling Outlook Express 5
Radio Toolbar
Changing the Language of Menus and Dialog Boxes
AutoComplete Options
Enhanced Encryption Strength
Operating System limitations for Character Rotation in
Vertical Text
Security Settings
Contacts Missing in Address Book After Uninstalling Windows Me
Outlook Express Title Screen Does Not Match Version
DEVELOPER'S NOTES
New Language Features in JScript and VBScript
The Microsoft Office Developer Workflow Toolbar
Printing Controls
HTML Buttons with Unselectable Attribute
APPLICATION COMPATIBILITY
Task Scheduler in Windows NT 4.0
Selection In IFrames
Assistive Technology and Accessibility
===================
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
===================
To run Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools, your
computer must meet the following minimum requirements:
- A 486 with a 66 MHz (megahertz) processor (Pentium processor
recommended)
- For Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98:
16 MB (megabytes) of RAM (random access memory) minimum
- For Microsoft Windows NT(R) 4.0:
32 MB of RAM minimum
You must be running Service Pack 3 (or higher)
- For Microsoft Windows(R) 2000:
64 MB of RAM minimum
- Minimal installation (browser only):
Required to install: 45 MB
Required to run: 27 MB after restart
Typical installation:
Required to install: 70 MB
Required to run: 55 MB after restart
Full installation:
Required to install: 111 MB
Required to run: 80 MB after restart
- Mouse
- Modem or Internet connection
- CD-ROM drive (if installation is done from a CD-ROM)
- Some components may require additional system resources
not outlined above
Disk-Space Requirements for Internet Explorer 5.5 Installation
---------------------------------------------------------------
Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools Setup installs the
majority of its files on the drive where the Windows operating
system is installed, regardless of the installation location you
chose. To free up space on your hard disk in order to meet the
Internet Explorer 5.5 disk-space installation requirements,
you must free up space on the drive where the Windows operating
system is installed.
SETUP
=====
Installing Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools
----------------------------------------------------
Whether you choose to install over the network or download the
installation files to your hard disk, some or all of the Setup
files are copied to your hard disk. This allows you to reinstall
more quickly if necessary. If you want to reclaim the disk space,
you can remove the Setup directory as follows:
1. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs, and then click
Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools.
2. Click Add/Remove, make sure the check box for Restore the Previous
Windows Configuration is selected, and then click Advanced.
3. Click the option named Remove Folder Containing Windows Update Setup
Files, and then click OK.
4. When asked whether you want to continue, click Yes.
5. Click OK in the next dialog boxes.
You cannot install Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools to or
run it from a network drive. However, you can download it to a network
drive. To do this, you must map the network drive to a drive letter on
your computer; you cannot download Internet Explorer 5.5 to a UNC path.
Running Internet Explorer 5.5 on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
----------------------------------------------------------
Note
You must have administrative privileges to install
and uninstall this program on Windows NT. This includes
having administrative privileges the first time you
start your computer after installing or uninstalling.
You must restart your computer after installing Internet Explorer
5.5 and Internet Tools. This is also true for some add-on
components.
For corporate deployment on computers running Windows NT 4.0,
make sure you have the following free registry space:
- If you are upgrading from Internet Explorer 2.0 or
Internet Explorer 3.x: at least 4 MB
- If you are upgrading from Internet Explorer 4.x:
at least 2.5 MB
If you're running Internet Explorer 5.5 on Windows NT 4.0,
you must set user permissions to Full Control for the Temporary
Internet Files folder (cache). The user must have write permission
so that files can be stored in the Temporary Internet Files folder.
If you must reinstall Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3 (SP3) after you
install Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools, you must specify
when prompted that you do not want it to overwrite any files that
are newer. After SP3 is reinstalled, carry out the following steps
to update the registry:
1. Click the Start button, and then click Run.
2. Type the following: regsvr32 rsabase.dll
Installing Windows NT 4.0 Service Packs over Internet Explorer 5.5
------------------------------------------------------------------
If you reinstall a Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack after Internet
Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools is installed on your computer,
some components will need to be re-registered. To do this, carry
out the following steps:
1. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft Internet Explorer
5.5 and Internet Tools.
3. Click Add/Remove.
4. Click Repair Internet Explorer, and then click OK.
5. After the repair operation is complete, restart your computer.
Installing over Windows 2000 Releases
-------------------------------------
Typical and Full installations are not currently available for Windows 2000.
Internet Explorer 5.5 will install a minimal set of files into your
system; this includes the Internet Explorer 5.5 Web browser and scripting
support. Other components such as Outlook Express are not available
for Windows 2000 at this time.
Uninstall Internet Explorer 5.5 Before Upgrading to Windows 2000
----------------------------------------------------------------
Windows 2000 contains an earlier version of Internet Explorer components.
When upgrading from Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT to Windows 2000,
we recommend that you uninstall Internet Explorer 5.5 before the upgrade.
High Encryption Support For Internet Explorer 5.5
-------------------------------------------------
High Encryption components are available on Windows 95, Windows 98,
Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows NT 4.0. To obtain high
encryption support for Windows 2000, please visit Windows Update or
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/recommended/encryption/default.asp
Enhanced Encryption Strength
----------------------------
Internet Explorer 5.5 now ships with standard encryption strength
of 128 bits and supports the U.S. government standard for data
encryption (DES). 128-bit Internet Explorer 5.5 is eligible
for distribution to all users worldwide except in U.S.-embargoed
destinations. For more information, visit the following Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/exporting/
Running Internet Explorer 5.5 on a Dual-Boot Operating System
--------------------------------------------------------------
If you are running Internet Explorer 5.5 on a computer that is set up
to dual boot between two operating systems on the same partition
(for example, Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0), and you have configured
the computer to share a single Program Files folder, you may have
problems with add-on components.
Also, when you uninstall an add-on component from either copy of
Internet Explorer 5.5, it will be removed from both of them without
updating the other operating system's installed components information.
These problems occur because the add-on files are all stored in the
shared Program Files folder, but information about installed add-on
components is stored elsewhere.
Installing or Upgrading the Windows Desktop Update
--------------------------------------------------
To install or upgrade the Windows Desktop Update, you must install
Internet Explorer 4.01 SP2 before you install Internet Explorer 5.5
and Internet Tools.
If you have already installed Internet Explorer 5.5 and would like to
install the Windows Desktop Update, carry out the following steps:
1. Uninstall Internet Explorer 5.5 by using the procedure listed later
in this document.
2. If Internet Explorer 4.01 SP2 is not already installed on
your computer, install it.
3. Install the Windows Desktop Update by using Add/Remove Programs
in Control Panel.
4. Reinstall Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools.
Installing over Localized Windows 98 Arabic and Hebrew Releases
---------------------------------------------------------------
Windows 98 Arabic and Hebrew versions require the corresponding
localized version of Internet Explorer 5.5. It is not possible to
install the English version of Internet Explorer over the localized
version of Windows 98.
This restriction does not apply to localized versions of Windows 95
or Windows NT 4.0. However, you cannot install localized Arabic or
Hebrew Internet Explorer 5.5 over localized Windows 95 (only
English is supported).
Installing Outlook Express 5.x on Windows Terminal Server
--------------------------------------------------------
Before installing Outlook Express 5.x on Windows Terminal Server,
the administrator needs to set a compatibility flag in the registry
in order for the Outlook Express 5.x Setup program to work correctly.
To do this, carry out the following steps:
1. Create this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\
Compatibility\Applications\setup50
2. Set the following value under the new setup50 key (this value
should be of type REG_DWORD):
Flags = 0x108
Installing on Windows 98 with Novell IPX/IP Client
--------------------------------------------------
If you are using Novell IPX/IP client with Windows 98, you might
experience problems if you install Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet
Tools from the Internet. If Setup appears to become unresponsive,
restart your computer. Setup will continue and finish normally. To
work around this problem, try one of the following options:
- In Setup, select the Download Only option, and then run and install
Internet Explorer 5.5 normally.
- Install Internet Explorer 5.5 from a CD-ROM.
Uninstalling Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools
------------------------------------------------------
You can uninstall Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools by
carrying out the following steps:
1. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2. Click Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools,
and then click Add/Remove.
3. Click Restore the Previous Windows Configuration, and then
click OK.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen.
Uninstall for Previous Versions of Internet Explorer Unavailable
----------------------------------------------------------------
If you uninstall Internet Explorer 5.5, you will not be able to remove
the browser that was installed prior to Internet Explorer 5.5.
Uninstalling Internet Explorer 5.5 Returns You to an Earlier Version
--------------------------------------------------------------------
When you install Internet Explorer 5.5, Setup examines your system
for the presence of uninstall data that had been created by a previous
installation. If Setup cannot find this data, it creates new
uninstall data for later use.
If you previously upgraded from Internet Explorer 4.x to 5.0 or 5.01,
you will have uninstall data that allows you to roll back to Internet
Explorer 4.x. Unless you explicitly removed the uninstall data
using Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel before upgrading to Internet
Explorer 5.5, this data will be preserved. When you uninstall
Internet Explorer 5.5, it will use the existing uninstall data and
roll back to Internet Explorer 4.x.
The following chart lists the various upgrade scenarios and the Internet
Explorer 5.5 uninstallation behavior that can occur in each case.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Previous Version | Uninstall Data | Uninstall Results |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet Explorer 3.x | n/a | Internet Explorer 3.x |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet Explorer 4.x | n/a | Internet Explorer 4.x |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet Explorer 5 | Exists | Pre-Internet Explorer 5 version |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet Explorer 5 | Doesn't exist | Internet Explorer 5 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Windows 98 (Internet Explorer 4) | n/a | Windows 98 (Internet Explorer 4) |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Windows 98 SE (Internet Explorer 5) | n/a | Windows 98 SE (Internet Explorer 5)|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Using Download only
-------------------
In Internet Explorer 5.5, if you select the Download Only option you will not
be able to choose which components are downloaded and which are not. All the
cabinet (.cab) files for a full installation for the operating system you choose
are downloaded. There is no user interface in Windows 2000 to select Download Only.
To perform a Download Only on Windows 2000, see the following article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q257/2/49.asp
Windows 2000 Upgrade Exception Pack
-----------------------------------
Internet Explorer 5.5 includes a component called the Windows 2000 Upgrade
Exception Pack. This purpose of the Exception Pack is to downgrade
Internet Explorer 5.5 in preparation for upgrade to Windows 2000. Until
the computer is upgraded to Windows 2000, the Exception Pack is not invoked.
During the installation of Windows 2000, the Exception Pack removes
Internet Explorer 5.5 registry keys that are no longer needed or contrary
to entries created by Windows 2000; this ensures a problem-free upgrade.
Outlook Express Removed After Uninstalling Internet Explorer
------------------------------------------------------------
After you uninstall Internet Explorer and Outlook Express 5.01 or
Outlook Express 5.5 from a computer running Windows 98 Second Edition,
the previous version of Outlook Express is not restored. For more information
about this issue, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q245/3/16.asp
=================
ADDITIONAL ISSUES
=================
FTP User Interface and Functionality
------------------------------------
If you discover an issue in the FTP user interface that blocks
FTP functionality, you can turn off this feature on the Advanced
tab in the Internet Options dialog box.
The following functionality is not supported:
- Internet connection via CERN or Web proxy servers.
- Connecting to VAX or VMS FTP servers.
- Using the browser from within a separate application or service.
- Copying from server to server.
- Drag-and-drop or copy-and-paste functionality from an FTP
server is supported only on Windows 2000, Windows Me, and later.
Font Display Issues
-------------------
If you run a non-Asian language version of Windows NT 4.0 and
you have installed many large fonts, the system's ability to use
those fonts may be exceeded. If Asian language Web pages are not
displayed correctly, install Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5.
Non-English Characters in URLs and Queries
------------------------------------------
Internet Explorer 5.5 uses a new standard to transmit non-English addresses
(URLs) to the server. URLs are now encoded in a character encoding standard
named UTF-8. If the server is running Windows 2000, the URLs will work as
expected. Many servers cannot process URLs encoded in UTF-8. To use
non-English characters in URLs with these servers, carry out the following
steps:
1. On the Tools menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Under Browsing, clear the Always Send URLs As UTF-8 check box.
The query part of URLs is transmitted in a form fully compatible
with Internet Explorer 4 and above.
Internet Explorer 4.x Compatibility Mode
----------------------------------------
The Internet Explorer 4.x compatibility option is useful to Web
developers who want to view and test their Web sites on different
versions of Internet Explorer, using the same computer. You might
not be able to change all settings for the browser while in this
mode. When using the compatibility option, you should change
Internet options via Control Panel, not through the Internet Options
command on the browser's Tools menu.
Uninstalling Outlook Express 5.x
--------------------------------
If you uninstall Outlook Express 5.x and you were previously running
Microsoft Internet Mail and News, you will be able to see only the
messages you received using Internet Mail and News. To view
Outlook Express 5.x messages, you must reinstall Outlook Express 5.x.
If you uninstall Outlook Express 5.x and you were previously
running Outlook Express 4.x, you can view your Outlook Express 5.x
messages in version 4.x by carrying out the following steps:
1. On the File menu in Outlook Express, click Import, and then click Messages.
2. In the list of programs, click Microsoft Outlook Express 5.
3. Follow the instructions on your screen.
Radio Toolbar
-------------
Internet Explorer 5.5 includes a Radio toolbar that allows streaming
radio playback over the Internet. By default, the toolbar is not displayed when
the browser is started. To display the toolbar whenever the browser is started,
carry out the following steps:
1. On the Tools menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Under Multimedia, select the check box labeled Always Show
Internet Explorer (5.0 or Later) Radio Bar.
Changing the Language of Menus and Dialog Boxes
-----------------------------------------------
Changing the language used in menus and dialog boxes might not work
with all display adapters. If you see blank menus or dialog boxes
after changing the language, try either of the following options:
- Change the resolution of your display adapter.
- Upgrade the driver for your display adapter to a newer
version. For information about updated drivers, contact
the manufacturer of your display adapter.
AutoComplete Options
--------------------
If you do not want AutoComplete to suggest matches for certain
sensitive items you have previously entered, you have several
options:
- To delete a specific AutoComplete entry, highlight it in the
AutoComplete drop-down list, and then press DELETE.
- To delete a user name/password combination on a login page,
delete the user name; the password will be deleted with it.
- To clear all form or password information, do the following:
1. On the Tools menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Content tab.
3. Click AutoComplete, and then click Clear Forms or Clear
Passwords.
Operating System limitations for Character Rotation in Vertical Text
--------------------------------------------------------------------
When working with vertical text layout, full-width (East Asian
language) characters will be displayed with upright orientation
only on East Asian versions of Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me,
and Windows NT 4.0 Operating Systems. All language versions of
Windows 2000 provide this support.
Security Settings
-----------------
The settings for the security levels of the Web content zones
have changed for Internet Explorer 5.5 and might no longer be
consistent with those in previous versions of Internet Explorer.
If you upgrade from a previous version of Internet Explorer,
Setup will save your previous security settings and transfer
them to Internet Explorer 5.5 as a Custom Security Level.
Contacts Missing in Address Book After Uninstalling Windows Me
--------------------------------------------------------------
When uninstalling Windows Millennium Edition (Me), contacts that
you added while using Windows Me might be missing from the Windows
Address Book. When you upgrade to Windows Me, the Windows Address
Book data file is backed up. During the uninstallation process,
the backup copy of the data file is restored, overwriting any data
that had been added in Windows Me. To preserve any contacts made
in Windows Me, back up the .wab file(s) before uninstalling.
After Windows Me has been removed, the .wab file(s) can be
recopied back into place and used if Internet Explorer 5.01
or greater is installed.
Outlook Express Title Screen Does Not Match Version
---------------------------------------------------
When you start Outlook Express, the title screen indicates that
the product is "Microsoft Outlook Express 5" even though you
installed a later version of Outlook Express. The title screen
only reflects major product versions, such as version 4 or 5.
Versions 5.01 and 5.5 are considered minor upgrades.
=================
DEVELOPER'S NOTES
=================
New Language Features in JScript and VBScript
---------------------------------------------
Internet Explorer 5.5 ships with new versions of Microsoft
JScript(R) and Visual Basic(R) Scripting Edition (VBScript).
Documentation for the new features in Windows Script 5.5 can
be found on the Web at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/
You can read about the most important new features in JScript and
VBScript at the following Web site:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/languages/clinic/scripting121399.asp
The updated Windows Script engines will also be posted for
individual download from http://msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/
so they can be installed on computers that are not running
Internet Explorer 5.5 - for example, on an ASP Web server.
The Microsoft Office Developer Workflow Toolbar
-----------------------------------------------
In this release of Internet Explorer, the Microsoft Office
Developer Workflow Toolbar control will not data bind properly
on a Microsoft Access data page. This control was affected by a fix
in Internet Explorer 5.5, so an update of this control will be
necessary. For the latest updates, visit the following Web
page:
http://microsoft.com/office/
Printing Controls
-----------------
The re-architecting of the print code in Internet Explorer 5.5
has exposed print bugs in several third-party controls, causing
some controls to print improperly and some not to print at all.
Although we have strived to maintain print compatibility, we
cannot ensure that all third parties will have corrected these
problems.
HTML Buttons with Unselectable Attribute
----------------------------------------
When the "unselectable" attribute in Internet Explorer 5.5 is applied
to buttons, the default onclick action (depressing the button) doesn't
take place. A simple workaround is to add a behavior to buttons that
causes this action. Add the following to the top of the file containing
the unselectable buttons (or to a CSS stylesheet that's referenced
from the file):
(where *** is the name of the htc file that contains the behavior)
The htc file should contain the following:
=========================
APPLICATION COMPATIBILITY
=========================
Task Scheduler in Windows NT 4.0
--------------------------------
Windows NT 4.0 included an old version of the Schedule service,
also known as At service (Atsvc.exe). Internet Explorer 5.5
upgrades it to the new version of the Schedule service, named
Task Scheduler (MSTask.exe) and converts At jobs to Scheduled
Tasks.
With the old At service, all At jobs had to run in the same
account as the service itself. The default account for the
service was the Local System account, but it could be changed
to another user account as needed. Some Windows NT 4.0 users
changed the At service's account because they needed their jobs
to run in a user account.
With Task Scheduler, each scheduled task can be configured to
run in a different account. The Task Scheduler service itself
has to run in the Local System account.
For backward compatibility, Task Scheduler allows the user to
set one account to use when running scheduled tasks that were
created from At jobs. When Internet Explorer 5.5 is installed,
this account is set to the Local System account. If you are
running Windows NT 4.0 and you change the account that the At
service ran in to something other than the Local System account,
then after installing Internet Explorer 5.5 you need to manually
re-enter the user name and password for that account. To do this,
go to the Scheduled Tasks folder, click the Advanced menu, and then
click AT Service Account.
This must be done manually because Internet Explorer 5.5 Setup
cannot decrypt the password that was used by the At service.
For more information about At service compatibility, see online
Help in Task Scheduler.
Selection in IFrames
--------------------
In Internet Explorer 5.0, if a user made a selection inside an iframe
and then clicked outside of the iframe, then in the contining document,
the selection inside the iframe would remain selected. In
Internet Explorer 5.5, the selection in an iframe is cleared when the
user clicks outside of it.
Assistive Technology and Accessibility
------------------------------------
Some changes in Internet Explorer 5.5 might affect its compatibility
with some accessibility aids. If you use an assistive technology
such as a screen reader or voice-input device, please contact
the manufacturer of the aid for compatibility information.