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IE4 - Microsoft makes installation dangerous

Toronto Star Fast Forward Computer Wares column for October 30/97

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© Copyright, Myles White, 1997

While the first round of the debate over the legality of Microsoft's bundling of Internet Explorer with the Windows 95 operating system will be decided tomorrow (Oct. 31) by a US Federal Court judge, new users of Internet Explorer 4 are still sorting out difficulties with installation.

According to Microsoft, over two million Web users downloaded the latest version of the company's browser in its first two weeks. Although Microsoft wouldn't reveal how many of those customers encountered difficulties with the installation, there have been problems and unfortunately, flaws in Microsoft's support system haven't helped.

For example, when I attempted to install the product, it crashed part-way through the setup process (just at the point where the Real Audio player was to install). This froze the setup, leaving only "Cancel" as the alternative.

When I did try to cancel, an ominous message appeared on screen warning that to complete the cancellation would take several minutes and that whatever else I did, re-booting the system was <italic>not<italic> recommended. Otherwise, "unpredictable" results would occur.

To give the system a chance (and because it was about 11:30 at night), I turned off the monitor and went to bed. The next morning, the message was still on screen. Oh oh.

I held my breath, tried to imagine what might have happened to the Windows Registry, then mentally kissed my data goodbye and re-booted the system. Fortunately, I dodged the bullet and this story has a happy ending. After chuckling evilly to itself, the system came back up with IE4 Active Desktop intact and I was able to continue the install at the point where it left off.

Anthony F. Balch (tonybal@arex.com) wasn't so lucky. He'd installed the beta preview version of IE4 and attempted to reinstall the final version over it. "The result was a complete loss of my Desktop and severe corruption of my Windows files," said Balch in a message to Microsoft which he also sent to me. To add to an otherwise bad day, he was also unable to reinstall Windows 95 from his CD-ROM drive.

After spending over two hours on the phone to Microsoft US in Seattle with a succession of support technicians, he was finally instructed to install Win95 into a different directory on his hard drive. Balch reports, "I have since been trying to recover my original programs from the old Windows directory, with limited success."

He continues, "My complaint rests with the fact that downloading a program from the Internet from (Microsoft's) site should not have done so much damage causing me considerable expense in telephone charges to get it partly fixed. If there had been any doubts about possible damage using this method should there not have been some kind of warning message? After all, it is common practise to copy updated or newer versions of a program over an old one. I have since learned that there is in fact a Canadian Customer service Hot line, but nobody directed me to that which would have reduced telephone charges significantly."

After a little investigation, I discovered that one of Balch's complaints -- about the phone charges -- is entirely valid. Whether his installation of final code over beta is his fault or not is arguable.

Microsoft's initial explanation for the problems was terse. According to company spokesperson, John Swinimer, "The IE 4.0 download web page states the following: 'Uninstalling Preview Versions of Internet Explorer 4.0: If you have a preview version of Internet Explorer 4.0 on your computer, Microsoft recommends that you uninstall it before installing this final release. To uninstall, go to the Control Panel and click Add/Remove Programs. Select Internet Explorer 4.0 from the list, and then click the Add/Remove button.'

"This customer is generally right in stating, 'After all, it is common practise to copy updated or newer versions of a program over an old one,'" Swinimer added, "but he isn't using a new version of the program; he's installing over a beta which Microsoft advised him to uninstall first."

I have no argument with uninstalling beta first. I automatically assume that beta software is subject to flaws that might include the inability to re-install final code over it. Beta software should always be uninstalled prior to installing final code, no matter who makes the program. Knowing this comes from experience; but I also recognize that most consumers may not be aware of it.

However, Microsoft's beta preview warning doesn't appear until you're well down the download instruction page at www.microsoft.com/ie/ie40/win95.html. At the top of the page are links to three warnings, including this one. But, as of Friday, October 24 (the last time I could check them to meet this column's deadline), the links were broken (note: they have been fixed by the time you read this). Clicking on them didn't lead anywhere. It is possible to proceed with the download without scrolling down the whole page to read the beta preview warning.

Phone home

When it comes to Balch's complaint about being misdirected to a long-distance call for technical support, he's entirely right. If you call Microsoft Canada's Mississauga head office, there is an automated phone menu that provides numbers for a variety of services, including several for different kinds of technical support. Nowhere in the menu is Internet Explorer 4 mentioned specifically. Only if you know that Microsoft considers IE4 to be part of the Win95 operating system are you likely to guess that you should call the personal operating system support line. When you do, you get another automated list, where once again IE4 isn't mentioned. Only if you've figured out the connection between IE4 and Win95, you may ultimately fall upon the correct number for Canadian IE4 queries: 905-568-4494.

Back at the first menu, Balch assumed an Internet browser had more in common with an Internet service (which when you think about makes a lot of sense) and picked the number for MSN (Microsoft Network) technical support. When I tried that number, and after a long wait for a live person, I reached a technician who asked if my problem was a connection-to-MSN problem or a major IE4 problem. When I said, "Major," he began to look up a number. I interrupted him and told him I was calling from Canada and was there a local number I could call? The techie searched his system and reported, "I've got local support numbers for every country in the world, but beside Canada, it says, "None."

I've reported all of this back to Microsoft and to Mr. Balch, who wrote again with the following happy results. "This morning I visited the Microsoft offices on Matheson Blvd and spoke with Ms Wendy Haines-Pittman, manager of technical support. After describing details of my case, Ms Haines-Pittman was most sympathetic and immediately offered to refund the charges for telephone calls I was required to make to Seattle.

"She went further to agree with me that there was a flaw in the warning procedure on the IE4 installation web page and indicated that this was already known and remedial steps were in hand (but details weren't forthcoming in time for this edition of Fast Forward - mw)

"Microsoft Canada has in this instance earned both my respect and gratitude in the way they have handled this problem and I want to thank you for your assistance."

Since this column saw print, Microsoft has informed me that both the broken links and the inaccurate information about Canadian help have been corrected.

The missing warnings

Just in case Microsoft hasn't fixed the links by the time you visit the site, here are the other two missing warnings: Windows NT 4.0 users need to have the Windows NT Service Pack 3 installed before running Internet Explorer 4.0. Service Pack 3 is included on the Internet Explorer 4.0 CD-ROM and is also available for download from the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/support/winnt/nt4sp3.asp.

Some Compaq Presario users can also encounter grief. Internet Explorer 4.0 is supported only on the following models of Compaq Presarios: 1200 Series, 1600 Series, 2200 Series, 4200 Series, 4500 Series, and 4800 Series. According to Microsoft, a software upgrade for models not listed above will be provided "soon" as a free download from Compaq's Web site. For more information, check the instruction page on the Compaq site at http://www.compaq.com/athome/ie40/instructions.html.

Tips of the Week

This begins a new Computer Wares feature (except for those weeks where I write the section's main feature (known in our parlance as the "section front").

Using IE4, you can customize a number of Windows 95 and Internet Explorer features. For example, to get rid of the Channel Bar (for push clients) or to toggle the Web view of your desktop on and off: right-click anywhere on a clean portion of the desktop (in other words, not on an icon). Move the cursor to Active Desktop at the top of the resulting menu and from the menu that flies out when you do, click on Customize My Desktop. When the Display Properties dialogue box appears, click on the Web tab if it is not already in front. You can turn the Web view on or off, as well as telling the Channel selection Bar to appear or to go away.

Assuming your have an Internet connection available, you can also browse the Web for any location on the "Favorites" menu without explicitly starting Internet Explorer 4. Start Windows Explorer, the file manager, instead. Click on the Favorites Menu, then select any item. The Web page will appear in the Explorer main window.

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Note: to see the column that didn't run this week, click here.

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