What happened to internet explorer in Win10 v1909?

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While I was dozing at somepoint internet explorer disappeared off my Win v.1909 system. I no longer have ieexplorer.exe anywhere on my system and can find no way to reinstall it. What happened? Am I the only one with a disappearing Internet explorer program? Did an update send it into oblivion?

Version 10.0.18363 Build 18363

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Look in Control Panel\Programs & Features\Turn on/off Windows features. Do you have it disabled?

I don’t have v1909 open at the moment. But Internet Explorer is very much alive and well in my v2004.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Elly

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I do not see Internet explorer listed as an option to turn on or off in Windows features.

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See screenshot

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[dph853]

I know where the option should be listed but on my system there is no option to enable or disable internet explorer 11. Maybe it’s time to do a an OS recovery repair – but that creates a lot of work. Something is clearly amiss. I just don’t understand how ie could have disappeared so completely.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by dph853.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by dph853.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by dph853.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by dph853.

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Be sure you have a backup of your data and a system image before you start.
If you have any questions about making the image, just ask.

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You may want to read here for installing Internet Explorer:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17621/internet-explorer-downloads

Carpe Diem {with backup and coffee}
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[dph853]

Thx geek was looking for these links but couldn’t find them on my own. Ran the x64 version of the installer  it exited almost immediately after saying ie ws instlled and a reboot was neeed. after the rboot still no internet explorer on my system. Srange voodoo at work here I suspect. I think as n OS repair is called for at this point.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by dph853.

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If it is just the file that is missing, try running a “chkdsk.exe /f” followed by <Return> in a command prompt window “run as administrator” to put try to put back the missing file. It will tell you that it needs to restart to do this, so restart the PC. This can take a while so have patience 🙂

HTH. Garbo.

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After you run chkdsk and reboot, in as elevated Command Prompt (run as Administrator) run these two commands. You can copy/paste them in the command line one at a time hitting “Enter” after each one.

DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
sfc /scannow

Let us know what if any errors on any of the commands.

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No chkdsk errors, no sfc errors and no dism errors. ieexplorere.exe is simply missing completely from my system. and I can find no way to get it back.

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anonymous wrote:

try running a “chkdsk.exe /f /r”

Do not use the “/r” switch. This will check every sector on your disk, which is not required on a modern (last 20 years) hard disk and take a very long time.

Modern disks have in-built ECC to manage bad sectors.

cheers, Paul

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doriel, PKCano

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I find that the search tool ‘Everything’ can quickly identify what files may be on my machine. That may help you problem solve… are the files there, but access broken, or have they been eliminated?

I don’t use Internet Explorer… but Everything immediately shows me the available locations and paths, as fast as I can type. It won’t tell you what is wrong, but at least you can see what is there, where it is, and how to get to it.

Non-techy Win 10 Pro and Linux Mint experimenter

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Cybertooth

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I still have not figured this mystery out despite the suggestions above. I would prefer not to to a recovery os repair because that’s a lot of work to reinsall all my other programs that I use.

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In Settings\Apps\Apps & Features click on “Optional Features.”
Is Internet Explorer 11 listed there?
If you click on “Add a Feature” is it listed there?

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Try this:

• Download a copy of geek uninstaller:
  https://geekuninstaller.com/
• See if internet Explorer shows in list of programs
• Uninstall it and reboot
• Reinstall it

Sometimes things get bashed and if your system thinks Internet Explorer is installed, an uninstall program may find it.

Carpe Diem {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1778 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox114.0b8 MicrosoftDefender

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Start Menu>Windows Accessories>Internet Explorer is the most direct way to find it.  Should be, anyway.

A year or so ago, Updates deleted a lot of programs and files kind of arbitrarily for a while and wouldn’t let me restore them.

You could try nirsoft’s  Previous Files Recovery to scan Shadow Copies for deleted files, just to see if IE is in one.

https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/previous_files_recovery.html

Windows loves to disable Shadow Copies, so there may not be any; how to find them:

Control Panel>System>Advanced System Settings (Opens a window called System Properties)>System Protection Tab>System Restore

What was changed in each Shadow Copy should be detailed in the resulting windows.  Pick the one you want and restore.

This will only change the computer state to where it was at the restore, not reset it or reinstall the OS.  You should save, elsewhere, any files that changed in the meantime.

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The name of the Internet Explorer executable file is iexplore.exe – are you looking for the correct file.

I ask because you’ve mentioned ieexplorer.exe several times, and I’m wondering if that’s just a typo or you’re searching for the wrong file.

Just a thought.

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doriel

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Exactly, just one “e” there. I think its typo.

type iexplore into Run window (WIN+R)

On the other hand – its interesting, that his screenshot does not include Internet Explorer in Windows Features. Mmmm..

Dell Latitude E6530, Intel Core i5 @ 2.6 GHz, 4GB RAM, W10 20H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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Everyone – notice in his screen shot that Internet Explorer is not listed as a Windows Feature. See my screenshot.

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[doriel]

You should try add IE 11 here first

Then restart computer. Internet Explorer 11 should appear in Windows Features.

If still missing, mount Windows 10 ISO and search for microsoft-windows-interenetexplorer-optional-package.cab

Then from PwerShell run:
dism /online /add-package /packagepath:E:\sources\sxs\microsoft-windows-internetexplorer-optional-package.cab

– path to package may vary, this is example while mounted ISO to E:\

depending on your system setup, please use the correct path

Dell Latitude E6530, Intel Core i5 @ 2.6 GHz, 4GB RAM, W10 20H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by doriel.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by doriel. Reason: Another workaround
• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by doriel.

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Did you see #2274347?

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Actually no, I missed it. I didnt mean to duplicate post, sorry for that.

Dell Latitude E6530, Intel Core i5 @ 2.6 GHz, 4GB RAM, W10 20H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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doriel wrote:
You should try add IE 11 here first

Of course, it’s certainly possible you may actually need to start here first: How to Learn Czech

Hope this helps amuses.
😀

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doriel

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True, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that Internet Explorer isn’t still installed on the computer.

Stranger things have happened.

IMO it would be worthwhile to do a quick and simple search for iexplore.exe just out of interest.

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Thx for all the suggestions. Tried all that made sense, no luck. Still stymied.

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I had the same problem where Internet Explorer was missing from Windows 10. The installation directory was still present, but “iexplore.exe” was missing. The “Internet Explorer” option was missing from the, “Turn Windows features on or off”, list.

I solved it by opening the, “Apps & features” Systems settings window. Near the top, click, “Optional features”. This opens the “Optional features” window. Near the top of that, click, “Add a feature”. In the search box, type “Internet Explorer”. For me, “Internet Explorer 11” was listed. Checking the checkbox, then the “Install” button at the bottom installed it. After a reboot, I was able to open Internet Explorer 11.

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