I need help with IE and new computer

[SW FL Dem]

Just bought a new Sony VIAO desktop. Love the computer, hate the fact that it won't let me use Netscape. When I try to run Netscape, I get a IE Netscape search, IE is still in control. How do I disable IE? I am new to Windows XP - upgraded from ME so I am clueless. Any help appreciated. TIA

[Princess Turandot]

1. This is probably a stupid question..

I'm assuming that your PC came with XP since it is new.
Did you download and install Netscape after you got the PC?
I use XP, and while I don't often use Netscape, it definitely runs.

If you installed Netscape and it won't launch, try uninstalling from the add-remove control panel, then re-installing it. It will ask you right before the installation ends as to whether you want to set it as your default browser, which I guess you do. It also asks that the first time that you run it. You can also set it as your default browser using the File | Preferences menu once it is running. I just installed version 7.2 which is the latest one and it ran w/o any problem.

Here is the download page for version 7.2
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/default.jsp

You cannot 'disable' or unload IE since it is integrated into the Windows system, but it does not need to be your default browser. But for it not to be, you need to set another browser as the default that you want when opening a weblink.

[McKenzie]

2. it can be unistalled but it's needed for updates

there are third party utilities that will do it, clean out registry entries etc.

http://nuhi.msfn.org/nlite.html

[SW FL Dem]

3. Thanks!

I just used the Netscape that came with the computer. I will try downloading it. I don't need Netscape as my default. I use AOL only for email and it uses IE. I use Netscape when I surf the web because I get less spam and pop ups.

[welshTerrier2]

4. pop-up blockers ...

there are millions of pop-up blockers available that you can run with IE ...

i'm using the "google toolbar" (when i run IE) ... it take's less than a minute to install and blocks probably about 98% of pop-ups ... i recommend it !!

here's a link to download a copy: http://toolbar.google.com

i started running the Firefox browser about a month ago ... it's not perfect but it's great ... i've found a few very minor imperfections ... but the features it has are great and, at least for now, it's much less vulnerable than IE to spyware ...

for spyware protection, I'm running spywareBlaster ... you can download it for free ... check google for the download address ... someone recently recommended the new Microsoft spyware protection ... they said it's the best protection available and it's also available for a free download (it's a beta product) ... i'm thinking of trying it ...

btw, it doesn't make that much sense to me that you would need IE to run your AOL email ... if I'm not mistaking, AOL bought Netscape ... i think they're all one big happy company ... i would expect their to be total integration between AOL (email) and Netscape ... so i'm not sure why you need IE for anything ...

[SW FL Dem]

5. I wasn't clear

My kid uses AOL as a browser since it allows me to limit his access to questionable web sites. It is my understanding that AOL and IE are pretty inseparable, but that may have changed. Once I learned how much info IE gathers and stores, I decided to use Netscape for my web browsing. I only log onto AOL to check my mail because it is easier than checking it via the net. On my old computer I had both Adaware and Spybot. I need to download them again.

I don't know about AOL and Netscape, I know that AOL bought Compuserve several years ago.

[welshTerrier2]

6. spyware ...

ok ... now i understand ... i wonder if AOL will use your "default" browser ... i agree with the other poster who said that, given your preferences, you could re-install Netscape and make it your default browser ...

i would encourage you to skip reinstalling spybot ... i ran it for a long time and it does a very good job ... but since i installed spywareBlaster (it's free), spybot never finds anything ... and the advantage of spywareBlaster over spybot is that it runs on its own ... you don't have to remember to run it ... also, with spywareBlaster, spyware is blocked before it can install itself ...

read about it and see what you think ... here's a link for spywareBlaster: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

if you do install it, make sure you go through all the menus and "activate" all the available protections ... then, maybe every month or two, you can ask it to download the latest protection file ...

[Princess Turandot]

7. Spyware Blaster & SpyBot

Spyware Blaster prevents spyware known to it from installing in the first place. SpyBot-Search & Destroy, as you know, removes spyware.
Most people suggest running both, as well as Lavasoft's AdAware SE. Even with running & updating both, SpyBot occasionally picks up something that Spyware Blaster has not been updated for. I usually check Spyware Blaster for updates at least monthly.

Spybot's free and doesn't interfere with anything else when it runs, as far as I can tell. So I don't see the point of not using it unless you have hard drive limitations.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

8. Once AOL is online you can simply minimize it and

use any third-party browser you want.