Can Add Components from Earlier Versions While Using Compatibility Mode (221873)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q221873

SYMPTOMS

When you visit the Microsoft Windows Update Web site or the Microsoft Internet Explorer Add-on Components Web site, you may be presented with a list of components from an earlier version of Internet Explorer.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you are running Internet Explorer 5 in Compatibility mode.

RESOLUTION

Close the Compatibility-mode browser window, start Internet Explorer 5 (not in Compatibility mode), and visit the Windows Update or Internet Explorer Add-on Components site to obtain the latest versions of the Internet Explorer components you want to install.

Note that adding components from Internet Explorer 4.x that are not available with Internet Explorer 5 while using Compatibility mode is not supported by Microsoft. If you need a component from Internet Explorer 4.x that was not installed before you upgraded to Internet Explorer 5, you should uninstall Internet Explorer 5, add the component to Internet Explorer 4.x, and then install Internet Explorer 5 again.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Compatibility mode is included with Internet Explorer 5 to enable Web developers to ensure consistency in content presentation across versions of Internet Explorer. For additional information about Compatibility mode, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

197311 How to Install and Use Compatibility Mode in Internet Explorer 5

Microsoft strongly recommends that you not install add-on components while you are using Compatibility mode. Although the Internet Explorer Add-on Components and Windows Update sites correctly detect the installed components, they allow you to download and reinstall those components as well. Doing so could cause your computer to have a mix of file versions from the current and the earlier version of the component, and render the component inoperable.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/12/2003
Keywords:kbprb KB221873
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.