Bill Detwiler: By default, Windows Update treats IE9 like animportant update, and automatically flags it for installation. If a user isn'tcareful the next time they run Windows Update, they could install the browserwithout meaning to.
I'm Bill Detwiler, and during this episode of TR Dojo, I'llshow you how to stop Windows Update from marking IE9 as an importantupdate--reducing the chance for an accidental install.
There are several reasons to install Internet Explorer9--better HTML5 and CSS3 support, improved security, and a cleaner interface.But there are also reasons not install the new browser--perhaps a web-base toolyou use on a regular basis doesn't work with IE9, maybe it doesn't run well onyour machine, or you just don't like the cleaner interface.
Unfortunately if you're not careful, you or your users mayend up installing the browser by mistake. By default, Automatic Updates,Windows Update, or Microsoft Update all flag IE9 as an important class updateand automatically select it for installation during the update process. Usersmust opt not to install the browser by unchecking it.
If you don't trust yourself, or your users, to do this,there are two ways block the automatic delivery of IE9.
First, if your company uses an update management solutionsuch as Windows Server Update Services or Microsoft System Center, you canblock IE9 installation using that.
If not, you can use the free Internet Explorer 9 BlockerToolkit, which you can download directly from Microsoft.
Once you've download and run the IE9_BlockerToolkit.exefile, the tool will extract four files to a location you specify.
The IE9_Blocker.cmd file is a script that must be used onWindows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Premium machines and may be used on otherWindows 7 versions.
The IE9_Blocker.adm is a Group Policy AdministrativeTemplate which you can use through the Local Group Policy Editor on PCs runningWindows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, or Windows 7 Enterprise. It canalso be used centrally through Active Directory Group Policy.
The other two files are Help files for the tool.
As the script requires the fewest steps to use, I'll coverit first.
So, click Start, type cmd in the Start Search box, and press[Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Enter] to open a Command Prompt with administrator rights.
Then type the command
ie9_blocker /b
Once the operation is complete, just reboot, and IE9 will bemoved from the Important section of Windows Update to the Optional section.
Unfortunately, using the Group Policy admin template is abit more complicated. To save time, I'm only going to show you how to use withthe Local Group Policy Editor, but the process is similar with AD Group Policy.
To begin, launch the Local Group Policy Editor by clickingthe Start button, typing gpedit.msc in the Start Search box, and pressing[Enter].
Next, expand the Computer Configuration branch of theconsole tree, right-click Administrative Templates, and select Add/RemoveTemplates.
When the Add/Remove Templates dialog box appears, click theAdd button and then locate the IE9_Blocker.adm file.
Then, click Open to add the template and then click theClose button to close the Add/Remove Templates dialog box. When you do, you’llsee the Classic Administrative Templates folder inside AdministrativeTemplates.
Now open the Classic Administrative Templates folder anddrill down to the Automatic Updates Blockers v3 folder.
Double-click the new setting to bring up the "Do NotAllow Delivery of Internet Explorer 9 through Automatic Updates" dialogbox.
Then, select the Enabled radio button, click OK, and closethe Local Group Policy Editor. Restart the machine and IE9 will be an Optionalupdate.
Well, that does it for this TR Dojo episode. Thanks toTechRepublic Windows blogger Greg Shultz for putting this tip together. I'lllink to his original article in the TR Dojo blog.
And as always, for more teachings on YOUR path to becomingan IT Ninja, visit trdojo.techrepublic.com, sign-up for our newsletter, orfollow me on Twitter.
Thanks for visiting the TR Dojo.
