Fred Vorck's Windows 2000 Repository

Information on HFSLIP, slipstreaming Windows 2000, and removing Internet Explorer

Windows 2000 will not have any new Service Packs, so there is no need to develop new content. HFSLIP will always support my fileset, and if I do happen to make any adjustments in my file or processes, I will post them.

New fileset Tuesday May 27, 2008 (minor bugfix in IE.INF)

This site will help you do any combination of the following:

• Remove Internet Eplorer from Windows 2000 before installation
• Slipstream hotfixes into Windows 2000 before installation (as if you'd slipstreamed a Service Pack 5) using HFSLIP
• Make Windows 2000 or XP "SATA Ready" at install without a lot of work, without pressing F6, and without having to use your system's special SATA drivers
• Shut off WFP if you really want to

I have always been tutorial-heavy, because I think it's more valuable for people to learn. What you will read has been described as "mind-numbingly thorough" and that means I've reached my goal. Against my better judgement, however, I do keep a "just get it done" process that will let you prepare an install CD without Internet Explorer in under one minute. Please, I encourage you not to use it, you won't be slipstreaming hotfixes, just removing IE. But it's here if you have no attention span.

Pick what you want to do next!

What the hell is this site?!

I don't want to remove anything, I just want to use HFSLIP!

You can ask questions about and get support for HFSLIP in this forum.

Tutorial (all three bullets below are in one process)

• Remove Internet Eplorer from Windows 2000 before installation
• Slipstream hotfixes into Windows 2000 before installation using HFSLIP
• Make Windows 2000 or XP "SATA Ready" at install (slipstream SATA drivers -- click if you absolutely cannot wait)
• Shut off WFP (shut off WFP -- click if you absolutely cannot wait)

Download the fileset (for those who already know the whole process)

• For Windows 2000 Workstation (Windows 2000 "Professional")
• For Windows 2000 Server

Download some software that I recommend and use myself

Compare memory footprints with and without IE
Ask yourself if 20 more megs (yes, 20 Megabytes) of commit is really worth sacrificing just to keep a browser you never use.

History, Credits, and Why I'm Done

Tell me I'm wrong! But first, check to see if any of the following apply to you!

• You've been under a rock for the last six years.
• You want to tell me that removing Internet Explorer (not IE safe) is impossible.
• You want to tell me I'm only hiding the icon, not really removing IE.
• You want to tell me that although removing IE is possible, it's bad to do.
• You think you're secure having IE on your computer as long as you don't use it.
• You think that deleting IE files after install will clean IE from your system.
• You think that if Firefox were more popular, it would be just as insecure as IE.

Contacting me

If it's just greetings, go ahead! I love getting that kind of mail!

If you need a question answered, please give a good try at figuring out what you need to before asking. If you're stumped, well, then, okay, e-mail me. It's not that I'm a jerk or anything, I just keep busy, that's all. My e-mail address is "fred" at this domain.

1a. If you have not read the process, save it. Maybe you want to tell me that this can't be done, or will make a system unstable, or will make a user unable to update their machine (windizupdate), or will disable Add/Remove Programs (just plain wrong), or disable HTML Help, etc. I've answered every criticism like this already, years ago, in blogs, forums, and on Usenet. Also, please know that you are most likely an imbecile. Why? Because you didn't bother to fucking read. Reading the site keeps people from making you look foolish in public forums when you post things like "you can't remove IE! It's integrated!"

1b. If you are with the press, please read the whole process and save yourself from getting pwned in the comments section of your article or your negative blog entry.

2. Please keep it related to Windows 2000. No Windows XP or 2003 questions, please. Sure, I can answer them, but I never did much with XP and I can't necessarily check out a scenario. I don't even keep it in a virtual PC, I hate it that much.

3. Please try to avoid asking me weird questions. Examples: "I have developed my own experimental TCP/IP stack, and when I use it with your files, I am unable to browse." Or "I want DirectX totally removed, how do I do that?" By all means, don't limit yourself, but there are scenarios that I don't cover because I don't think they're very useful. It's difficult for me to train you how to fight IE integration if you insist on tying one hand behind your back. If you insist on doing something really weird, chances are I won't have the time, patience, or interest to answer your bizarre scenario.

4. To find out what a certain file does, look it up here.

Miscellaneous

The hard-won Wikipedia entry. There's a long story behind this, but the important thing is that an IE removal section exists now. Note that in the discussion page, some kid is apparently unaware that bundling IE with Windows was a HUGE issue in Federal Court in the 90's.

"The guy at the keyboard of a Windows Vista box, using Microsoft Office at work and Windows Media Player at home, is not the customer, he is the product. The customers are Dell, AOL, media licensing conglomerates, and so on." Tackhead, posted on Slashdot

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."
Bill Gates, admitting he never fucking listens to his customers

Because it's XP-specific and doesn't fit anywhere else, here is my Dog Destroyer for Windows XP (also kills Zip folders). Run it, and bye bye Search Dog. This isn't a Registry hack. This is permanent. (Source)

For search engines only...
Remove internet explorer
Remove internet explorer