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Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

  • 1.  Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 23, 2010 03:52 PM
    Good day all,

    Has anyone been able to virtualize IE7 and use it in Windows 7 in conjunction with IE8?  I am not concerned about running both at the same time but would like to be able ot run one or the other with the focus on IE7.  I was able to virtualize IE7 with help from the forums (Thanks to all who posted on this topic) but i cannot figure out how to get it to work with Windows 7.  I know you can use XP mode and do it that way but using SWV is alot cleaner and easier to setup once the package is created.  I am using SWV 6.1 the latest to capture.  I am a newbie at this but thanks for any information you may have.


  • 2.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 23, 2010 05:01 PM
    The reason IE7 won't work on Windows 7 is it wasn't designed to work on Windows 7.  IE requires certain versions of Windows libraries to exist to work and they don't exist on Windows 7.  Also you cannot just take the library's off of XP and place them into the layer and have them work either.

    I'm curious as to why you need IE7 on Win7?  IE8 has a compatibility mode you can switch into where it will behave like IE7 when it comes to page rendering.


  • 3.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 24, 2010 11:34 AM
    WE have a web app in our environment that has issues with IE8.  Very soon we are moving our corp image to Win 7 and will be forced to use IE8.  We would only need this for a few months until the vendor we use for the webapp completes the update for IE8.  The compatibility mode does not work for what we are doing.  it sounds like XP mode is going to have to be used.  Just trying to be a hero in a thankless world


  • 4.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 24, 2010 11:41 AM
    Does this app only work with IE7, or have you tried with Firefox or Google Chrome?
    Either of these alternatives should be easy to virtualise (versions of Firefox can already be downloaded as VSA files) and could present a solution until your tardy vendor catches up.


  • 5.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 24, 2010 12:12 PM
    We're actually release official support for IE8 and IE6 virtualized on XP today, so they'll be as easy to virtualize as firefox, expect the articles and tools to build these layers up within the next few hours, but unfortunately it's not easy to get IE6 or IE7 running on Win7.


  • 6.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 25, 2010 10:12 AM

    I wish we could use firefox or google but only IE is supported.  You mention version of firefox can already be downloaded as VSA, are there other programs that are out there like that?  is there a listing or website that i can view them at? 

    We could use IE6 in Win 7 if that would work.  It is only for a short time and only for new hires so that would be ok with us. 



  • 7.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 25, 2010 10:57 AM


  • 8.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 25, 2010 11:01 AM
    How about leaving the new hires on XP?
    As Jordan has remarked, Win 7 is not going to function with IE6 or IE7 easily, or at all, and getting it to work would probably take much longer than either running the XP layer on Win 7 or leaving some users on XP.
    HOWEVER, another thought has occurred to me. Do you really need to run the IE6 session on the Win 7 box? How about hosting it on Citrix or Terminal services if you have that sort of infrastructure in place already, or alternatively, how about having a few boxes running XP in a room somewhere, and allowing the users to use a remote session into the machine as and when they need the IE6 access.


  • 9.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 25, 2010 11:44 AM
    I agree with EdT,

    While IE6 on Win7 would be cool from a technical standpoint there are easier ways to do this.


  • 10.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 25, 2010 01:53 PM
    I agree with both of you it does sound like a real undertaking.  espscially when you can just setup Win XP mode in WIn 7 and run IE7 from there.  Where the issue with us lies is that when we get a new model PC in our environment, we only build an image for that PC.   If it was my call i would build an XP image for those in that building and be done with it.  Also in case you havent heard that Microsoft is going to end the OEM downgrade option for XP either 18 months after the initial release of Win 7 or when the first service pack for Win 7 is released, whichever comes first. Timing is going to be the issue here so i figured if someone had a way that would rock but we will manage.  Thanks for the input.  Much appreciated.


  • 11.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7

    Posted Mar 25, 2010 04:52 PM

    Your management seems to be promoting conflicting policies.  You must use Win7 and you can't use anything except IE, but IE doesn't work -- something has to give.  Give them all the info and then let them make a final decision.

    In my opinion, any vendor that still insists on forcing people to use IE6 should be summarily dismissed and replaced with a company that is more responsive to changes in IT.  IE7 was released 3.5 years ago.  If their product was broken under IE7 and they haven't managed to update in the past 3+ years, then they need a swift kick in the pants.


  • 12.  RE: Use IE7 Virtually in Windows 7
    Best Answer

    Posted Mar 26, 2010 10:24 AM
    No IE 7 works fine but not IE8.  There are certain screens that are popped up and IE was the best for perfomance if you can beleive that.  There does need to be some better fidelity among the groups but we are getting there one stick at a time.  Thanks to all for you comments/ideas