How can I remove IE from Vista Basic or at least "permanently shut it down"?

I have a laptop with Windows Vista Basic installed, and I am using Firefox as my web browser. However, Firefox says it's the default browser, and IE says that "it" "isn't" the default browser...yet when I try to open links someone will send me in IM on with Camfrog Video Chat or Yahoo! IM, they all want to open up ONLY in IE. I want to have them open (obviously) in Firefox. Is there a way to remove IE or at least "shut it down" permanently, so that the service is no longer running to be able to open things up automatically in IE.

Windows XP is still my OS of choice. I want to tell the developers of Vista to go !@#$ themselves...!!!! LOL

How can I remove IE from Vista Basic or at least "permanently shut it down"?windows live messenger

What exactly is wrong with IE7? IE7 in Windows Vista is the best browser you could use in that OS. FireFox is nice too - but it's mainly for people with old OS's.

Why is IE7 in Vista better than using FireFox? Here's why:

1. Loads up much more faster

2. Is more compatible with sites

3. Is much more safer than previous IE's, and some news sites even report it's more safer than Firefox, especially with Vista.

4. More built-in search options

5. better tabbing capabilities

6. Phishing filter

7. With Windows Live toolbar (or any other toolbar) you can block pop-ups, and add your own customizable buttons from Windows Live Gallery

That and tons of other reasons, if you actually really tried it.

But if you must have FireFox, isn't it possible to remove it, in add and remove programs? I think it's possible. Microsoft is not forcing their web browser on you. I managed to get it off before. It's not hard.

The developers in Vista did not push IE7 on you, again. It must be something on your computer or something. It's not hard to install FireFox into their, and make it your default.

@Doug: Putting in the $ in place of the S in Microsoft really made you lose your credibility. Vista is getting better, but throwing in that old M$ thing is stupid. All companies make profits, duh.

How can I remove IE from Vista Basic or at least "permanently shut it down"?microsoft money internet explorer

Firefox is for people who want secure browsing. IE7 and Vista is for people who don't know much about computers and who use them primarily for entertainment purposes. Vista is a fine operating system for novices who never need to customize or optimize their PC's and have no understanting of their pc's underlying architecture and capabilities. Firefox is much faster than IE7 according to any benchmark anaysis program program you want to try.

Contrary to Sarahs religious dedication to Miicrosoft as indicated above. They "are" pushing IE7 on you when they provide no means of uninstalling it, Sarah did'nt bother to actually look under add remove programs before assuming it would be there. In Vista it is Not there.

Your probllem is not correctable in windows normal configuration settings . Even though you have chosen Firefox as your default browser the links will still default to IE7 because Microsoft programnmed them intentionally to do exactly that. This is Microsofts latest methodology to thwart the consumers choice of browser. There are some work arounds at the Registry level you can use, they will require familiarity with editing your registry.

IE7 which is actually still based on the old IE4 platform is by far an inferior product when compared to Firefox and not nearly as secure. Recent diagnostice reveal that IE7 is marginally more secure that IE6, approximately a three percent improvement in security, This still leaves it about three hundred percent less secure than Firefox.

If there are no alterior motives why is it not listed in the add remove programs?

Isn't it interesting that all the new features touted in IE7 are nothing more than cheap attempts to copy well known and developed Firefox features. Vista GUI enhancements are suspiciously remeniscent of any Mac system you look at. As you may know Mac has been gaining signicantly in market share over the last few years.

BTW, all the propaganda about IE6 and Outlook Express not being compatible with Vista is hogwash. They would be completely compatible with Vista architecture except that Microsoft has intentionally coded Vista IE7 to block either of them from installing.

It's not a compatibility issue. it's a blocking issue. It is necessary for microsoft to kill Outlook Express in order to push sales of Microsoft Outlook which bundles with Office. It Is Necessary for microsoft To come out with a dressed up version of the same old IE6 in order to drive revenues from Vendors and application builders by making them buy new licensing rights to maintain compaitibity with the new Vista IE7. It is necessary to integrate an unremovable search bar for your convenience in IE7 so that they can generate new revenues from google and the other search engines. It's just economics.
If you dislike IE that much delete the folder in C:\program files\Internet Explorer

but you dont know how many programs require it to function properly.

You will like vista after awhile. Micro$oft didnt make it and put it on millions of pcs because it was a bad move. Trust me
I told the developers of XP to go !@#$ themselves, the best Windows OS is Win2K Pro.

I mean, can you hit Ctrl F to search for a file with XP? lol.

Anyway... I am not sure but there must be a way to uninstall it, go to add/remove programs. I use Opera %26amp; Firefox but sometimes there are sites that absolutely won't work unless you use Explorer so it might be wise to keep it, I don't have your problem so I think you could fix it without getting too drastic, although knowing how XP is, anything is possible. When you get a chance just get Win2k dude, you can still get the grassy desktop as a side thingy :)