📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses concerns about downloading software via offline installers, with the original poster exploring updating Internet Explorer from version 8 to 9 and encountering issues with third-party sites bundling unwanted software. Respondents advise downloading from official sources, cautioning about "crapware" and recommending careful installation practices. The discussion highlights frustrations with Microsoft's upgrade processes and suggests using Windows Update to find optional updates like IE 9, although the original poster notes difficulty in getting older IE versions through official channels. Overall, the sentiment emphasizes cautious downloading and proper update procedures.

wilhelm1

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Aug 17, 2014
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Thread Author #1
By using an offline installer is there any problem with doing it? i.e. spyware, tracking, cost
 

Solution
It's not Microsoft that's to blame. If you want a Microsoft product you should goto Microsoft's official site for it You should always try to download software from source rather than third party web sites. Many of these are now offering downloads of free software but packaging it with quantities, often overwhelming quantities, of "crapware". This stuff is at best a nuisance and at worst a serious threat to security and can be very difficult to remove. Some software authors make their money by only offering their software via such downloader front ends. I found one only today (opaque taskbar) which seemed to offer no way of installing other than along with a cartload of junk. So first try and get a clean junk free installer...

wilhelm1

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Aug 17, 2014
Messages
219
Thread Author #2
Not getting much response to my question about what "Offline Installer" is about so moving right along. I wanted to update my IE 8 to IE 9 and downloaded it from "TuCows" it said it was safe but it also downloaded something called "Trovi" which caused me
some errors so I restored my laptop to an earlier date and I am back with IE 8. At least the errors are gone. Damn Microsoft
 

patcooke

Microsoft MVP
Microsoft MVP
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5,688
It's not Microsoft that's to blame. If you want a Microsoft product you should goto Microsoft's official site for it You should always try to download software from source rather than third party web sites. Many of these are now offering downloads of free software but packaging it with quantities, often overwhelming quantities, of "crapware". This stuff is at best a nuisance and at worst a serious threat to security and can be very difficult to remove. Some software authors make their money by only offering their software via such downloader front ends. I found one only today (opaque taskbar) which seemed to offer no way of installing other than along with a cartload of junk. So first try and get a clean junk free installer, preferably direct from the package creator, and second, whenever you do install a downloaded package take great care to read what you are downloading (the download page is often covered with various "download" buttons which may be for something completely different to what you want - you will be presented with a large coloured download button linking to some crapware and a tiny link further down for the software you really want. Thirdly look carefully at what is being done at each stage of the install, never accepting express or default installs and thinking twice before clicking on accept/proceed etc.
 

Solution

wilhelm1

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Aug 17, 2014
Messages
219
Thread Author #4
Thanks Pat. I was saying Damn Microsoft due to the long frustration of updating my laptop to IE 11. Even when you ask Microsoft for the way to update to IE 9 as soon as you key in, you get IE 11 not a word about IE 9.
 

Trouble

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When you run the Windows Update applet in the control panel and it returns "available updates".
You will generally get "Important or Critical" updates and then additionally you should see something called "Optional Updates".
Have you double checked both of them to see if IE 9 is among them?
 

wilhelm1

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Joined
Aug 17, 2014
Messages
219
Thread Author #6
Yes, I have been checking, Mostly office 2007 and Net framework