How to Manually Uninstall Internet Explorer 4 and 4.01
If you are reading this, you poor wretched soul, you are probably ready to format your hard drive.
If you reached this page from a search engine, you should start here.

Before you begin following these directions, you really should check this file to see if it has changed

This is an excerpt form the Microsoft Knowledge Base.  It was there, then it disappeared for about two weeks and then it reappeared with no changes (don't ask me why, I just fix computers for a living). 

I have reprinted it here, in it's entirety because if you are here you have suffered enough.

This is step 4.  You should start with step 1, then step 2, then step 3, because the previous steps work better than 90% of the time.

This is a "last resorts" page.

The following article is copyrighted by Microsoft Corporation.  It placed here only for archival purposes.

How to Manually Uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 Last reviewed: March 20, 1998
Article ID: Q175610

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article describes how to manually uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 95 when you are unable to uninstall Internet Explorer with the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel, or the Ieremove.exe tool.

NOTE: Do not follow the steps in this article if you have not tried to uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 by using the steps described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q174265
   TITLE     : How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0

   ARTICLE-ID: Q166313
   TITLE     : Removing Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 95 Using
               Ieremove.exe

MORE INFORMATION

To uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0 after trying the steps in the articles listed above, use the following steps.

NOTE: If the Windows Desktop Update is not installed on your computer, or Windows 95 does not start, skip to step 4.

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then click Add/Remove Programs.
  2. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, and then click Add/Remove.
  3. Click "Remove the Windows Desktop Update component, but keep the Internet Explorer 4.0 Web browser", click OK and then click OK.

    NOTE: Even though you are unable to uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0, the option to uninstall the Windows Desktop Update should be available in the Add/Remove programs tool. If you cannot uninstall the Windows Desktop Update with the Add/Remove programs tool, you must extract Explorer.exe and Shell32.dll from the original Windows 95 disks or CD-ROM. See step 5.

  4. NOTE: If you installed Windows 95 from CD-ROM and you are not using real mode CD-ROM drivers (therefore you cannot access your CD-ROM drive in MS-DOS), install real mode CD-ROM drivers. For information about installing real mode CD-ROM drivers, consult the manufacturer's documentation included with your CD-ROM, or contact the manufacturer of the CD-ROM, and do not continue with the remaining steps.

    Restart your computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press F8, and then choose Command Prompt Only.

  5. Type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command: 
          cd windows\system
      ren inetcpl.cpl inetcpl.old
      ren ole2.dll ole2.old
      ren ole32.dll ole32.old
      ren oleaut32.dll oleaut32.old
      ren olepro32.dll olepro32.old
      ren olethk32.dll olethk32.old
      ren setupwbv.dll setupwbv.old
      ren softpub.dll softpub.old
      ren stdole2.tlb stdole2.old
      ren urlmon.dll urlmon.old
      ren wininet.dll wininet.old

    NOTE: This procedure assumes you do not have files with these names with the .old extension. If you do have files with these names with the .old extension, use a file name extension that is not currently in use.

    If you cannot uninstall the Windows Desktop Update from the Add/Remove Programs tool, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command: 

          cd \<windows>
      ren explorer.exe explorer.old
      cd \<windows>\System
      ren shell32.dll shell32.old

    From the original Windows 95 disks or CD-ROM, extract the Explorer.exe file to the Windows folder and then extract the Shell32.dll file to the Windows\System folder. To do so, use the appropriate method:

    Windows 95 CD-ROM -----------------

    Insert the Windows 95 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command: 

          extract /a <drive>:\win95\win95_02.cab explorer.exe /l windows
      extract /a <drive>:\win95\win95_02.cab shell32.dll /l windows\system

    where <drive> is the drive letter assigned to your CD-ROM drive.

    Windows 95 Floppy Disks -----------------------

    Insert the Windows 95 floppy disk 1 into the floppy disk drive, and then type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command 

          extract /a <drive>:\win95_02.cab explorer.exe /l windows
      extract /a <drive>:\win95_02.cab shell32.dll /l windows\system

    where <drive> is the floppy disk drive letter. 

          For more information about using the Extract tool, type "extract"
      (without quotation marks) at a command prompt, or see the following
      article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
          ARTICLE-ID: Q129605

    TITLE : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

  6. Reinstall Windows 95. To do so, insert floppy disk 1 (or the Windows 95 CD-ROM) into the appropriate drive, and then type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command 
          <drive>:
      setup

    where <drive> is either the drive letter assigned to your CD-ROM, or the floppy disk drive letter.

    Click No when you receive the following prompt: 

          A file being copied is older than the file currently on your
      computer. It is recommended that you keep your existing file.
             File name:    <filename.ext>
         Description:  <description of file>
         Your version: <version number>

      Do you want to keep this file?
  7. After Setup finishes, reinstall Internet Explorer 3.02. For information about installing Internet Explorer 3.02, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 
          ARTICLE-ID: Q164475

    TITLE : Availability of Internet Explorer 3.02 for Windows 95 and NT 4.0 Click No when you receive the following prompt: A file being copied is older than the file currently on your computer. It is recommended that you keep your existing file.

You can now reinstall Internet Explorer 4.0. To completely remove Internet Explorer 4.0 from your computer, reinstall Internet Explorer 4.0, and then uninstall Internet Explorer 4.0. For information about reinstalling Internet Explorer 4.0, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

      ARTICLE-ID: Q 170993
      TITLE     : How to Install Internet Explorer and Troubleshoot Setup
                  Problems
 
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ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1997.
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