Navigate Microsoft’s browser ballot screen

Internet Explorer has enjoyed pole position in the web browser race for many years.

However, developers of other web browsers believed this to be unfair and, following a spat with the EU Competition Commission, Microsoft agreed to give computer users a choice of web browser.

The result is the new Browser Choice ‘ballot’ screen, which presents a list of popular and less well-known browsers to choose from.

Depending on how Windows is set up, this screen may be installed automatically or it may be necessary to download it manually (assuming that you want it).

In this short Workshop we’ll explain all you need to know about the Browser Choice screen.

The new Browser Choice screen is made available via Windows Update. If Automatic Updates have been disabled, it is possible that it will not have been installed. To check in Windows 7 or Vista, click Start, point to All Programs, click Windows Update and then click the ‘Check for updates’ link. In Windows XP the easiest way is to launch a web browser, visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and then click the Custom button. Either way, the Microsoft Browser Choice Screen Update (KB976002) is the one we’re interested in. So, make sure that it is selected and then follow Windows Update’s prompts to download and install the update. Once the update has been installed, it may be necessary to restart Windows: a prompt will be displayed if this is the case.

If a browser other than Internet Explorer is already installed and configured to be the default browser, the Browser Choice screen will not be displayed. However, if Internet Explorer is set up to be the default web browser, the next time the application is launched a window will appear with the heading ‘An important choice to make: your web browser’. Alternatively, find and double-click the shortcut labelled Browser Choice on the Windows Desktop.

Click the OK link and a randomly ordered list of web browsers will be displayed. More can be accessed by scrolling to the right of this ‘Select your web browser(s)’ window. To find out more about any of the listed browsers, click the corresponding ‘Tell me more’ button, or download a particular browser by clicking the Install button. If a new web browser is installed, the option to use it as the default web browser will be displayed the first time it is launched – just click the option to accept this change.

Erase Browsing History

Having trouble erasing her browsing history in Internet Explorer 8...???

I use Disk Cleanup, Crap Cleaner, and EasyCleaner, and still some Web sites that I haven't visited in weeks show up in the dropdown box. I use Google and Bing, but do not have their toolbars installed. Any ideas? I've tried everything.

Like most browsers, Internet Explorer records a history of the sites you've visited, the idea being to make it easier to return to those sites in the future. But what if you want to erase that history so other users of your PC can't tell where you've been?

G-rated example: You're planning a surprise party for your spouse and want to eliminate all evidence of e-vite sites, party-rental companies, and so on.

From the sound of it, you've used every tool but the right one to erase IE's history. The solution lies within the browser itself: Click Tools, Internet Options, then look for the Browsing history section in the General tab.

Click the Delete button, then choose make sure the History checkbox is selected. (At this point you can also choose to remove items like temporary Internet files, cookies, etc. but keep in mind that many of these items are there to improve your browsing experience.) Click Delete again and you're done.

If you want Internet Explorer to automatically erase your browsing history after every session, check the Delete browsing history on exit box before closing the Internet Options window.

By the way, Internet Explorer 8's InPrivate Browsing feature (accessible by pressing Ctrl-Shift-P) temporarily prevents the browser from storing cookies, temp files, and your history. It's the mode to use if you want to browse without a trace.