Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 8
Hi All,
I wanted to forward off this recently released information regarding the Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 8.
Microsoft will distribute Windows Internet Explorer 8 as a high-priority update through Automatic Updates for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and higher, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Server 2003 SP2 for x64 and x86, Windows Vista for x64 and x86, Windows Vista SP1 for x64 and x86, and Windows Server 2008 for x64 and x86.
The Blocker Toolkit which is available via the link below is intended for organizations that would like to block automatic delivery of Internet Explorer 8 to machines in environments where Automatic Updates is enabled.
Additional information is provided below directly from the download page and is offered for your convenience and review. Full details and any updates and changes would be available via the site page directly.
To help our customers become more secure and up-to-date, Microsoft will distribute Windows Internet Explorer 8 as a high-priority update through Automatic Updates for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and higher, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Server 2003 SP2 for x64 and x86, Windows Vista for x64 and x86, Windows Vista SP1 for x64 and x86, and Windows Server 2008 for x64 and x86. This Blocker Toolkit is intended for organizations that would like to block automatic delivery of Internet Explorer 8 to machines in environments where Automatic Updates is enabled. The Blocker Toolkit will not expire.
Note:
- For computers running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, the Blocker Toolkit prevents the machine from receiving Internet Explorer 8 as a high-priority update via Automatic Updates and the Express install option on the Windows Update and Microsoft Update sites; Internet Explorer 8 will be listed as an optional update with the Custom install option.
- For computers running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, the Blocker Toolkit prevents the machine from receiving Internet Explorer 8 as an important update via Automatic Updates on the Windows Update and Microsoft Update sites; Internet Explorer 8 will be listed as an optional update.
- The Blocker Toolkit will not prevent users from manually installing Internet Explorer 8 as a Recommended update from the Windows Update or Microsoft Update sites, from the Microsoft Download Center, or from external media.
- Organizations do not need to deploy the Blocker Toolkit in environments managed with an update management solution such as Windows Server Update Services or Systems Management Server 2003. Organizations can use those products to fully manage deployment of updates released through Windows Update and Microsoft Update, including Internet Explorer 8, within their environment.
- If you used the Blocker Toolkit to block Internet Explorer 7 from being installed as a high-priority update, you need to use the Internet Explorer 8 version of the Blocker Toolkit to block Internet Explorer 8 from being installed. There are different registry keys used to block or unblock automatic delivery of Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8.
Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 x64 Edition; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista; Windows Vista 64-bit Editions Service Pack 1; Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Service Pack 1; Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition; Windows XP Professional x64 Edition ; Windows XP Service Pack 2; Windows XP Service Pack 3
You must have one of the supported operating systems installed to use this toolkit.
Toolkit Components:
The toolkit contains two components:
- An executable blocker script
- A Group Policy Administrative Template (.ADM file)
Blocker Script
The script creates a registry key and sets the associated value to block or unblock (depending on the command-line option used) automatic delivery of Internet Explorer 8 on either the local machine or a remote target machine.
Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Setup\8.0
Key value name: DoNotAllowIE80
- When the key value name is not defined, distribution is not blocked.
- When the key value name is set to 0, distribution is not blocked.
- When the key value name is set to 1, distribution is blocked.
The script has the following command-line syntax:
IE80Blocker.cmd [<machine name>] [/B] [/U] [/H]
Machine Name
The <machine name> parameter is optional. If not specified, the action is performed on the local machine. Otherwise, the remote machine is accessed via the remote registry capabilities of the REG command. If the remote registry can’t be accessed due to security permissions or the remote machine can’t be found, an error message is returned from the REG command.
Switches
Switches used by the script are mutually exclusive and only the first valid switch from a given command is acted on. The Script can be run multiple times on the same machine without problem.
- /B - Blocks distribution
- /U - Unblocks distribution
- /H or /? - Displays the following summary help:
This tool can be used to remotely block or unblock the delivery of
Internet Explorer 8 via Automatic Updates.
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Usage:
IE80Blocker.cmd [<machine name>] [/B][/U][/H]
B = Block Internet Explorer 8 deployment
U = Allow Internet Explorer 8 deployment
H = Help
Examples:
IE80Blocker.cmd mymachine /B (blocks delivery on machine "mymachine")
IE80Blocker.cmd /U (unblocks delivery on the local machine)
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