James Bannan20 October 2006, 2:53 AM
After several betas and a release candidate, the final release of IE7 has hit the pipes today. You can finally blow IE6 and its cobwebs away for good.
After several betas and a release candidate, the final release of IE7 hit the pipes today. You can download it here, or receive it as an automatic Windows Update download (though manually invoking Windows Update won't provide it as a download option.)
The download weighs in at just over 15MB - only very slightly larger than the RC1 release. Installation depends largely on whether you’re upgrading from IE7 beta/RC1 or all the way from IE6.
If the system is already running a build version of IE7, the install is pretty quick but two restarts are required. The first stage validates your copy of Windows, downloads and installs any required IE updates, runs the Malicious Software Removal Tool and then reboots. On login Windows doesn’t load Explorer - the IE7 installer takes over and installs the IE Core Components, then the second reboot hits. And that’s it.
Upgrading to IE7 from IE6 is a longer installation process, but everything gets done in the one step, so there’s only one reboot needed.
IE7 will migrate all your previous IE settings - homepage, connection settings, favourites and so on. What it won’t do is migrate IE7 beta/RC1 application settings like default search provider or Phishing Filter. Remember that screen which launched the first time after an IE7 install? It’s back, with a few more options. You’re basically asked to configure IE with Required Settings (Search Provider) and Optional Settings.
The Optional Options are the same as in previous builds - Phishing Filter, location settings and Customer Experience Program opt-in - with one new addition. “See webpages more clearly” links straight to the ClearType visual setting in Graphics Properties, and also features a link to the ClearType Tuner, which is one of Microsoft’s PowerToys for Windows XP. It’s an inbuilt feature of Windows Vista.
Required Settings asks you to choose a search provider or accept the default (Live Search). If you select to choose a different one, once you hit “Save Settings” the Search Providers screen loads up, where you can choose a Web or Topic Search Provider, or set up a non-listed provider.
Once installed you can view the list of installed providers by going into Internet Options and clicking Settings in the Search area of the General Tab. The old default provider (Live Search) isn’t deleted automatically, so you can do that here. In my case, clicking on “Find more providers” only worked if Internet Explorer was set as the default browser - otherwise the dialogue simply shut down. Simply a "1.0" bug or EU-busting anti-competitive conspiracy? You decide. OK, it's a bug.
From a rendering and functionality perspective, this final release works very well. No unexpected problems were encountered - all previously-installed plugins and ActiveX controls (like Java, Flash and Shockwave) work fine with no reinstallation necessary.
For those of you who have been playing with IE7 through its build process, there are no surprises and no major changes in the final release. From a look-and-feel perspective, IE7 RC1 was pretty much the final release anyway - this is simply that build incorporating a few more bug fixes. For those of you who have avoided the pain and headaches of beta testing, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. IE7 is far superior to IE6 in every single way (which actually isn't hard, given IE6's derelict feature set). Download and get surfing!