Microsoft KB Archive/887479

Knowledge Base

You cannot uninstall Internet Explorer software updates on Windows NT 4.0 SP6a Terminal Server Edition

Article ID: 887479

Article Last Modified on 11/18/2004

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 Service Pack 1, when used with:
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition

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SYMPTOMS

You cannot uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer software updates on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a (SP6a) Terminal Server Edition.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

1. Change to installation mode on the terminal server computer. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
   2. Type change user /install, and then press ENTER.
2. Uninstall the Internet Explorer software update by using the instructions in the documentation for the software update.
3. Return to execution mode on the terminal server computer. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
   2. Type change user /execute, and then press ENTER.
   Note You do not have to perform this step if step 2 requires that you restart the terminal server computer. When you restart the terminal server computer, the server is automatically in execution mode.

MORE INFORMATION

The standard terminal server mode for Windows NT 4.0 is execution mode. The server starts in execution mode when you start the computer. The terminal server is operating per user when the server runs in execution mode. In execution mode, the terminal server expects many concurrent user sessions and requires that user sessions be kept separate from each other, including the user at the system console. For example, every user has a Windows directory and a Windows\System directory that other users cannot access. If an application requests the location of the system root folder in execution mode, the terminal server provides the application with the path of the user's Windows folder instead of the terminal server system root folder. This behavior is appropriate for application use but not for installing or removing applications or removing Internet Explorer software updates. Therefore, Internet Explorer software updates may not be uninstalled correctly in execution mode.

In installation mode, the terminal server behaves more like a standard Windows NT 4.0 Server computer and expects that you are installing or removing an application or software update for all users. Therefore, you must change to installation mode when you uninstall an Internet Explorer software update.

Keywords: kbtshoot kbsecurity KB887479

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