On 04 October 2007 Microsoft issued a new release of IE7, in several language versions (including German, French and Spanish), that is not protected by WGA. On 25 October 2007 Microsoft extended this to all langusge versions. A blinder is no longer required to install IE7. This topic is still relevant if you have problems installing IE7, particularly if you receive an Access Denied message. See the information provided later in this post.

These instructions will enable you to use my blinder to install Internet Explorer 7 for any language version still protected by WGA. You must have SP2 installed on your computer. If you need SP2, read my guide for installing it in the relevant pinned topic.

It is advisable to have System Restore enabled before you start, just in case you have registry permission problems (see comments later in the post).

1. You need to download the language version of your choice from Microsoft. If necessary, use muBlinder to blind the validation process at the Download Center.

The file you downloaded is an exe file which, if you try to run it, will self-extract and run one of its component files iesetup.exe. This will then initiate validation at installation. You must avoid this.

2. Use WinRAR or WinZIP, or similar (but not the inbuilt XP utility) to extract the contents of the file you downloaded to its own folder. You can right-click on the file and choose one of the extract options (Extract to IE7-WindowsXP-x86-***.exe is recommended so that you can easily locate the folder when it is needed).

3. Inside the folder you will find a sub-folder called 'update'. Inside this folder locate a file 'iecustom.dll'. This file appears to be slightly different for each language. You need to change this for the English language version. You can download it here.  iecustom.rar ( 16.75K ) Number of downloads: 1797

4. Now run my blinder for IE7 (dated 07 Dec 2006), starting from Instruction #3

That is it.

ACCESS DENIED

If you are very unlucky, you might find that IE7 does not install properly and you see the above message. This is a registry permissions problem with your computer. It is a known issue.

You should use System Restore to roll back to IE6. Then try using this tool, which is Microsoft's Registry Diagnostic Tool for IE7. It is designed to identify registry permission settings that will prevent the installation of IE7. If you try to run the tool it will report that "the software has expired". Microsoft has put a time-lock on it. This is very easy to deal with. In Windows, temporarily change the year to 2006. You will then be able to run the tool. Deal with any permissions that are described as "“ACL too tight” in the log-file. Under 'Permissions' for the relevant subkey(s) ensure that Administrators and System have Full Control. Then try again to install IE7 using the blinder.

The latest Microsoft Support document for registry permission problems in the installation of IE7 can be viewed here for those who like getting their hands dirty.

Just tried this with the dutch version of IE7 ( IE7-WindowsXP-x86-nld )
and Internet Explorer 7 Final (07 Dec 2006) blinder by Snodger

Running Blinder Package
Reading header: Done!
Processing file 1 of 1:
Select file iecustom.dll : Done!
Parsing patterns: Done!
Injecting patterns: Done!
Writing file: Done!
Backups Created Here:
H:\Windows Internet Explorer 7 voor Windows XP SP2 NL\IE7-WindowsXP-x86-nld\update\iecustom_MUBbackup_17-1-2007_11-56-53.dll
Blinder completed successfully!

Works like a charm!
Thank you very much

However i remember i used a other blinder like a month ago for another PC.
Which made things easier.. it somehow removed validation from the setup.exe file itself.
So it didn't check validation when installing.
Easier to use then extracting everything with WinRAR, replacing DLL and then use blinder.
But i cant find the blinder anymore...
It seems every blinder now using above method.. (at least the ones i downloaded and looked at)

This post has been edited by Cybermonk: Jan 17 2007, 11:06 AM

I figured out what I did wrong, so now I have it installed

This post has been edited by WolverineDK: Jan 29 2007, 03:28 PM

The installation procedure is ok but after windows xp sp2 restart, the operating system doesn't start with this error: "File NORMALIZ.DLL not found"

what happens?

This post has been edited by lista.lista: Jan 18 2007, 06:27 PM

Oh dear! This indicates that the installation of IE7 was not completed. The list of executables given in the instructions MUST be run as per instructions. You must have failed to run either idndl.exe, nlsdl.exe or both. Since you have restarted your computer, I am not sure whether or not running them now will solve your problem.

Try the following methods. I assume by "the operating system doesn't start ", you mean you don't have your desktop and so cannot use windows explorer.

Method 1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl Alt Delete) and under the Applications tab select New Task --> Browse and browse to the folder where you extracted the IE7 installation files. In the 'update' folder, run idndl.exe. Then, without restarting your computer, do the same with nlsdl.exe. Then restart and see if problem is solved.

Method 2. Obtain a copy of normaliz.dll from a friend, or downloaded from Internet. Place it on a floppy and then use Task Manager as above to copy the file from your floppy to your \WINDOWS\system32 folder.

Good luck! Let us know how you get on, and PLEASE take great care to follow instructions when installing software by means other than the manufacturer's installation method. I cannot emphasise this too much.

I followed all of Snodger's instructions to get my IE7 Dutch version blinded and installed and everything went fine including getting through the validation but halfway during installation it stops with a "stop" pop-up saying "Access Denied". When I click the pop-up away my computer goes in reboot after saying that the installation is rolled back but IE may not be working correctly. When(after the reboot) I look in the Windows Installed Applications/Software it shows that Internet Explorer 7 is installed and when I open IE it is still version 6 and is not working properly anymore so I have to go to system recovery to get back to the correction point before the installation attempt. Any idea what the problem can be? I have Norton Antivirus runnig could this be causing problems?

Try disabling Norton AV / Intenet Security - failing that have you tried checking your HDD (hard disk) for any sort of errors i.e bad sectors recently??

to do this open a command promt START--->RUN
type in chkdsk /f
and you should get in the command/dos window: -

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
© Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\XXXXXXXXXXX>chkdsk /f
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another
process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be
checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)
push'y' on keyboard and restart PC the usual way to see if you get any errors after/during the scan

See what happens

This post has been edited by madmax06: Jan 26 2007, 10:51 PM

The Access Denied message is caused by some registry permissions. There are links to MS KB Articles on how to fix this littered allover the forum, do a search for "Acceess Denied" here. Maybe snodger can add a link to it on his instructions

See the information I have added at the end of my instructions.




Mumble .... mumble

As they say : "there's no rest rest for the wicked"!

All thanks for the suggestions but meanwhile I managed to find a fix for the problem elsewhere:

You need to find the registry key that needs its permissions adjusted in order for the IE7 install to complete. The method to find this did not work on my computer but might work with others:

Reset the year on your computer to 2005 and the Registry Diagnostic Tool will run. Then you will be able to see in the log file the registry key that needs its permissions adjusted .

In my case, I tried the same as worked for the guy that posted this. It was the registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.application with “ACL too tight.” Run regedit, highliight the key, right click and make sure under Permissions that Administators and System have Read and Full Control permissions checked. Apply the changes and reboot. IE7 will then install without the access error

Hi there guys!

Problem with IE7...

This is wath I've done:

- Downloaded IE7 blinder by snodger, from my muBlinder
- Downloaded IE7 italian .exe installation file from italian Microsoft site
- Unrared the .exe file with winrar then extracted it in a folder I made on my desktop
- Downloaded from this page the "iecustom.rar" and overwrote "iecustom.dll" inside it with that of the italian version in my desktop dir
- Ran the IE7 blinder, clicked "start" then selected the "iecustom.dll" file from the directory I made on my desktop

This is the log from muBlinder (I hope this is the name... ):

Running Blinder Package
Reading header: Done!
Processing file 1 of 1:
Select file iecustom.dll : Done!
Parsing patterns: Done!
Injecting patterns: Done!
Writing file: Done!
Backups Created Here:
C:\Documents and Settings\Tommaso\Desktop\IE7\update\iecustom_MUBbackup_10-02-2007_14.43.33.dll
Blinder completed successfully!

- I open my desktop dir to find the "iesetup.exe" file but there wasn't...
Just .dll files with that name.
These are the files I see in my desktop dir:

admparse
.
. EDIT: CUT
.
wininet.dll

- I ran "iexplore.exe" file and there was a quick "refresh effect" of the screen, as if windows was trying to open the IE installation window, but something blocked it. This "something" was a Google notification, appeared on the right side of windows bar. I doblue-clicked it and a sort of Google window opened with two radio buttons asking me something I just don't remember about something as keeping Google as "default search" or change it.
I left the first selected and then the window closed and nothing happened...
I re-ran "iexplore.exe" and get the same notification, but this time I selected the second radio button. Also this time the window closed and nothing changed.
I ran "iexplore.exe" for the third time and this time it made only the "quick refresh effect" of the screen but nothing happened...

Wath must I do?

Thank guys, you're great.

This post has been edited by snodger: Feb 10 2007, 02:41 PM

If you cannot follow instructions carefully, then you should not even be attempting to use a blinder. You could leave your system in a worse state than it was before you started.

Where did I mention in my instructions that you should run the file iexplore.exe?

Where did I mention in my instructions that you should run the file iesetup.exe?

If you insist on running the wrong executables, then you have only yourself to blame for any problems that arise.

You must go back to my IE7 blinder, click on Run and then scroll down the instructions until you come to #4. Note that you must look inside the updates sub-folder (yes, the sub-folder that includes the iecustom.dll file you patched). There are 4 executables to be run in sequence, starting with update.exe.

Have you read the muBlinder User Guide? It is a pinned topic in the forum.

Ops... sorry
I didn't followed the instructions bacause I can not read them... I saw just a black box and I didn't imagine indide there was text...
Now you told me I clicked inside with mouse cursor and selected the text to see it.

Ehm... no.
Excuse me...

Hi snodger.

Instructions followed. IE7 installed

Still excuse me for my stupidity...
I'm reading the guide now.

Thanks a lot.

That is strange, but I have heard of one other case of this. It means you have black text on a black background. Not even I would be so harsh as to think you should be able to read that.

The important thing is that your problem is solved.

Enjoy using muBlinder!

No problem