[This topic is pre-release documentation and is subject to change in future releases. Blank topics are included as placeholders.]
Should enterprises wait for Internet Explorer 9 before deploying Windows 7?
No. Microsoft recommends that organizations do not disrupt ongoing deployment projects but continue deploying Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 8. Investments made in this effort will carry forward when they deploy Windows 7 SP1 and Internet Explorer 9 at a later date. With Internet Explorer 8 in place, they will be in a good position to rollout Windows 7 SP1 and Internet Explorer 9 with minimal effort.
How can Internet Explorer 9 Beta help our organization standardize the web browser on desktops PCs?
Internet Explorer 9 Beta is the only web browser that supports modern web standards such as HTML5, which provides nearly 1,500 Group Policy settings. Internet Explorer 9 supports the specific deployment, management, and support needs of enterprises. Additionally, we think that users are going to enjoy Internet Explorer 9, and this can help drive user acceptance for a standard web browser on the desktop.
Does Internet Explorer 9 Beta integrate with Window 7?
Yes. End users can pin business-critical applications and websites to the taskbar, and websites can add customer tasks to those Jump Lists. Additionally, developers can add controls to thumbnail previews, similar to the controls that Windows Media® Player adds to its thumbnail previews.
How does Internet Explorer 9 Beta improve the performance of webpages and applications?
Webpages and applications load noticeably faster and are incredibly more responsive because of the new document object model (DOM), a re-engineered layout, and Chakra (the new JavaScript engine). The new JavaScript engine takes advantage of multiple CPU cores through Windows to interpret, compile, and run code in parallel.
How does support for hardware acceleration affect Internet Explorer 9 Beta end users?
Hardware-accelerated video, graphics, and text allow end users’ websites and applications to perform like applications that they install directly on their PCs. High-definition videos play smoothly, graphics are clearer and more responsive, colors are truer, and websites can be more interactive.
What are the Internet Explorer Developer Tools?
The Developer Tools provide built-in features to analyze applications with the JavaScript profiler, CSS Editor, and the new Network Analyzer. Building on the tools that Internet Explorer 8 provides, the Developer Tools in Internet Explorer 9 add a new tab for inspecting network traffic, improve the performance of working with large JavaScript files, and add a user-agent switching tool. They can help IT pros and developers ensure that their applications work with Internet Explorer 9.
Which security features are new or improved in Internet Explorer 9 Beta?
The industry-leading SmartScreen® Filter helps protect end users from malware and phishing attacks. Internet Explorer 9 Beta adds the SmartScreen download filter to block downloaded program files, based on their reputation. Internet Explorer 9 is the only major web browser that provides integrated download reputation to help end users make better choices when deciding whether to trust a downloaded program file. Both filters are turned on by default.
Does Internet Explorer 9 Beta support modern web standards such as HTML5?
Internet Explorer 9 Beta demonstrates our commitment to an interoperable web by supporting modern web standards. Doing so enables developers to use the same mark-up across web browsers, helping to reduce development and support costs. Modern web standards that Internet Explorer 9 Beta supports include HTML5, Cascading Style Sheets, Level 3 (CSS3), Document Object Model (DOM) Levels 2 and 3, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), and International Color Consortium (ICC) Color Profiles.
Does Microsoft participate in the W3C or other standards bodies?
Microsoft actively participates in the CSS3 and SVG working groups, co-chairs the HTML5 working group, and leads the HTML5 Testing Task Force. Standards consistency is a top priority for Microsoft. We create and submit more test casesto the W3C than any other web browser vendor does. For example, as of the Internet Explorer Platform Preview Build on August 4, 2010, we have created and submitted 2,138 test cases to the standards bodies. Doing so helps to ensure that as web browsers implement modern web standards, developers write to them consistently and enterprises can have fewer concerns about web application compatibility.
Do we need to retest intranet applications that are designed for Internet Explorer 7?
Not necessarily. Compatibility View mode is on by default for intranet websites in Internet Explorer 8, and that setting works the same way in Internet Explorer 9. Compatibility View mode allows websites that were designed for Windows Internet Explorer 7 to work properly in Internet Explorer 8 and Internet Explorer 9. As a result, enterprises should not need to retest all of these applications.
When Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 9, will it require Windows 7 Service Pack 1?
No. Internet Explorer 9 will install on systems that have either Windows 7 RTM or Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed. When you install Internet Explorer 9 on a system that has Windows 7 RTM installed, additional operating system components are included as part of the installation of Internet Explorer 9. When you install Internet Explorer 9 on a system that has Windows 7 SP1 installed, these additional components are already present with Windows 7 SP1, and do not need to be reinstalled when you install Internet Explorer 9. For this reason, a system reboot is not required when you install Internet Explorer 9 on a system that has Windows 7 SP1 installed.
How do we install Internet Explorer 9 Beta side by side with Internet Explorer 8 for evaluation?
Running multiple versions of Internet Explorer on a single instance of Windows is an unsupported solution. For example, organizations cannot install Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 8 side by side on a single operating system. To run two versions of Internet Explorer side by side, we recommend that organizations use virtualization technologies such as Microsoft® Enterprise Desktop Virtualization, a feature of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, or Remote Desktop Services.
However, for the purposes of exploring or testing against a new version of Internet Explorer, we understand that it might be useful for a user to be able to switch between the older and newer platform versions. So for Internet Explorer 9, we introduced the Platform Preview. With Internet Explorer 9 Beta, we have simultaneously shipped a new Platform Preview. This fifth Platform Preview is intended to help with evaluation and testing. You can download the most recent Platform Preview, which contains the same render and JavaScript engines as Internet Explorer 9 Beta, and install it on computers that run Windows 7. For more information, see the Internet Explorer Test Drive website.
Has the installation experience changed since Internet Explorer 8?
Yes. Internet Explorer 9 is faster to install than Internet Explorer 8 because of an upgrade process that requires fewer decisions and less overall time. Additionally, you can add Internet Explorer 9 to existing Windows 7 images, to streamline the deployment process.
Which updates are required to install Internet Explorer 9 Beta on Windows 7?
On Windows 7, Internet Explorer 9 Beta requires the following updates:
How do I upgrade to Internet Explorer 9 Beta on computers that already run Windows 7?
You can upgrade to Internet Explorer 9 Beta online, by using the ClickOnce installer, or offline. Online installation is the simplest choice for end users, but IT pros will want to download the offline installer and make it available to pilot users. You can run the ClickOnce installer or download the offline installer from the Internet Explorer home page.
Do I need to install the required updates before installing Internet Explorer 9 Beta?
You do not need to download and install the required updates when you upgrade by using the ClickOnce or offline installer. Both installers automatically download and install the required updates. You must download the updates and add them to your Windows 7 images if you are adding Internet Explorer 9 Beta to them, however. You must also add the updates to your Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 deployment share if you add the Internet Explorer 9 Beta update to it.
How do I automate the installation of Internet Explorer 9 Beta by using the offline installer?
Run the offline installer with the /quiet command-line option. For a complete list of command-line options, run the offline installer with the /help command-line option.
Does the offline installer keep end users’ settings during an upgrade?
Yes. Internet Explorer 9 Beta migrates Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8 settings after upgrading. Settings that Internet Explorer 9 Beta migrates include user interface layout, home page and groups, add-ons, accelerators, and search providers, favorites, feeds, and history, Status and Command bar settings, and settings in the Internet Options dialog box.
How do I add Internet Explorer 9 Beta to existing Windows 7 images?
You can add the Internet Explorer 9 Beta update package and its required updates to Windows 7 images by using Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM). You must extract the Internet Explorer 9 Beta update package from the offline installer by using the /x command-line option. Download the required updates from the Microsoft Download Center. For detailed information about servicing a Windows 7 image, see Phase 5: Managing and Servicing Your Windows Image in the Windows Automated Installation Kit. For detailed information about DISM command-line options, see Operating System Package Servicing Command Line Options.
Can I add Internet Explorer 9 Beta to my Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 deployment share?
Yes. You can add the prerequisite update packages and the Internet Explorer 9 Beta update package to your deployment share. During deployment, Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 automatically injects the updates in to the image during installation. You must extract the Internet Explorer 9 Beta update package from the offline installer by using the /x command-line option. Download the required updates from the Microsoft Download Center. Then, right-click Packages in the deployment share, click Import OS Packages, and follow the instructions that you see on the screen.
How do I extract the Internet Explorer 9 Beta from the offline installer?
To get the Internet Explorer 9 Beta update package, run the offline installer with the /x command-line option to extract its contents.
Does Internet Explorer 9 Beta add any new Group Policy settings?
Internet Explorer 8 provided nearly 1,500 Group Policy settings that IT pros can use to manage and control the web browser configuration. Internet Explorer 9 provides new Group Policy settings to support its new features. These include:
- Prevent Deleting Download History
- Disable add-on performance notifications
- Allow Internet Explorer 8 Shutdown Behavior
- Install binaries signed by MD2 and MD4 signing technologies
- Automatically enable newly installed add-ons
- Turn off Managing SmartScreen Filter
- Prevent configuration of search from the Address bar
What can we expect after the Internet Explorer 9 Beta release?
Some enterprise tools and features that ship with Internet Explorer are not currently available during the beta timeframe but will be available at a later date. These include the Blocker Toolkit, Internet Explorer Administration Kit, Unattend.xml settings, support for more languages, and the Internet Explorer Compatibility Test Tool in the Application Compatibility Toolkit.
Where can I learn more about the new features in Internet Explorer 9 Beta?
See the following resources:
(Source: Microsoft TechNet )
