If the Microsoft’s proposed web browser ballot screen option to allow end-users to choose and install any additional web browsers on Windows 7 is not accepted by European Commission, Windows 7 E and Windows 7 N, another SKU that has already lack of Windows Media Player and related technologies, both will have Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) removed. Windows 7 N and Windows 7 E RTM, which available for every editions, are special SKUs of Windows 7 that available to consumers in countries belong European Economic Area (EEA) only.
Note: Windows 7 E will not be released. Instead, normal Windows 7 will now be released to Europe.
The main problem after installing Windows 7 E or Windows 7 N is that how end-user can download a web browser, when there is no browser to start with. Microsoft does plan to provide several ways to download web browser to install on Windows 7 E, and one of them is KB968771 Internet Explorer 8 Feature Pack add-on for Windows 7 E and N editions.
The KB968711 IE8 Feature Pack for Windows 7 E or N editions is likely to be distributed via Windows Update to installed Windows 7 E or N systems in Europe. For users who want a backup copy of the KB968771 IE Feature Pack for Windows 7 E and N editions that have IE8 removed, can download the KB968711 standalone update package for future use.
Download IE Feature Pack for Windows 7 N and E
32-bit (x86) version: Windows6.1-KB968771-x86.msu
Size: 28,2 MB (29,645,025 bytes)
CRC32: F6D75924
MD5: 058A858E7DC59EEC5FF0F9B410524A23
SHA-1: 7CF64FAE9E52FDD3A47268D88789F27BEF3CA4B2
64-bit (x64) version: Windows6.1-KB968771-x64.msu
Size: 40.8 MB (42,852,424 bytes)
CRC32: 3B6563E0
MD5: 3A299F3F14D71167B124839743A796A9
SHA-1: 5708B692EF2A48794C639BAA8FA5E254F4844244
The downloaded KB968771 MSU QFE (Quick Fix Engineering) update packages are official Internet Explorer 8 add-on packs for Windows 7 RTM x86 and x64 E or N versions. Most people do not need to download these package if you install your system using full functionality Windows 7 RTM retail ISO or Windows 7 RTM OEM ISO, as IE 8 already included on those systems.
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