IE8 Blocker Toolkit is now Available!

IE8 will be available for users of the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, and Windows Server 2008. For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, the update will be listed as Important. For Windows XP and Windows 2003, the update will be listed as High Priority.  Automatic Update will not offer IE8 for other platforms, including Windows 2000.

All users on the platforms listed will be offered the upgrade if they have Automatic Updates enabled or if they perform a manual scan for updates using the “Express” install option on the Windows Update or Microsoft Update sites.  IE8 will also be offered as a recommended updated to any user who performs a manual update scan on the Windows Update and Microsoft Update sites using the “Custom” install option.

Distribution of IE8 via Automatic Updates will begin slowly and will take several months to complete.  End-users can expect to be offered the upgrade to Internet Explorer 8 at any time in the months following the release of IE8.

Many enterprise administrators will want to control how and when IE8 is deployed to their organization through Automatic Updates to give them an opportunity to test their applications for compatibility.  Microsoft has released a Blocker Toolkit and has articulated a series of options IT administrators can implement to control how IE8 is deployed. 

Please see use the below links to download the toolkit and review the FAQ:

IE Blog: https://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2009/01/06/ie8-blocker-toolkit-available-today.aspx

IE Blocker Announcement: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/updatemanagement/dd365125.aspx

IE8 Blocker Toolkit FAQ: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/updatemanagement/dd365124.aspx

IE8 Blocker Toolkit Download: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=133921

IE8 Compatibility View: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=111416

Regards,

The IE Support Team