Run Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview Through IE9’s Interface

Microsoft released the second Platform Preview of Internet Explorer 10, exactly two months ago. Like previous platform previews, this release doesn’t have much in the way of a user interface. Just a toolbar and a window housing the new rendering engine. When Microsoft released IE9 platform preview last year, Ars Technica asked the IE Team how to get a proper UI, and Microsoft provided instructions on how make it look and act like the then IE9 beta. Interestingly, these instructions still work on IE10 platform preview, with a little modification.

Here we go:

• Install IE9 on your machine. You can download IE9 from www.beautyoftheweb.com
• Install Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview 2. You can download Platform Preview 2 from www.ietestdrive.com
• Create a folder on your Desktop called IE10_PP2
• Copy the iexplore.exe file from the C:/Program Files/Internet Explorer directory (or C:/Program Files (x86)/Internet Explorer if you are on a 64 bit machine) to the IE10_PP2 folder
• Create a folder inside IE10_PP2 called iexplore.exe.local (Note: It is imperative that you name this folder exactly as specified)
• Navigate to the Internet Explorer Platform Preview directory within Program files (commonly on 32 bit machines this will be at C:/Program Files/Internet Explorer Platform Preview and on 64 bit machines this will be at C:/Program Files (x86)/Internet Explorer Platform Preview)
• Copy the contents of the iepreview.exe.local folder within the Internet Explorer Platform Preview directory to the iexplore.exe.local folder within IE10_PP2
• Close all instances of IE running on your machine and run iexplore.exe from IE10_PP2

This IE10 process will now have all the platform capabilities of Internet Explorer Platform Preview 2 with the user experience features of IE9.

It’s important to note that your browser will not be replaced by IE10. However, in order for the newly created IE process to run with the enhanced platform capabilities provided in Platform Preview 2, all prior IE windows must be closed before running the new IE process from the IE10_PP2 folder.

Thanks TheNextWeb