Downgrade IE11 on Windows 2012 Server R2

I have setup a test environment with Windows 2012 Server R2 Std, using RDS/RemoteFX. Anyways, the server is running fine but I need to use IE 10 and not IE 11 on the server itself. I have a web application that will not work with IE 11.

But you can't remove IE11 or downgrade it seems. Its not viewable in the Add/Remove Features, nor in Window Updates installed.

My question, has anyone figured a way around this? Install IE 10 along side? Sandbox?

I was worried more about implementating usb-redirection and xtra hi-res multi-monitor configurations than being stumped by IE 11...... :) thanks

Solution 1:

This does not appear to be possible. Server 2012 R2 (and Windows 8.1) come with IE 11 pre-installed, so you'll either need to try to make the site work with compatibility mode, or revert to Server 2008 R2 or Server 2012.

On a somewhat related note, don't browse from your servers. That's just icky and unsafe. Browse from your workstation instead.

I did triy a few different things before deciding this wasn't possible, by the way:

1. Using wusa to remove the update corresponding to IE 11
   • wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2841134 returned a dialogue telling me that the update wasn't installed in this computer. Fair enough, though that is the KB for IE 11.
     
     
2. I used dism to try enabling the Internet Explorer feature, which succeeded, but did not expose the feature in the GUI. (Trick from Windows Server 2008 R2/Windows 7 IE downgrades.)
   • dism.exe /online /Enable-Feature:Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64
     
     
3. I used the PowerShell uninstall/remove feature cmdlet to try to remove Internet Explorer, but to no avail.
   • Uninstall-WindowsFeature Internet Explorer, Uninstall-WindowsFeature InternetExplorer and Uninstall-WindowsFeature Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 all returned an invalid argument error.
   • Parsing the output of Gte-WindowsFeature also fails to turn up any mention of Internet Explorer, which would seem to confirm that's it's not an installed feature, and thus, cannot be removed as one.

If anyone can uninstall IE 11 or downgrade to IE 10 successfully on Server 2012 R2, I'd be interested to know how, but I'm reasonably convinced it can't be done in a way that won't remove the whole UI as well.