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Windows Update is suggesting I install IE9 on my Windows 2008 R2 servers. All my servers use Chrome, iff I need to do any web surfing .. which is 99.99999% of the time a NO (i grab anything off my work pc, throw it on the server and it uses it then).

So .. should I install IE9 on those machines? If so .. it would be because it's a security thing. No - no one else will be accessing those machines (legally/with consent).

Please don't reply with 'sure, why not'. Please provide relevant answers that strongly suggest that it increases security or performance or whatever.

This is not a Browser-Wars question (which is all opinionated) .. but a technical question.

Cheers!

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  • I wouldn't and I wouldn't have chrome on there either.
    – Chadddada
    Jun 14, 2011 at 4:00
  • Agreed. Chrome will be uninstalled too.
    – Pure.Krome
    Jun 14, 2011 at 4:04

2 Answers 2

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The core IE engine is used by system components and third party code even if the main browser UI is uninstalled from the system (can you even still do that in 2008 R2?). You can't truly get rid of it without going into highly unsupported system level hacking.

Knowing that, I always keep it up to date on my servers even if I never plan on using it. Microsoft isn't going to drop support for IE 8 for a while. But it will certainly happen before they drop support for IE 9. I'd rather upgrade now and deal with any problems in a time frame I can control rather than wait until I'm forced to upgrade and potentially have to fight fires at the last minute.

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There is no reason you need IE9 at this time unless you plan on running some great hw-accelerated HTML5 apps on your server. (joke) I find it best practice to not having any up to date browsers on the server to dissuade folks from browsing on them.

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  • Interesting best practice .. which ... sounds crazy-smart .. unless there's some possible security issues found outside of the browser UI. (eg. if explorer uses some IE dll .. which is flaw'd.. etc..)
    – Pure.Krome
    Jun 14, 2011 at 3:32
  • "I find it best practice to not having any up to date browsers on the server to dissuade folks from browsing on them." I hope you are kidding because it sounds like you have a suicide wish. And if they decide to browse for something anyway, even on a legitimate site, that has an infected ad? Have fun explaining why your server was not patched, and got infected causing downtime.
    – KCotreau
    Jun 14, 2011 at 4:04
  • I'm assuming he had IE uninstalled. and no other browser. so therefore unable to browse. assumption by me
    – Pure.Krome
    Jun 14, 2011 at 5:13
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    Sheesh, you guys are touchy. How's this, I also use group policy to lock down browsers on servers. Nobody should browse on servers; ever.
    – Toby Meyer
    Jun 14, 2011 at 15:57
  • :):):):):):):):)
    – Pure.Krome
    Jun 15, 2011 at 0:55

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