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Run multiple versions of Explorer on one VirtualPC Apps
As a web designer, I'd been struggling with various versions of Internet Explorer and Windows installed on different instances of VirtualPC. Every time I had to test a page in a version of IE, I had to load up one of my VirtualPCs with its particular install of IE. Obviously, this is a drag on time and computer resources.

Today I came across this article explaining how to install most versions of IE on one PC. The instructions are a little lengthy and can be much simplified by downloading these versions of Internet Explorer from Evolt. They are already prepared acording to the instructions previously provided by Joe Maddalone.

Simply download the browsers and put them wherever you want on your Windows 2000/XP VirtualPC install. Then fire them up (using the .exe file) and browse away!

There are some problems with the browsers as described by Joe, such as the about box displaying the originally installed version of IE rather than the version being used. CSS renders as intended on the two versions I have tried (IE 5.0.1 and 5.5) and to me that is the important thing. Hope this helps some of you VirtualPC-using web designers.
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Run multiple versions of Explorer on one VirtualPC | 5 comments | Create New Account
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Graet Tip
Authored by: pxlated on Feb 24, '05 10:42:08AM

Every Mac web designer should be using this. Works like a champ, have had them installed for a long time, over a year I believe.



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Graet Tip
Authored by: adrianm on Feb 24, '05 10:48:01AM

Every Windoze web-designer should be using it too.



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Run multiple versions of Explorer on one VirtualPC
Authored by: valx on Feb 24, '05 01:06:17PM

I've been using the evolt browser archives for a few years now. With a copy of VirtualPC I test my sites on OS 9 Mozilla, Netscape, iCab, IE, Opera, AOL, and WebTV. On OS X I can test on Mozilla, Netscape, iCab, IE, Opera, Firefox, and Safari. On VirtualPC I test on IE, Mozilla, Netscape, and Opera. I test all browser for the generation of version 4 through today. Evolt provides about every browser you can want.



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Run multiple versions of Explorer on one VirtualPC
Authored by: ZBTK on Feb 24, '05 01:34:54PM

I don't trust testing IE on VPC; quite a while back I had a table that kept breaking and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. Turned out on an actual PC , not VPC, everything was fine and I wasted a few hours of time.

Theres also an issue with a tranparent PNG hack which doesn't work properly on VPC; I remember reading about it once but I can't find quickly.

If your testing pages for a client, I would make sure you have an actual PC to test on. Walmart.com sells PCs for a like $200 :)



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Another Option
Authored by: pxlated on Feb 24, '05 04:24:58PM

There is always services like BrowserCam.com that take screen grabs in all the browser so you can see what you have.



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