Microsoft Now Says IE9 Won't Require Windows 7 SP1

Microsoft on Friday clarified its stance on what steps Windows 7 users will have to take in order to run the final version of Internet Explorer 9 when it arrives next year.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 FAQ originally stated that organizations looking to upgrade to IE9 would have to install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 first, and this gave the impression that customers using the Windows 7 release to manufacturing (RTM) would be out of luck.

Microsoft has now edited the FAQ to show what Windows 7 RTM users will have to do to install IE9.

"When you install Internet Explorer 9 on a system that has Windows 7 RTM installed, additional operating system components are included as part of the installation of Internet Explorer 9," the IE9 FAQ now reads. The extras consist of four previously released Windows 7 updates, and Microsoft says these will be included in Windows 7 SP1.

Microsoft has given ambiguous guidance for when to expect the launch of IE9 and Windows 7 SP1, but they're expected to arrive around the same time, possibly at Microsoft's MIX 2011 event next March.

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