Microsoft will forcibly open some websites in Edge instead of Internet Explorer

ZDNet ^ | October 26, 2020 | Catalin Cimpanu

[BenLurkin]

Starting next month, users trying to access certain websites will see IE refuse to load the URL and automatically open the site in Edge instead.

This forced IE-to-Edge behavior is part of Microsoft's Internet Explorer deprecation plans.

Microsoft has been gradually rolling out the feature for testing purposes for some Windows users since the release of Edge 84 this summer.

However, with the release of Edge 87, scheduled for next month, Microsoft plans to enable the forced IE-to-Edge action for all IE users.

At the core of this new feature is a new DLL file that Microsoft has been silently adding inside Edge installations over the summer.

The DLL file, named ie_to_edge_bho.dll, is a Browser Helper Object (BHO). BHO files are plugins for Internet Explorer. This file is installed at:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\[VERSION]\BHO\

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\[VERSION]\BHO\

Even if the BHO file is stored inside the Edge folder, the BHO is loaded via a registry key inside IE every time the user starts Internet Explorer.

This BHO works by monitoring what websites a user is trying to access, regardless if the navigation comes from clicking on a link or by typing the URL in the address bar.

Every time this happens, the ie_to_edge_bho.dll file checks to see if the user's URL is found on a list of sites with known IE incompatibilities.

[dayglored]

Internet Explorer had to get jettisoned for the same reason the MSDOS-based Windows 1-2-3-95-98-ME series had to get jettisoned. It could not be worked on and fixed, it could only be bandaided and kept alive by spit and baling wire. And finally the time came when even that no longer worked.

I hate Edge — I’m certainly not a fan. But it’s at least stable and has a future. IE’s future stopped 5 years ago and died, just like Win98’s future stopped and died in 2002 with the ascendency of WinXP.

IE is horribly insecure, and while I generally say “To each their own”, I would never recommend its continued use. I personally favor Firefox, then Brave, then Chrome. Edge isn’t on my list.

[TexasGator]

“And I can set my search engine instead of being stuck with Edge/Bing.”

You can set the search engine in Edge. Google and DuckDuckgo are two of the available options.

[umgud]

MS needs to be broken up. I don’t use edge... I hate it. I’m really going to be pissed if it’s forced on me.

[montanajoe]

I had to get a new puter, my windows 98 machine finally gave up the ghost after 23 years.....I got a pretty good deal with the AAFEES veterans intro offer but the damn machine came with Windows 10 and it keeps downloading that edge shite.... hate it and windows 10..

[Starcitizen]

When Linux works with games/ games development, has a decent IDE, has decent industry standard 2D and 3D content production apps and office apps ok. Right now, it’s really only for server use.

[devane617]

buy a Mac

[dp0622]

Me too.

They keep trying to force it down your throat.

Annoying.

[SuperLuminal]

No problem... Uninstall both of them...

[grame]

This has been happening to me for a while. Kept having to reset default, especially on having Adobe to open pdf’s.

[arthurus]

Any more i use Brave and f a site won’t open in Brave I say, oh well, I probably don’t need that site. I have refused to use IE since shortly after I was exposed o it and realized that it was seriously screwed up it acted more as a computer virus than as anything useful.. Until I was able to excise I from my drive. I won’t use its follow-up either.

[Calvin Locke]

Isn’t the new Edge Chrome-based?

(FF/Brave user...)

[mrsmith]

My idea...

Sell an operating system that does what a person wants. Pay for it by allowing the os to use a small fraction of unused computing power to mine bitcoin for the company.
Bound to be better that what we have now.

[rockrr]

I’ve thwarted crap like this before by creating a counterfeit DLL. When the OS makes the call the dummy DLL fails to complete the request. It may work.....and it may not ;’}

[jps098]

Slimjet is another Chrome knockoff that seems to have less clutter.

[libh8er]

For techie types, IE does not support the JavaScript fetch API which is the modern standard for making ajax calls, so some sites will not load properly in IE.

[Adder]

Apple is a cult...

[DEPcom]

“has a decent IDE,”

I use Visual Studio Code on my Linux, Mac, and Windows machines. Great IDE.

[Dalberg-Acton]

Microsoft won’t do anything on my Linux Mint computer, forcibly or otherwise.

[T.B. Yoits]

Firefox before Chrome as Chrome is a Google “Be Evil” product.

[LegendHasIt]

"The DLL file, named ie_to_edge_bho.dll, is a Browser Helper Object (BHO)"

That's what they want you to believe... It is actually for Barack Hussein 0bama.

;-)