IE8 Beta - Installation Guide (with Virtual PC)

Microsoft have now released the first beta of Internet Explorer 8. If you (like me) are keen to try it out, below is a good guide on how to install it correctly using Virtual PC. The benefit of using a Virtual PC to install the new beta is that it won't overwrite any existing IE6 or IE7 versions you currently have on your default machine.

Please bear in mind that the virtual hard disk image (VHD) for IE8 that can be run via Virtual PC will time out in July 2008, at which point you'll need to download an updated image.

1. Download and install Virtual PC (30.4 MB).
2. Download and run the IE8 Virtual Hard Disk file here (IE8_VPC.EXE) -- this will auto-extract your VHD to a folder (along with a couple of text files).
3. Launch Virtual PC and click 'New...' to start the New Virtual Machine Wizard.
4. Select the second option, 'Use default settings to create a virtual machine' and click 'Next'.
5. Give your new virtual machine a name -- 'IE8' seems sensible enough -- and hit 'Next'.
6. Hit 'Finish'. This will automatically create a new directory called 'IE8' (or whatever else you named it) with a new configurations file inside it called 'IE8.vmc'.
7. A 'Settings' dialog box should now open automatically. 'Select Hard Disk 1', and switch the 'None' radio button to 'Virtual hard disk file:'
8. Browse and select the VHD file you extracted earlier, then press 'OK'.
9. Your Virtual PC console should now list a new Virtual Hard Disk. Select it and hit 'Start'.
10. Voila! After a few seconds you should be have a standalone window running XP and the IE8 beta.

Now all you need to do, is develope away and see what your creations are potentially going to look like in the new Microsoft browser!

Further information about IE8 can be found here.