If you don't do a custom or advanced install from Microsoft Update, then it probably did download and install IE7 without you knowing, so it could have been forced on you.

I deliberately installed it and, for the most part, it worked fine until I tried to pre-order Poser 7.  While trying to pre-order, eFrontier's site would not accept my serial number, and would not let me change my address using serial numbers.  I had to use Netscape to get past this problem.  I've had other issues with IE7 at other sites.  From what I've heard at other sites, sometimes the default settings in IE7 can cause problems.

I tried to uninstall IE7 and go back to IE6, but there is no uninstaller or I just couldn't find it.  Instead, I had to do it the hard way.  I reformatted my hard drive and reinstalled everything.

When I had to re-update Windows, I made sure I could see what Microsoft wanted me to have.  Sure enough, IE7 had been added to the critical updates so I unchecked that and installed everything else.  IE7 was not there before when I manually downloaded it so it might be worthwhile to do custom downloads and not let Microsoft Update do what it thinks you want.

Poser 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Pro 2014, 11, 11 Pro