How I Use IE6, IE7, Firefox & Safari on the Same Machine Simultaneously

I am currently running…

  1. Internet Explorer 6
  2. Internet Explorer 7
  3. Safari
  4. FireFox

…on my PowerBook PPC

View Full HD Size

The setup to make this happen…

  1. Windows XP SP2 on a Bare bones PC
    1. Tweaked Terminal Services
    2. IE6 & IE7 installed simultaneously
    3. Three user accounts
  2. PowerBook
  3. Microsoft Remote Desktop
    1. Three Copies, renamed with custom icons
  4. Quıcĸsıɩⅴεʀᵦ₄₉

How to make it happen

Get a PC

I didn’t really want to, but Virtual PC sucks is too slow.

I would just get a MacIntel, but I just got a nice new PowerBook and I use Photoshop and other non-intel native stuff.

Install a Legally Licensed Copy of Windows XP PRO

You should be able to do that yourself.

Tweak Windows XP’s Terminal Services

This will allow you to have multiple Remote Desktop connections from your PowerBook to your PC.

I followed these directions to Set up Multiple Simultaneous Remote Desktop Connections.

The instructions didn’t work the first time. I had to do it again and make sure I followed the directions carefully.

Just remember to use decimal instead of hex in STEP 4.

Oh, and you need at least 2 users

Install Internet Explorer 7 without uninstalling Internet Explorer 6

I accidentally used a modified version of these instructions to Test Internet Explorer 7 Without Installing It

Here’s what I did differently in a nutshell

  1. Download the latest >BETA
  2. Install it
  3. Reboot when it tells you to
  4. Uninstall it
  5. Reboot when it tells you to
  6. Follow the directions to Test Internet Explorer 7 Without Installing It
    1. At the part where it tells you to copy the long winded crazy folder that the installer creates, you have to copy all the non-invisible contents to a new folder instead of just duplicating the folder.
  7. I also changed the name of the shortcut to the .VBS file to “Internet Explorer 7” and gave it the IE7 icon

Set up multiple copies of Microsoft Remote Desktop

  1. Get Microsoft Remote Desktop
  2. Make 3 copies of the app
  3. Rename them
    1. Internet Explorer 6
    2. Internet Explorer 7
  4. Give them slick icons
    1. I used the icon from the Mac version of Internet Explorer 5 for IE6
    2. I found this slick Internet Explorer 7 icon with google
  5. Add a couple lines to your hosts file /etc/hosts
    1. THE_IP_OF_YOUR_WINDOWS_MACHINE Internet_Explorer_7
    2. THE_IP_OF_YOUR_WINDOWS_MACHINE Internet_Explorer_6
  6. Open each of the renamed Remote Desktop apps
  7. Set up all your connection settings
    1. Using the labels you just put in the hosts file
  8. Save your connection settings files
    1. Name them whatever you want

But, wait! There’s more!

Set up Quicksilver command files for ultra slickness

The latest prereleases of Quıcĸsıɩⅴεʀᵦ₄₉ supports saving an command as a file. That file is then double-clickable for instant activation!

  1. Get the latest prerelease of Quicksilver

For each RDC setting file / renamed RDC app combo do:

  1. Set up a command that opens your RDC saved setting file in the right renamed copy of RDC
  2. Ctrl-return to grab the command as an object
  3. Select the “Save command to file…” action
  4. Manually hit tab to show the third pane
    1. For some reason it doesn’t come up automatically
  5. Select a folder in the third pane to save the command into
    1. I just dragged a folder into the third pane to select it
    2. You cannot enter a filename, you have to rename the qscommand file after it’s created
  6. Find and rename the new qscommand file
  7. Give it a slick icon
  8. Put it somewhere handy

Enjoy!

PS: This should all be legal. I don’t think any of this would void any license agreements or anything, since you’re still just a single user. But if this isn’t legal and you get in trouble for it, you have been warned. I am not responsible for any of your actions.