Programs downloaded in Vista, IE

Just wondering if IE's protected mode would keep any executables downloaded in IE from installing, such as if one downloaded and wanted to install new program (such as, umm...Firefox, for example :innocent .) Would a person have to disable protected mode each time one wanted to download an executable (for example if one were downloading program of some sort). (Maybe it would just be easier to use Firefox, if this is the case. I can see the value of IE's protected mode, but if a person disabled it and then forgot to re-enable it, the protected mode isn't really doing anyone any good.)

Or would right clicking the executable and running as administrator get around this?

 

source: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/IE7-protected-mode.aspx

 

Thanks, good link. I can see the value in such protection, and I would think that would prevent those drive by downloads of those rogue security programs and such. (Why do so many people continue to get infected then? OK, I'm straying off topic here...:-D)

I'm still wondering what people do, though, if they download an executable in IE in order to get the executable to install properly. Do they disable the protected mode prior to the download, is that necessary? Or do they choose a different folder to save the executable in, such as under "Documents" instead of the one Vista creates. (I understand that this is a 'virtual' folder with limited privileges.) And do any executables downloaded in IE for certain and each and every time absolutely have to be right clicked and 'run as administrator' chosen in order for the installation to go correctly, rather than double clicking the executable the way we do with XP?

 

I mentioned in another thread that my son retried a download of something that wouldn't install properly last night (a game demo), this time with protected mode turned off. The same error came up, so I suggested he give up on that. It's possible the issue involves the item itself, rather than the Windows settings. (I suggested he ask about this himself on some message boards he is on.)

The laptop still needs Java installed and probably flash as well. What is one to do then re the protected mode thing? Will those items install properly with protected mode enabled or not if IE is used to download them? I'm not clear on this, so I am wondering what other users of IE with Vista have done with this.

 

Update: IE8 didn't want Java to be downloaded from MajorGeeks, but we told it to do it anyway. Everything went fine, we didn't have to disable the protected mode. It appeared to install flawlessly. (We'll have to test it later with a page that needs Java, see if it works. )