Users have reported that the Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) browser is showing up on their Windows Vista and Windows 7 machines’ Windows Update lists. In the meantime, Microsoft has denied any alleged role on the upgrade offers that are coming around for the IE9. Still serving as the default update service for consumers and many small businesses, numerous systems have offered the IE9 upgrade as an ‘important’ item on Windows Update. It has been noticed that the IE9 offer has been appearing in Windows Update on the PatchManagement.org mailing list, according to Susan Bradley, a blogger who covers Microsoft’s Small Business Server and who also writes for the Windows Secrets newsletter.

The early appearance of the IE9 upgrade offers have also been reported by ZDNet Blogger Mary Jo Foley, who has cited numerous sources who had approached her with the information. Microsoft has been continuously stating it has not started offering IE9 to users officially. While confirming the IE9 is not offered yet, a company spokeswoman revealed that currently they are throttled to 0%. IE9 will be seen as an optional important update by users who manually check Windows Update for new updates. The item will be not downloaded and installed itself automatically even if it has been unchecked as a default. The download can be initiated after users check the item in Windows Update and select OK.

The spokeswoman revealed this is the way how any update works through Windows Update. After staffers manually checked for new updates, the machines showcased IE9 in Windows Update as a necessary but an optional item. The browser will be immediately offered to Vista and Windows 7 powered PC’s running IE7 or IE8, when Microsoft switches on the IE9 upgrade. To allow users to install the new browser, users will be able to see a splash screen. Users will also be able to use this to request a delay or decline a particular upgrade.

As IE9 does not work on the still-dormant operating system, which is an omission that rivals like Mozilla haven’t been able to use as an advantage yet, Windows XP users will not see the IE9 upgrade offer or be allowed to download the browser. After saying last week it will begin reaching some users this month, Windows has not set a date for the automatic upgrade offer yet.

IE9’s distribution pace will be similar to that of IE8 in 2009, if that timeline is accurate. Microsoft started serving the new browser via Windows Update in the third week of April after Microsoft released the final version of IE8 on March 19, two years ago. On March 14th, Microsoft has shipped the final version of IE9. Most companies who wish to block the new browser will be concerned with the early appearance of IE9 on Windows Update as an optional download. To ensure that IE9 doesn’t make it onto the company PCs, Microsoft has issued a blocking toolkit that corporations will be able to deploy when the need arises.