Well, you've got me confused again!
The European Union's legal teams spent many years arguing (eventually successfully) that Microsoft was guilty of anti-competitive practices by including its own browser (Internet Explorer) within Windows. Microsoft eventually responded by separating Internet Explorer from the Windows operating system, while continuing to supply it as standard unless a customer specifically ordered a system without IE. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has ever taken up that option, so anyone who has Window 7 should have Internet Explorer 8 (unless they've later upgraded to version 9).
This page, from the Microsoft website, specifically states that IE8 comes with Windows 7:
http://windows.micros...res/internet-explorer
So you appear to have purchased a laptop where someone along the supply chain (Sony? the retailer?) has entered into an agreement with Google (who supply Chrome) to provide their product as standard and, further, to block the downloading of an alternative browser. (I still find that hard to believe!).
Try downloading IE8 or 9 from here:
http://windows.micros...orer/products/ie/home
If that doesn't work (and you've got access to another computer) try downloading the set-up file on a different computer, saving it to external media (such as a USB stick or DVD) and then copying it onto your computer.
Chris
PS: Before you try any of the above, go to Start > Search (or whatever equivalent Windows 7 uses), select 'all files and folders' and enter 'internet explorer'. I still think that it's likely to be on your laptop somewhere!