Talk:File Explorer

message: In Germany, the small, now defunct company of Symicron once held the trade mark for the word/term "Explorer".
Microsoft and others have been received written warnings because of that.
This German trade mark was deleted one day.
More on the case here (for example) unter the title "Explorer - Cases" : http://www.linksandlaw.com/linkingcases-trademark.htm
Alrik Fassbauer (talk) 10:42, 4 September 2011 (UTC)
thread_title: "Explorer" trademark in Germany - Symicron vs. Microsoft et. al.

message: This particular statement is wrong and misleading.
:the Explorer process also houses the operating system's search functionality and File Type associations (based on filename extensions)
Actually Explorer houses none of that. Shell32 does some of this work. Such as keeping its own copy of HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT around in memory. And such as creating and maintaining the 'shell namespace' in memory. But the 'File Type' stuff is external. That's in the Registry and even if the Registry is managed through dedicated APIs it's still a hive of files on disk. This is totally external to Explorer and any other process. Otherwise Registry manipulation would have to go through Explorer by means of some kind of IPC which of course is ridiculous. As the 'shell' is configurable; as you don't really need Explorer running (and it can and does crash) this would break down communications in the system and render Registry operations impossible. Moreover the kernel uses the Registry extensively building up 'control sets'. And it would simply be bad design to let half the Registry exist on its own and the other half within a mysterious 'Explorer process'. But thankfully that's not the case.
What the author meant was that Explorer offers an interface on HKCR for working with file extensions and file types and sundry data. But that's not at all the same thing: for any program can do that (and many do).  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.201.152.214 (talk) 12:27, 25 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: File Type associations

message: Windows Shell includes not only explorer.exe, but also Shell32.dll. So I think Windows Explorer is a user interface of the shell, including the system tray, the start menu and the folder browsing/exploring windows.
:Close but not quite. What your shell is can be defined as given in the path below. Explorer is the interface between the user and shell32. That's it.
::No he's right. Programmatically that is. explorer.exe is simply the UI for shell32.dll. That there's a Registry key as below has nothing to do with it.
:Just look in the registry at HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell
Hehe...never end the process EXPLORER.EXE...you get nothing but your wallpaper. So I think it's the interface.
:These are meaningless terms. Unless of course you are referring to actual software components in the system. Which seems unlikely. In such case this is mere semantics and thus pointless.
::They're referring to software components. Seeing 'nothing but your wallpaper' simply means that the screen no longer displays your desktop folder.
:Hmm, I don't seem to see that... oh, right, I made the joyful switch to BBLean. Xiong Chiamiov :: contact :: 22:52, 23 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Windows Explorer Is the User Inteface of the Shell

message: Just two points not included in the article.
-When u run windows, explorer.exe appears in the programs list running "in the back". 
-Even with a popular firewall like ZoneAlarm, it warns you that explorer.exe is trying to access the internet. At least windows 98.
Can anybody clarify that, please? I will wait posible feedback before deciding a retouch of the text.
 
thanks :)
:Explorer is your desktop. It's running even when you don't think you see it running. By default it's your 'shell' meaning it's what starts first. The desktop itself in such case is a special case of the Windows 'list view' control. That's Explorer. When you open Explorer as you would an ordinary application you are actually starting new threads within the one and the same Explorer process. HTH  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.201.152.214 (talk) 12:19, 25 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  explorer "activities" 

message: The This can be done information is vague and what is meant is not understandable. It should be replaced with a paragraph explaining the things. Soumyasch 08:04, 9 February 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  "This can be done" section 

message: Wasn't there a Windows NT Explorer in Windows NT 4? --Evice 19:07, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Yep, it was renamed Windows Explorer in Win2000. "In Windows 2000, Windows NT Explorer has been renamed Windows Explorer [sic] and is located on the Accessories menu. Windows Explorer shows you the hierarchical struture of files, folders and drives on your computer. It also shows any network drives which have been mapped to drive letter on your computer. For information about using Windows Explorer, see Related Topics." (quote  from Win2000 Help, emphasis exists in the original.) --David Spalding | Talk 18:30, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Windows NT Explorer 

message: if there is a 3 in front of windows explorer what does that mean?
:Huh? I don't grok the question. Please clarify. --David Spalding | Talk 18:30, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: If you are referring to the taskbar button, it means that you have three open Windows Explorer windows. Usually these are folders that you have opened that Windows grouped together in one button to create room in your taskbar. Windows does this with windows belonging to other applications as well. Shinobu 19:17, 26 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  windows explorer 

message: People mentioned ending the explorer process with Task Manager earlier... you can also use a keyboard shortcut:
Use Start > Shutdown, and hold Ctrl+Shift+Alt whilst clicking No/Cancel in the Shut Down box. You will end explorer.exe (and it won't automatically reload). This is documented by Microsoft (see Debugging with the Shell on MSDN).
129.67.18.125 23:38, 30 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Ending EXPLORER.EXE 

message: My Computer redirects here, but nowhere in the article does it give any explanation. Shinobu 00:58, 26 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: My Computer may refer to a component of Windows Explorer, a Microsoft file system browser.  That component is the desktop icon labeled "My Computer" unless the name has been modified by the user. — Senator2029 (talk) 10:43, 31 July 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  My Computer 

message: :Image:Windows Explorer Icon.png is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
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BetacommandBot 12:14, 6 July 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Added a short fair use rationale; please check if it is okay. Shinobu 13:09, 1 August 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Fair use rationale for Image:Windows Explorer Icon.png

message: My search for 'Windows' came here - what I wanted was a good explanation (with diagrams) on how to use a Window widget (for example, resizing it). - The information isn't available under 'Computer Literacy' either.  Not sure if such an explanation is in the scope of Wikipedia really.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wikivek (talk • contribs) 20:12, 21 January 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm not entirely sure how applicable this is to Windows Explorer? ~~ [Jam][talk] 20:39, 21 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Windows - disambiguation

message: The sentence Windows Explorer includes significant changes from previous versions of Windows such as improved filtering, sorting, grouping and stacking, as well as diminished searchability of folders. is confusing. What is diminished searchability? Kushal 02:56, 2 March 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: It means the 'searchability' (is that a word) is diminished. It means you can't search for things as well anymore.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.201.152.214 (talk) 12:17, 25 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  rewording?  

message: The current info on shell extensions is so limited. Explorer supports a very rich extensibility model (preview handlers, context menu extensions, column handlers, Explorer bars). Can anyone describe it?  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 221.128.180.168 (talk) 06:48, 23 March 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Extensibility is barely covered. It needs to be written. I will get to it soon. --soum talk 11:04, 23 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Shell extensions 

message: As far as I know most programs that ship with Windows like Paint and Wordpad provide only basic functionality, so that a user may buy a program from another company if he/she needs to do something professional. Does this apply to Windows Explorer? Can operating system vendors include their best file managers in the OSes without being sued by concurrent companies? Lefter 09:45, 10 February 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Basic functionality? 

message: Hi, I know "This is not a forum", but since this is information that belongs on this page (it goes hand-in-hand with ending explorer.exe), I felt it safe to ask here. I have encountered a serious error on my computer, where, on boot up, Explorer.exe does not start (I've tried re-booting many times, to no avail). The only three programs I can run are Utility manager (CTRL+U still works), and the internet browser (there is a link to the Microsoft website on Utility manager, which opens up my browser for me). The third is Task Manager (CTRL+Shift+ESC). Hitting the "Windows key" does nothing. I cannot lose focus of any program, unless one of the other two programs are open, as then it is the only visible one. I checked Task Manager, and all my other start-up programs were there, but Explorer.exe was not. Does anyone how to start this program manually? Timeroot (talk) 00:03, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Manually start explorer.exe 

message: I'd like to put that in the initial statement since it's quite obvious latest versions of it at least, just update the file explorer too. They do seem to just have many parts common. --AaThinker (talk) 11:26, 5 May 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  "It is now often updated together with Internet Explorer as a bundle package." 

message: A common problem that's been around for years, and is mentioned very often all over the internet, is the fact that when you open a folder, Windows explorer tries to access the internet.  explorer.exe is detected by firewalls such as Zonealarm.  Shouldn't that be in the article?  That it tries to connect to the internet, and a reason why?  I don't know the answer, or I'd add it in myself.  Most people don't look up a file, unless they notice it doing something it shouldn't have a reason to be doing, and then they come to the Wikipedia to find out what it is, and what's going on.  Dream Focus 02:24, 3 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm pretty sure there is a trojan that hides under the name of explorer.exe, so that might be the cause of this. I think we should add a section about malware masquerading as explorer.exe, as I believe this a widespread problem. ClothNapkin (talk) 04:26, 25 February 2012 (UTC)
replies: text:  I have never seen explorer.exe getting connected to Internet unless I install a shell extension that does so. It does connect to local network and that's when I tell it to do so. I have seen rumors like this over the Internet. If you add it to the article, you had better have VERY reliable source and I do not mean musings of a PC Magazine expert (who only works on and writes about Mac) about Windows in his personal blog. Fleet Command (talk) 06:39, 25 February 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Reasons why explorer.exe tries to connect to the internet 

message: Please add Windows explorer in Windows 7 picture.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 180.222.0.158 (talk) 01:08, 27 March 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Windows 7 image 

message: Please add the icon that appears in Windows 10. This icon is no longer in use in Windows 10.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Giorgos456 (talk • contribs) 21:49, 30 July 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  Windows 10 image 

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
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thread_title:  External links modified 

message: One essential feature that Windows Explorer does as standard but which no Linux file manager does, to my knowledge, is show images in the sort order. So if you have a directory of photos, put them in list view, sort them by date order, then click on one of them, then click "next", then in Windows Explorer the next image you see will be the photo with the next date. Frustratingly, I have tried several Linux file managers and all of them will only show the next photo which is the next in alphabetical order, regardless of how you have them sorted in the Linux file manager. 92.28.242.67 (talk) 11:06, 20 April 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  Shows images in sort order 

message: Hello fellow Wikipedians,
I have just modified 4 external links on File Explorer. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20071028171026/http://www.viruslist.com/viruses/encyclopedia?virusid=25409 to http://www.viruslist.com/viruses/encyclopedia?virusid=25409
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20040831153932/http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/0300/w2kui/w2kuifigs.asp to http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/0300/w2kui/w2kuifigs.asp
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20081022103457/http://www.sigchi.org/chi96/proceedings/desbrief/Sullivan/kds_txt.htm to http://www.sigchi.org/chi96/proceedings/desbrief/Sullivan/kds_txt.htm
*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20070125201721/http://www.codeproject.com/shell/shellextguideindex.asp to http://www.codeproject.com/shell/shellextguideindex.asp
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thread_title:  External links modified 

message: The article fails to mention one speciific innovation and when it was introduced (in Windows 7 or 10?): When you're dragging a folder into another place which already has a folder of the same name, and Explorer will offer adding the files within the new folder to the existing folder. Before that feature was introduced, you could only either overwrite the old folder, or cancel the process. --46.93.155.166 (talk) 20:50, 29 June 2019 (UTC)
replies: text: I could be wrong, but wasn't that feature introduced in Vista? 181.95.86.168 (talk) 00:35, 14 August 2019 (UTC)
thread_title:  New feature: Windows 7 or 10? 

message: I'm pretty sure that the shell that handles GUI features such as windows is called Windows Explorer. File Explorer is merely the name of the file manager, which is part of Windows Explorer.
Yes, it's still called Windows Explorer as of Windows 10. You can verify this by opening the Task Manager. The processes associated with the shell are listed as "Windows Explorer" there. Bluest Bird (talk) 22:14, 26 July 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  File Explorer =/= Windows Explorer 

message: The File Explorer icon is outdated; the logo has changed in Windows 11. Please could you change the icon? Thepurplepiano (talk) 12:37, 26 July 2021 (UTC)
thread_title:  File Explorer icon 

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thread_title:  A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion 

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thread_title:  A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion 

message: I couldn't find a source for the assertion in  that "Windows Explorer" was renamed to "File Explorer" in Windows 8. This old trade magazine article still refers to it as "Windows Explorer," and this Microsoft support document refers to it being called "File Explorer" Windows 10, but this forum thread says it was renamed in Windows 8. I'm going to use the latter as a source to support the footnote in the lead. If you've got a more definitive source, please update. --Ernstkm (talk) 17:29, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
replies: text: Disregard. It was already cited elsewhere in the article. --Ernstkm (talk) 17:45, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
thread_title:  Can't find a source for the rename to "File Explorer" 

message: I'd like to remove this paragraph entirely (referencing ): After a user logs in, the explorer process is created by the userinit process. Userinit performs some initialization of the user environment (such as running the login script and applying group policies) and then looks in the registry at the Shell value and creates a process to run the system-defined shell – by default, Explorer.exe. Then Userinit exits. This is why Explorer.exe is shown by various process explorers with no parent – its parent has exited. I'm not sure it adds anything consequential to the article, and seems like it's probably more in the domain of a Windows Internals book rather than a Wikipedia article. But if there's a sensible way it might be worked into the article, perhaps in a new section, that's okay. I found  and  with a quick web search, but I'll need better sources than that. Suggestions welcome. --Ernstkm (talk) 17:59, 3 January 2024 (UTC)
thread_title:  Source(s) for the userinit.exe → explorer.exe startup process, or remove?