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Windows EXPLORER.EXE

Anonymous
2018-08-02T16:02:14+00:00

Greetings !!!

Two different versions of Windows EXPLORER.EXE exists:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe

2016-08-27  12:44 PM         2,755,504 explorer.exe

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\explorer.exe

2016-08-27  11:26 AM         2,411,048 explorer.exe

C:\Windows\SysWOW64>dir explorer.exe

2016-08-27  11:26 AM         2,411,048 explorer.exe

Please NOTE, the EXPLORER.EXE applications inside the System32 and SysWOW64 folders end up IDENTICAL.

C:\Windows\System32>md5sum.exe -b explorer.exe

042216fbb8b0ccc7402c3c77e58e1bc9 *explorer.exe

C:\Windows\SysWOW64>md5sum.exe -b explorer.exe

042216fbb8b0ccc7402c3c77e58e1bc9 *explorer.exe

HOWEVER, the EXPLORER.EXE in the C:\Windows folder ends up DIFFERENT.

C:\Windows>md5sum.exe -b explorer.exe

ed6b4c95e2a6d67480b9dbb8a8e7d9b4 *explorer.exe

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-08-02T19:29:06+00:00

    Many viruses and malware disguise themselves as Windows processes to avoid detection, which doesn't always work. If your PC shows two explorer.exe, then chances are that one of them is a virus. I'll advise you to run a full antivirus scan on your PC as soon as possible. 

    If you use Windows Defender as your default AV, I'll recommend downloading a copy of the free version of Malwarebytes and performing a full system scan.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-08-02T16:07:54+00:00

    Commonly when I start EXPLORER.EXE from the cmd.exe prompt, the folders open just fine, but they end up dimmed in the CLASSIC EXPLORER TASKBAR MENU.

    I placed an application that shows the DESKTOP and reshows the DESKTOP, however, running EXPLORER.EXE from a cmd-prompt command-line the menu items end up opening properly (sometimes).  ALL the menu items end up dimmed though and I need to click on the SHOW DESKTOP APPLICATION to get the dimness out of it.

    I want to know if a switch exists to display the folders un-dimmed.

    Thank you,

    Sincerely, James W. Carlock

    Loma Linda, California

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