Monday, January 02, 2012

A magic means to exit Windows Explorer without using Task Manager (or command line)

Windows 7 Hacker - How To Restart Windows Explorer The Proper Way

"Often times you will run into trouble when Windows Explorer doesn’t respond or stuck for a long time. Windows Explorer should in theory automatically restart itself if it crashes. In the case when it doesn’t there are couples ways you can restart Windows Explorer properly.

The GUI User Friendly Way

Use this method assuming when you can still access the Windows menu.

Press and hold Control + Shift + Right Click on any empty area on the Windows menu, you will see this option to let you “Exit Explorer”

image..."

Funny the stuff you learn... Not sure how useful this is since if Explorer is dead/locked up/etc I don't think it would work, but still "magic" commands like these are always cool to so off at parties... (well... um... aren't they? :P )

And darned if it didn't work as advertised! I help Shift-Control Right-Clicked on a "empty" space in the opened Start Menu on got the "Exit Explorer" option.

image

I know I don't have to tell you all this, but... Remember this just exits the Windows Explorer shell. Not Windows. Make sure you know how to restart Explorer before you exit it... :|

Posted

3 comments:

  1. LexTue Jan 03, 02:24:00 AM PST

    But if you use Task Manager you have easy access to the run command in order to start Explorer again...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSat Apr 28, 04:10:00 AM PDT

    There have been some very detailed & technical responses posted here, so I'm hoping someone will actually be able to explain why I do not have the "Exit Explorer" option?... I've tried `{Ctrl}{Shift}{Click}, {Ctrl}{Shift}{RtClick}, {Ctrl}{Alt}{Click}`, etc. with no luck... very frustrating.

    Here is my system info: Win7Ultimate, SP1, 64bit, PentiumD2.8, 4GB ram, no pen or touch
    [Windows7Ultimate.x64.ExitExplorerMissing.png][1]

    Perhaps it's a SP1 "fix"?... or a problem with 64bit version?...)

    In addition, is there a command line method to "Exit Explorer"?

    Thanks in advance! ~ G

    [1]: http://i.stack.imgur.com/XVyph.png

    ReplyDelete
  3. GregSat Apr 28, 07:26:00 AM PDT

    That's weird. I just double checked (Win7 x84, SP1) and if {shift}{ctrl}{right-click} in the area around the shut down button (even on the button) I get the Exit Explorer. Not sure why you're not...

    ReplyDelete

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