kill explorer.exe

Question

I can use task manager to kill explorer.exe, case use following code to restart it

Process.Start("explorer.exe")

 

 

But why doesn't the following code kill it? It seems to kill it for a brief second, than it automaticaly start back up?

Dim myProcesses() As Process

Dim myProcess As Process

myProcesses = Process.GetProcesses()

For Each myProcess In myProcesses

If myProcess.MainModule.ModuleName = "explorer.exe" Then

myProcess.Kill()

Exit For

End If

Next

Answer 1

I believe that explorer automatically restarts when you kill it programmatically. Only when you do it through the task list does it not restart.

http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archive/2004/07/22/191636.aspx has a little bit of detail, in the comments as well.

Answer 2

that is true, Windows will automatically restart explorer.

Question is - why on earth do you wish to kill explorer?

Answer 3

Windows without Explorer is like a car without wheels...

Answer 4

I was trying to do the same and found a work-arround. Using the registry editor change

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell

to something other value than  "explorer.exe". Use Kill or TerminateProcess to shutdown explorer and it won't come back again.

Answer 5

you really shouldnt be doing stuff like this, especially modifying the registry as not only will the user be unhappy but other things may also happen which could be undesirable

Answer 6

Designing a Kiosk type application, that has different user levels. I need to prohibit most users from messing with the windows world. But a high level login needs to have access to desktop, and programs. Stopping the explorer.exe does that exact thing. If I can programmically turn it on or off then I can control what the user has acces to while keeping the application running and not effecting all the real-time processes I am developing....

My client gave me that direction, I believe he is using somthing like a "TweakUI" to do somthing similiar elsewhere.

Answer 7

Why does Explorer continue to search beyond the folder selected and will not stop if the "STOP" button is clicked?  It apears to serch the entire computer for every search occupying 45 to 55 CPU time.

Answer 8

I also agree that this is not something you usually want to do but sometimes you have to.

If you want to kill explorer programmatically without having it back again you can use an exe in c:\Windows\System32\ called taskkill and use it to kill explorer.  This way it will not come back automatically.  Use the following command line:

>TASKKILL /F /IM explorer.exe

 

Just declare a process to silently execute task kill

 

//create a process start info to execute the task kill program

//this is needed because otherwise explorer is restarted automatically by windows

ProcessStartInfo taskKill = new ProcessStartInfo("taskkill", "/F /IM explorer.exe");

 

//hide the command prompt from the user

taskKill.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;

 

//create a new process

Process process = new Process();

 

//set the process start info

process.StartInfo = taskKill;

 

//start the process

process.Start();

 

//wait until the task kill process is done

process.WaitForExit();

 

 

 

See also

>TASKKILL /?

for other command line parameters.

 

Dom.

 

 

Answer 9

I am also trying to kill explorer. However my scenario is a little different..

I have completely removed internet explorer from program files\
and have removed explorer from windows\
and windows\dllcache

However when I Run a command like c:\folder
explorer shows back up...

how is this possible?

also I have disabled windows file protection too..