IDEA: explorer.exe auto-restarter

[brotherS]

Hi,

I'd like to add code to my AHK script to always restart explorer.exe maybe 20 seconds after it died or after I had to kill it. Windows should restart it automatically, but often does not 

What do you think? And what would be the best way to do this?

[mouser]

wasn't there a coding snack written for this (kansas): http://www.donationcoder.com/CodingSnacks/index.php

[brotherS]

No, not really, it has a quite different purpose:

Code

; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
;
; AutoIt Version: 3.1.0
; Author:         edvard_mcfly
;
; Script Name:
; Kansas (as in, "There's no place like Home")
;
; Script Function:
;	Reverts to Explorer as your default shell and quickly logs off 
; 	in case your alternate shell crashes or misbehaves.
; 
; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

; Script Start

RegWrite ("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping\system.ini\boot","Shell","REG_SZ","SYS:Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon")
RegWrite ("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon","Shell","REG_SZ","explorer.exe")
RegWrite ("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon","Shell","REG_SZ","explorer.exe")
RegWrite ("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer","DesktopProcess","REG_DWord","0")
RegWrite ("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer","BrowseNewProcess","REG_SZ","no")

Shutdown (0)

; Fi

[PhilKC]

I'd like to add code to my AHK script to always restart explorer.exe maybe 20 seconds after it died or after I had to kill it. Windows should restart it automatically, but often does not 

What do you think? And what would be the best way to do this?

Well, XP? use

TSKILL Explorer

And windows will always restart it...

Other Windows based systems? Download TSKILL and use the above method

Edit: WTF, why is the : P smiley so messed up?

PhilKC

[brotherS]

I'd like to add code to my AHK script to always restart explorer.exe maybe 20 seconds after it died or after I had to kill it. Windows should restart it automatically, but often does not 

What do you think? And what would be the best way to do this?

Well, XP? use

TSKILL Explorer

And windows will always restart it...

Other Windows based systems? Download TSKILL and use the above method

Hmm, where could I download this? Couldn't find it with Google... 

[skywalka]

Maybe it's a run command or something?  I'd like 2 know more also.

I actually know a little bit about this!  When U kill the main Explorer thread, U can type "explorer" in the "File - New Task (Run)" menu on the Task Manager.  But if there is a "file browser" version of Explorer open 4 some idiotic reason Windows opens yet another "file browser" version.  Which is quite useless.  If you kill all other explorer threads also then you can restart the main system tray thread.

I haven't wasted my time going 2 the Microsoft website looking 4 help on this.  I'm sure the response would just be "Micorsoft have confirmed this to be a problem with Windows".  They certainly have a poor commitment 2 their paying customers.

[Carol Haynes]

Open a DOS window, put it in a batch file or Start>RUN

[skywalka]

OK.  Thanx.

What is TSKILL?

[Carol Haynes]

Terminal Services KILL - it is part of WindowsXP

Goto Start > Help and Support Centre and type TSKILL in the search box to get the full set of options available.

At the bottom you will see a link to "Related Topics" if click it pops up a menu with "Command Line Reference A-Z" which will give you all the possible command line programmes supplied as standard with Windows XP and their full syntax.

[PhilKC]

TSKILL link:

http://bluescreenofdeath.co.uk/Programs/TSKILL.exe

<3 My new domain

Put it in system32 and it should be runnable from the command promt...

PhilKC

[skywalka]

Thanx Carol.

Phil, is that the TSKill that comes with XP.

[PhilKC]

Phil, is that the TSKill that comes with XP.

Yesum...

PhilKC