Run windows without Explorer?

[PiKe]

Is it possible to kill explorer and not have it automatically restart itself?

 

[Fr0dders]

no because explorer is an integral system component, without it windows would be useless.

 

[PiKe]

But I don't require the whole gui for what I want to use it for.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Depends what you want to run instead but if you go to the registry key:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\WinLogon\Shell

you can change that from the default explorer.exe to another windows executable, when you next restart and logon that will be the high level shell that windows will use.

 

[sidethink]

I believe the new Windows Server 2008 can be run in headless mode without a GUI - maybe you could try that if its a server application.

 

[PiKe]

Depends what you want to run instead but if you go to the registry key:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\WinLogon\Shell

you can change that from the default explorer.exe to another windows executable, when you next restart and logon that will be the high level shell that windows will use.

Cheers.

 

[IAmATeaf]

I believe the new Windows Server 2008 can be run in headless mode without a GUI - maybe you could try that if its a server application.

I've read about this, there's a version that is from what I can gleam mostly command line driven, come back UNIX all is forgiven me thinks

 

[Jonny69]

ctrl-alt-delete and kill explorer.exe, is this what you want? You have to get some viruses by doing it this way.

It won't restart itself unless you go to new process and type in explorer.exe

 

[PiKe]

explorer.exe does restart itself.

 

[Matt-Page]

explorer.exe does restart itself.

Yes it does Sometimes but not always. Can i ask why you want to do this? I know you can replace explorer.exe with unix based/alternate versions. Are you finding it using up most of your CPU/MEM usage?

 

[Deleted member 58846]

explorer.exe does restart itself.

not if you kill it. Explorer will only re-launch once you execute the command explorer.exe.

Try it.

ctrl + alt + del end task explorer.exe You notice you can still run applications by executing the command the the file in program files. To make explorer come back just new task > explorer.exe

 

[PiKe]

Yes it does Sometimes but not always. Can i ask why you want to do this? I know you can replace explorer.exe with unix based/alternate versions. Are you finding it using up most of your CPU/MEM usage?

Just want to free up CPU time.

 

[PARUK]

The kindest way to kill explorer in XP and not have it come back is:

1) Select Turn Off Computer from the Start Menu

2) Hold down SHIFT, CTRL and ALT and press the Cancel button on the resulting dialog with your mouse.

This is the method recommended by Microsoft when developing desktop bands (Explorer has to be killed in order to install the latest version of the band).

 

[Deleted member 58846]

The kindest way to kill explorer in XP and not have it come back is:

1) Select Turn Off Computer from the Start Menu

2) Hold down SHIFT, CTRL and ALT and press the Cancel button on the resulting dialog with your mouse.

This is the method recommended by Microsoft when developing desktop bands (Explorer has to be killed in order to install the latest version of the band).

genious! even better way

 

[PARUK]

It has the advantage that explorer gets to shutdown cleanly. If you terminate it thru task manager there's no graceful shutdown and if you're unlucky you might end up needing a restart.