How to permanently terminate Windows Explorer (the "explorer.exe" process)?

Question

I'm using the following code to terminate a process:

function KillTask(ExeFileName: string): Integer;
const
  PROCESS_TERMINATE = $0001;
var
  ContinueLoop: BOOL;
  FSnapshotHandle: THandle;
  FProcessEntry32: TProcessEntry32;
begin
  Result := 0;
  FSnapshotHandle := CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS, 0);
  FProcessEntry32.dwSize := SizeOf(FProcessEntry32);
  ContinueLoop := Process32First(FSnapshotHandle, FProcessEntry32);

  while Integer(ContinueLoop) <> 0 do
  begin
    if ((UpperCase(ExtractFileName(FProcessEntry32.szExeFile)) =
      UpperCase(ExeFileName)) or (UpperCase(FProcessEntry32.szExeFile) =
      UpperCase(ExeFileName))) then
      Result := Integer(TerminateProcess(
                    OpenProcess(PROCESS_TERMINATE,
                                BOOL(0),
                                FProcessEntry32.th32ProcessID),
                                0));
    ContinueLoop := Process32Next(FSnapshotHandle, FProcessEntry32);
  end;
  CloseHandle(FSnapshotHandle);
end;

The problem is, when I call the above function in order to permanently terminate the explorer.exe, the Windows Explorer terminates though, but it's re-started afterwards:

KillTask('explorer.exe');

I'm using Delphi XE3, Delphi 7 and Windows 8.

Note that this code leaks process handles. (Terminating a process doesn't magically make all handles to it go away.) — Rob Kennedy, Dec 07 '12 at 20:00
That's by design. The system makes sure your shell runs. If you want to replace the shell, then you should do that. — David Heffernan, Dec 07 '12 at 20:02
could you please provide alternative code to kill the explorer process permanantly. — Kobus Vdwalt, Dec 07 '12 at 20:07
FWIW this isn't really a Delphi question. This is a Windows question. You may scare off some Windows experts by tagging with Delphi. — David Heffernan, Dec 07 '12 at 20:20

score 9 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:25

9

Based on this Exit Explorer feature and code debugged by Luke in this post you may try to use the following code:

Warning:

This way is absolutely undocumented! So all constants and variables appearing in this post are fictitious. Any resemblance to real, documented code is purely coincidental :-)

function ExitExplorer: Boolean;
var
  TrayHandle: HWND;
const
  WM_EXITEXPLORER = $5B4;
begin
  Result := False;
  TrayHandle := FindWindow('Shell_TrayWnd', nil);
  if TrayHandle <> 0 then
    Result := PostMessage(TrayHandle, WM_EXITEXPLORER, 0, 0);
end;

I've tested it in Windows 7, where it works and doesn't even need the administrator elevation. Don't know how about the other systems (I'd say this won't work at least on Windows XP, but it's just a guess).

edited May 23 '17 at 10:25

Community

1
1

answered Dec 07 '12 at 20:19

TLama

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Does the explorer.exe process actually terminate? – David Heffernan Dec 07 '12 at 20:20
@David, yes, it does. At least on my Windows 7 machine. But it's still just a tricky way... – TLama Dec 07 '12 at 20:22
Hey thanks Tlama it works like a charm. And thanks for the fast response time. – Kobus Vdwalt Dec 07 '12 at 20:27
@Kobus, you're welcome! But hard to say how long will this work. On which system(s) have you tested it just for curiosity ? – TLama Dec 07 '12 at 20:28
1

I have tested on windows 8 pro 32 bit – Kobus Vdwalt Dec 07 '12 at 20:28
7

@TLama, Loved the warning. You could add: "If any of you or your team members were to be caught performing this, we would deny having any involvement or even knowing you.." ;-) – Francesca Dec 07 '12 at 21:04

How to permanently terminate Windows Explorer (the "explorer.exe" process)?

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