Restaring Windows Explorer

Question

I having one Form with one button. I need to Restart Windows Explorer on Button1.Click. I Googled it but I have not get any proper solution. All tels that the solution works in WinXP, Vista but not in Win7. Please provide the accurate solution.

You might try to [`kill it`](http://stackoverflow.com/a/13770395/960757) in a hacky way and start it again. Why do you need this anyway ? — TLama, Mar 22 '13 at 16:28
Does `taskkill /IM "explorer.exe" /F` (with admin privileges) work? — Andreas Rejbrand, Mar 22 '13 at 16:31
@TLama Actually the first code in this post http://stackoverflow.com/q/13770128/2087187 is what he needs, because he wants to restart it! — EProgrammerNotFound, Mar 22 '13 at 17:13
@Matheus, you meant rather something like [`this`](http://stackoverflow.com/a/11954740/960757), don't you ? — TLama, Mar 22 '13 at 17:16
@TLama No, he said: "...I need to Restart Windows Explorer on...", and the KillTask method in the post does exactly this, it kills and Restart — EProgrammerNotFound, Mar 22 '13 at 17:19
No..No.. The above " taskkill /IM "explorer.exe" /F " procedure kills only but not restarting explore again. — Rubi Halder, Mar 22 '13 at 17:21
@Matheus, ah I see. Yes, that might be the option for Vista above systems since there if you kill explorer, it starts again automatically (except that hacky way I've mentioned in my first comment). Rubi, but you know how to start it again, don't you ? — TLama, Mar 22 '13 at 17:23
I have tried the first code also but I getting error for "TProcessEntry32", "CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS, 0);", "Process32First", "dwSize", "Process32Next", "th32ProcessID". — Rubi Halder, Mar 22 '13 at 17:29
@Rubi: Well, we all know how to start things using `ShellExecute`. Killing is the hard thing, especially (one might guess) when it comes to critical system processes. — Andreas Rejbrand, Mar 22 '13 at 18:18

EProgrammerNotFound · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-18T20:21:10.300

Add uses on TlHelp32

In Windows 7 or above, this function works:

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

  if FSnapshotHandle = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE then 
    RaiseLastOSError;
  try
    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
      begin 
        ProcessHandle:= OpenProcess(PROCESS_TERMINATE, BOOL(0),     FProcessEntry32.th32ProcessID), 0);
        if ProcessHandle > 0 then
        begin
          try  
            Result := Integer(TerminateProcess(ProcessHandle);
          finally
            CloseHandle(ProcessHandle);
          end; 
        end
        else
          RaiseLastOSError;   
      end;
      ContinueLoop := Process32Next(FSnapshotHandle, FProcessEntry32);
    end;
  finally 
    CloseHandle(FSnapshotHandle);
  end; 
end;

It Kills and Start Again!

KillTask('explorer.exe');

In prior versions, it Only Kills!!

Then I have tried your hacky way also. It really killa explorer without Administrative previlege but never restarts. So... — Rubi Halder, Mar 22 '13 at 17:38
Check if ShellExecute 'Explorer.exe' works to open without admin previleges — EProgrammerNotFound, Mar 22 '13 at 17:46
@RubiHalder ShellExecute(0, pchar('open'), pchar('explorer.exe'), nil, nil, SW_HIDE); — EProgrammerNotFound, Mar 22 '13 at 18:01
Please give me the full code. I getting error for implementation. — Rubi Halder, Mar 22 '13 at 18:52

Restaring Windows Explorer

1 Answers1