Should I block it?

No, this file is 100% safe to run.

Additional versions

6.3.9600.17031 (winblue_gdr.140221-1952)	3.06%
6.3.9600.16384 (winblue_rtm.130821-1623)	0.87%
6.3.9600.16384 (winblue_rtm.130821-1623)	0.01%
6.3.9600.16384 (winblue_rtm.130821-1623)	1.03%
6.3.9600.16384 (winblue_rtm.130821-1623)	0.01%
6.3.9600.16384 (winblue_rtm.130821-1623)	0.07%
6.3.9431.0 (winmain_bluemp.130615-1214)	0.25%
6.3.9431.0 (winmain_bluemp.130615-1214)	0.01%
6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)	3.98%
6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)	0.18%
6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)	0.73%
6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)	1.09%
6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)	11.46%
6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)	1.17%
6.2.8400.0 (winmain_win8rc.120518-1423)	0.07%
6.2.8400.0 (winmain_win8rc.120518-1423)	0.06%
6.2.8250.0 (winmain_win8beta.120217-1520)	0.01%
6.2.8102.0 (winmain_win8m3.110823-1455)	0.06%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.78%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	1.97%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	44.09%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	2.10%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	2.54%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	4.00%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	12.42%
View more
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)	0.01%
6.00.3790.3959 (srv03_sp2_rtm.070216-1710)	0.10%
6.00.2900.5634 (xpsp_sp3_qfe.080703-1303)	0.01%
6.00.2900.5634 (xpsp_sp3_qfe.080703-1303)	0.01%
6.00.2900.5512 (xpsp.080413-2105)	0.01%
6.00.2900.5512 (xpsp.080413-2105)	0.01%
6.00.2900.5512 (xpsp.080413-2105)	0.01%
6.00.2900.5512 (xpsp.080413-2105)	0.01%
6.00.2900.3311 (xpsp.080212-0004)	0.07%
6.00.2900.3300 (xpsp.080125-2028)	0.01%
6.00.2900.3156 (xpsp_sp2_gdr.070613-1234)	0.01%
6.00.2900.2894 (xpsp.060424-0312)	0.01%
6.00.2900.2894 (xpsp.060424-0312)	0.07%
6.00.2900.2649 (xpsp.050406-1732)	0.01%
6.00.2900.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)	0.01%
6.0.6000.16386 (vista_rtm.061101-2205)	5.44%
4 other versions

Relationships

Parent process

ui0detect.exe (Interactive services detection by Microsoft)

Child processes

explorer.exe

Windows Explorer by Microsoft Corporation (Signed)

Remove explorer.exe

Version:	6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)
MD5:	1181744907cce66df2fda4bccea0948c
SHA1:	5bacbc5b5465d58e3a34e8ab9bc98bc7faad1c66

This is a Windows system installed file with Windows File Protection (WFP) enabled.

What is explorer.exe?

Windows Explorer also known as File Explorer, is a file manager application and also a navigation tool that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. It is also the component of the operating system that presents many user interface items on the monitor such as the taskbar and desktop. Located in the C:\Windows directory, it is sometimes referred to as the Windows shell, explorer.exe.

Overview

explorer.exe executes as a process with the local user's privileges typically within the context of its parent ui0detect.exe (Interactive services detection by Microsoft). It configures an autoplay handler withing explorer.exe named MSOpenFolder that will launch the program automatically. The file is digitally signed by Microsoft Corporation. This version is designed to run on Windows 7 and is compiled as a 32 bit program.

Details

File name:	explorer.exe
Publisher:	Microsoft Corporation
Product name:	Windows Explorer
Description:	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Typical file path:	C:\windows\explorer.exe
Original name:	EXPLORER.EXE.MUI
File version:	6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)
Product version:	6.1.7600.16385
Size:	3.9 MB (4,090,368 bytes)
Build date:	2/25/2011 10:53 AM
Certificate
Issued to:	Microsoft Corporation
Authority (CA):	Microsoft Corporation
Expiration date:	Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Digital DNA
Entropy:	5.934229
File packed:	No
Code language:	Microsoft Visual C++
.NET CLR:	No

More details

Behaviors

Shell open commands

SHCmdFile

Autoplay handlers

Runs under the registry key 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers\Handlers'

Handler name 'MSOpenFolderBackup'
Handler name 'MSOpenFolder'

Scheduled tasks

The task '{AD36F1D3-E56E-44BA-A569-280718EB8C51}' runs on registration in the path '\{AD36F1D3-E56E-44BA-A569-280718EB8C51}'

Resource utilization

(Note: statistics below are averages based on a minimum sample size of 200 unique participants)

Averages

CPU
Total CPU:	0.08245564%	0.028634%
Kernel CPU:	0.06915163%	0.013761%
User CPU:	0.01330401%	0.014873%
Kernel CPU time:	3,947 ms/min	100,923,805ms/min
Memory
Private memory:	33.35 MB	21.59 MB
Private (maximum):	47.25 MB
Private (minimum):	35.09 MB
Non-paged memory:	33.35 MB	21.59 MB
Virtual memory:	436.84 MB	140.96 MB
Virtual memory (peak):	565 MB	169.69 MB
Working set:	39.61 MB	18.61 MB
Working set (peak):	48.73 MB	37.95 MB
Resource allocations
Threads:	37	12
Handles:	917	600
GUI GDI count:	456	103
GUI GDI peak:	862	142
GUI USER count:	270	49
GUI USER peak:	489	71

Process properties

Tray notification:	Yes
Integrety level:	High
Platform:	32-bit
Command line:	C:\windows\explorer.exe
Owner:	User
Parent process:	ui0detect.exe (Interactive services detection by Microsoft)

Threads

Averages

Explorer.EXE (main module)
Total CPU:	0.28746210%	0.272967%
Kernel CPU:	0.10532962%	0.107585%
User CPU:	0.18213247%	0.165382%
CPU cycles:	6,968,254/sec	5,741,424/sec
Context switches:	13/sec	79/sec
Memory:	3.91 MB	1.16 MB
pnidui.dll
Total CPU:	0.03201551%
Kernel CPU:	0.02619451%
User CPU:	0.00582100%
CPU cycles:	894,991/sec
Context switches:	4/sec
Memory:	1.88 MB
SHLWAPI.dll
Total CPU:	0.02680371%
Kernel CPU:	0.01487871%
User CPU:	0.01192500%
CPU cycles:	852,481/sec
Context switches:	7/sec
Memory:	348 KB
ntdll.dll
Total CPU:	0.01680515%
Kernel CPU:	0.01197526%
User CPU:	0.00482989%
CPU cycles:	442,346/sec
Context switches:	1/sec
Memory:	1.23 MB
WINMM.dll
Total CPU:	0.00264227%
Kernel CPU:	0.00000000%
User CPU:	0.00264227%
CPU cycles:	50,880/sec
Memory:	200 KB
MMDevApi.dll
Total CPU:	0.00231413%
Kernel CPU:	0.00000000%
User CPU:	0.00231413%
CPU cycles:	4,296/sec
Memory:	228 KB
msiltcfg.dll
Total CPU:	0.00230472%
Kernel CPU:	0.00230472%
User CPU:	0.00000000%
CPU cycles:	624/sec
Memory:	28 KB

Common loaded modules

These are modules that are typiclaly loaded within the context of this process.

Distribution by Windows OS

OS version	distribution
Windows 7 Home Premium	36.00%
Windows 8.1 Pro	14.00%
Windows 7 Ultimate	12.00%
Windows 8.1	10.50%
Windows 7 Professional	6.50%
Windows 8	6.50%
Windows 8.1 Single Language	6.00%
Windows 8.1 N	4.00%
Windows 8 Single Language	2.50%
Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center	2.00%

Distribution by country

United States installs about 51.50% of Windows Explorer.

Distribution by PC manufacturer

PC Manufacturer	distribution
Hewlett-Packard	23.75%
ASUS	23.33%
Dell	14.17%
Toshiba	13.33%
Acer	12.08%
Lenovo	6.67%
Alienware	3.33%
Samsung	3.33%

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