What is "Windows Explorer Command" type of file?

[Yves Leclerc]

I recently have been experiencing a lot of problems with my Quick Launch
toolbar. Whenever I would right-click on an icon, my "explorer" task would
crash. I loose all my icons completely from my desktop and loose the Start
bar. I located several registry fixes from Kelly's Korner (best site for
registry fixes/hacks!!!!) but none seem to resolve my problem. Today I
decided to check my "explorer.exe" file sizes and location. I did a search
for "explorer" from C:\Window and all sub-folder under this. I discovered a
unique (questionable) file of:

explorer

for file type:

Windows Explorer Command

I have not found any info on this type of file. It has a size of 1K.

I decide to rename this file temporary in order to see what it does. Lo and
behold, my right-clicking on my Quick Launch toolbar "seems" to be working as
it should.

What is this file type? And is this file important or just a crappy file
(virus/spyware etc...?)

 

[Alan Edwards]

Files with the file type "Windows Explorer Command" and the extension
..scf are standard Windows files and have been for many years.
"Show Desktop" in the QLB uses such a file, Show Desktop.scf and you
can read a little about it here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190355/en-us

....Alan

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I recently have been experiencing a lot of problems with my Quick Launch
toolbar. Whenever I would right-click on an icon, my "explorer" task would
crash. I loose all my icons completely from my desktop and loose the Start
bar. I located several registry fixes from Kelly's Korner (best site for
registry fixes/hacks!!!!) but none seem to resolve my problem. Today I
decided to check my "explorer.exe" file sizes and location. I did a search
for "explorer" from C:\Window and all sub-folder under this. I discovered a
unique (questionable) file of:

explorer

for file type:

Windows Explorer Command

I have not found any info on this type of file. It has a size of 1K.

I decide to rename this file temporary in order to see what it does. Lo and
behold, my right-clicking on my Quick Launch toolbar "seems" to be working as
it should.

What is this file type? And is this file important or just a crappy file
(virus/spyware etc...?)

Maware or spyware. You said its name was "explorer", without quoting
its extension. It is probably "explorer.com". Check your machine for
other files with a .com extension. Some (but not all!) may be malware too.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

The .scf file that I have were included with Internet Explorer 6 or Windows
XP from the original install, not sure which.

E:\I386\CHANNELS.SC_
E:\I386\EXPLORER.SC_

Make a copy of explorer.scf and place it on your Desktop. Or create a
shortcut to explorer.exe with this as the Target: %windir%\explorer.scf

Makes a heck of a good shortcut to C:\

The Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar is normally an .scf file.
..scf files are Windows Explorer Command files. .scf files normally do not
display any extension at all. It is a Super-Duper Hidden extension.

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SHCmdFile]
"NeverShowExt"=""
@="Windows Explorer Command"

But doing a Search for Hidden files using *.scf will locate all .scf files.

I have these four .scf files...
C:\WINDOWS\explorer
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Quick Launch\Show Desktop
C:\Documents and Settings\Wesley P. Vogel\Application
Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Show Desktop
C:\WINDOWS\system32\View Channels

Description of the "Show Desktop" Feature in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/262088

How to re-create the Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190355

How to Re-create the View Channels Icon on Quick Launch Toolbar
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/195737

channels.scf
desktop.scf
explorer.scf
Internet Explorer 6.0 File List 1 of 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310504

..scf files can cause problems and are automatically blocked by many programs
when they are sent as attachments. Just like vbs or exe or com files.

You are prompted to accept or reject certain Windows Messenger files in
Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883261

Attachments that are allowed by Outlook 2007 may be blocked by Windows
SharePoint Services 3.0
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920785

Executing files by hyperlink and the File Download dialog box in Internet
Explorer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/232077

Description of how the Attachment Manager works in Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883260

Attachment File Types Restricted by Outlook 2003
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ork2003/HA011402971033.aspx

Attachment file types blocked by Outlook
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HP030850041033.aspx

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Jon]

If you right-click it (explorer.scf) and open it with notepad, it should
contain the following

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,1

[Taskbar]
Command=Explorer

 

[Jon]

Start > Run > notepad %windir%\explorer.scf

is probably better

--
Jon

If you right-click it (explorer.scf) and open it with notepad, it should
contain the following

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,1

[Taskbar]
Command=Explorer

--
Jon

There is no royal road to learning

I recently have been experiencing a lot of problems with my Quick Launch
toolbar. Whenever I would right-click on an icon, my "explorer" task
would
crash. I loose all my icons completely from my desktop and loose the
Start
bar. I located several registry fixes from Kelly's Korner (best site for
registry fixes/hacks!!!!) but none seem to resolve my problem. Today I
decided to check my "explorer.exe" file sizes and location. I did a
search
for "explorer" from C:\Window and all sub-folder under this. I
discovered a
unique (questionable) file of:

explorer

for file type:

Windows Explorer Command

I have not found any info on this type of file. It has a size of 1K.

I decide to rename this file temporary in order to see what it does. Lo
and
behold, my right-clicking on my Quick Launch toolbar "seems" to be
working as
it should.

What is this file type? And is this file important or just a crappy file
(virus/spyware etc...?)

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Thanks for this info.

If this file was "legit" installed on my system, then why was I getting
"explorer" crashing whenever I would try to "right-click" on any Quick Launch
toolbar BEFORE I renamed it.

 

[Ayush]

Replied to [Yves Leclerc]s message :
-----------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for this info.

If this file was "legit" installed on my system, then why was I
getting "explorer" crashing whenever I would try to "right-click" on
any Quick Launch toolbar BEFORE I renamed it.

*I think* that there is a bad context menu handler that was using the file
explorer.scf and when you renamed it, it can no longer find the file. See here :
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm
Download ShellExView and rename the explorer.scf file back to what it was and then
uncheck the entries in ShellExView one by one and examine the right click (DO THIS
AT YOUR OWN RISK).