Stealth870

Join Date 06/2003

Windows Explorer replacement?

I decided to make my Desktop a full blown explorer.exe-less desktop. Running DX, Objectbar, and WB all takes up less RAM then using explorer! One thing however is the fact that I cna't use Windows Explorer. Is there a program you know of the does everything explorer can and more?

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Snowman

Join Date 03/2001

+343

If you're willing to try something totally different click here: http://www.ghisler.com/

I've been using this a long time now.
Havent used Explorer in years......

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First, what is the difference between the bought and shareware version? And is there anything that "looks" better...

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http://www.v-com.com/product/pd_ind.html

A serious load of features...

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Forgot....the 'free trial' is not time limited, just has fewer features....

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but it says:
"but use of the software is limited and expires after a set period of time."

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Koasati

Join Date 07/2001

+21

PowerDesk 5 Free Trial

Our Free version of PowerDesk 5 provides a number of the features of our more powerful PowerDesk Pro edition. This is fully usable without any time-limits.

http://www.v-com.com/product/pd_free_trial.html

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Using PowerDesk *Free* myself, works great imo

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I saw this post and thought I would ask a question to any PowerDesk 5 users, instead of starting a new thread. Is anyone having problems with powerdesk not using the animations from windowblinds? Mine has just stopped using them and I can't figure out why. When I use windows explorer they work just fine, but not in PowerDesk 5. Anyone having this trouble?

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There's also: http://www.netez.com/xplorer2/

Most alternative file managers only add features. I have no need for extra features, I just want a slim file manager. So far I haven't found one yet, so I'm still using Explorer (under LiteStep).

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pinchecl

Join Date 09/2001

+16

Oracle, I have the same problem. Strangest thing is that sometimes the animation suddenly works (and the next time doesn't). Haven't figured out yet what causes that.

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Thanks, I will give the trial a try. I got to find something that will use those animations, because I hate looking at those plan ones built into XP.

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PowerDesk Pro is good, as is the FreeWare version.
Don't forget Novatix Explorer Plus.
http://www.novatix.com/Products/ExplorerPlus/FreeEval.asp

Just a note, PowerDesk Pro 5 has been around for several years, so it is relatively stable. I bought it back when it belonged to another company, and was version 4, along with zipMagic.

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I used PowerDesk for years. Had problems with it and HP software. V-com could do nothing, they are only resellers of products.

Now I use ExplorerPlus 6 (from the same people that brought you PowerDesk) http://www.novatix.com/. This is hard to find on their site "Novatix Corporation was established in 2001 by the founders of Mijenix Corporation, developer of award-winning Windows utilities such as SystemSuite, Fix-It Utilities, ZipMagic, and PowerDesk. A privately held company, Novatix is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado."

Try it, you'll like it.

Just my 2¢ worth, Jeff

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DirectoryOpus and then I ran StyleIT on the exe so that it now themes with msstyles and skins with Windowblinds...

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The problem I've encountered looking for explorer.exe replacements, is that they don't *really* replace explorer.exe's functionality. They replace part of it - ie, being a file manager. What they don't do, specifically, is the control panel. Some parts of the control panel *require* that explorer.exe be loaded to function, so even if you direct link them with control.exe, and the options for which panel to show, it will reload explorer into memory.

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Just loaded Control Panel via PDesk Pro 5....no sign of explorer.exe running at all.....[not running as shell, either]...

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paxx

Join Date 03/2001

I'm sure some items in the control panel will open Exploder, Jafo. How about Add/Remove Programs?

BTW: Installed and currently trying ExplorerPlus 6. Very very good. I like it. Had PowerDesk before, and although they are similar, I find ExplorerPlus better made, prettier and faster.

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Correct me if I am wrong but isn't add and remove an applet spawned by explorer via rundl32?
In order to replace the functionality you will have to actually replace the function, via another program like Uninstaller 2003, or some other type of application. I think you will find that for every applet that is wanted to be replaced that you will have to find it's analog via a Windows software Vendor. Once you start doing this then I think the list can get quite repetative. Explorer is tied in to everything at some level. Microsoft never inteneded for Windows to run without it. I mean sure litestep, and the many other shell's are fine and might even work better, but we all know they are not supported or encouraged by MS. Bypassing them, turns Windows into a (SEP) Somebody Else's Problem. Now I applaud anyone wanting to take the Operating System to a level of functionality, that is more stable than Windows Standard, Vanilla Install, but there is a point you reach when aggravation is outweighed by resources and sheer effort involved in trying to replace the offending or supposedly unstable applications.
I have a machine that sits under my desk and runs WindowsXP, very basic install, just my core application and performs a simple function, downloading from Usenet, this machine never goes Unstable or flakes out, and runs for weeks and months at a time. It only is recycled when the power is reset for some reason, or maintenance. By mantenance I mean I start to freak at how long it has been running unattended, and feel guilty and defrag it or do something else.

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Sorry for the rambling. The real culprit in my book, are the many instances of things running under svchost.exe. Now you have to be a rocket scientist to ascertain what is going on in there. I mean crap just go into Admin Tools / services and try to wrangle those out. MS sticks a warning in the desriptions similar to "Beyond there be Dragons!" or might as well be everything has this might cause XXX to stop responding and XXX usually means Explorer, Since the slightest things can crash Explorer, at the most inopportune times.

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Paxx..you said you used to run powerdesk did you ever run across the problem I am having of it not using the windowblind animations? Also, you said now you use ExplorerPlus does it use them. Seems like something small but not having those animations is driving me nuts.

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Sorry about the animations. No, PD5 or EP6 don't use WB animations. Maybe SD can write them into the WB program?

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I don't think Explorer is tied to Windows that deep. It has two functions: 1) shell and 2) file manager (the browser is something else which just carries the same name).

Add/remove does not use Explorer (or at least: it doesn't show up in the Task Manager), but something like displaying your fonts folder does.

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In EP6 there is a switch to use it instead of Explorer when opening "My Computer and folders". Also note that IP doesn't change icons in EP6.

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paxx

Join Date 03/2001

Well, no. That's becasue EP6 doesn't use Explorer's icons. IP doesn't skin OPera or Mozilla's toolbar icons either.

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Longtime PowerDesk Pro (full version) user here, and thinking of switching to EP6, if only for the promise of future development. I'm pretty sure PD5 at V-com is dead. But paxx said that EP6 is prettier and faster, so I'm off ot d/l and install the demo.

As for the animation issue, the only time I've seen skinned animations in PD is when opening a folder that spawns an Explorer window, and the animation is accessed from there. I still haven't taken the time to figure out which folders in PD spawn an Explorer window because it has been nothing more than a curiosity for me - "Hey! Look at that!"

I would like to add my request for WB to skin the PD/EP6 app all the way down to icons, toolbars and animations. I will say that Z-Studio's "Resolute" skins PD's toolbars far better than any other skin I've tried. I still don't know how Ross pulled that one off.

Some more notes: in PowerDesk (and EP6?) the "special" folder and system icons skin from IP (My Computer, My Documents, My Music, Control Panel, etc.) My file type icons (.doc, .zip, etc.) skin via IP as well. AAMOF, the only things that don't skin inside of PD are my folder, drive and generic file icons, and the toolbars (exception noted above).

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