File Explorer (PE) - a simple File Explorer for Windows PE/RE

Hi all

Inspired by all the great work by others on here such as slore for WinXShell, ChrisR for all his work on Win10PESE and now Win10XPE - I decided I wanted to create a light weight file explorer tool that I can use in my 64-bit PE (created manually using WAIK and WinRE wim)

This is obviously still in its early stages, but I wanted to post it on here so others could comment

It is written using VB.NET as that is my preferred coding language and makes use of 3rd party component for a lot of the explorer controls, the rest I have added myself

Drag/Drop works as long as you have added necessary files and registry keys

File Copy Progress dialog also shows (again as long as relevant files and keys added) - just need to fix problem with ghost window appearing whilst file copy dialog on screen



Win10XPE plugin available here = http://theoven.org/index.php?topic=2607.msg28642#msg28642

Any problems please send me a PM along with following information - Windows version of your host including whether 32 or 64-bit, along with any errors messages or screenshots to help me fix problems

If I could make a feature suggestion.. Or even if you don't like the idea, just to say this here on the forums for people to think over..

PE could use an explorer that loads all the "users" on the host machine in a nice organized fashion..

Just a suggestion... but if you get my meaning, like in the left pane a Local section or something with expandable user A B C each with its own docs desktop downloads folders all expandable etc in the tree...

Or some other way to easily and quickly browse the hosts user files without the same repetitive explorer / this pc / c: / users / username / etc etc etc... And make the sidebar useful in PE

The Desktop \ Downloads \ Pictures \ Music folders are all basically useless on PE explorer sidebar....but if they were shortucts to the hosts files instead it would be pretty sweet.

Just an idea of what I would think would be a cool feature in an explorer for PE....

It looks good nice job 

Hi bob.omb

Yes that makes perfect sense and I appreciate all suggestions to make this better

I will add it to my list and see what I can do

Hi, dazza

the view is nice, GJ

I will try it in boot.wim, if it works without .NET component.

in ealier day, Microsoft just release the old NT4 file manager,
I'am consider include it in next release if there isn't ExplorerFrame.dll.
https://github.com/Microsoft/winfile

it's fast,small and has basic file operation.

"File Copy Progress dialog also shows (again as long as relevant files and keys added) - just need to fix problem with ghost window appearing whilst file copy dialog on screen"

See image below to show what I mean re ghost window appearing

Any ideas how to stop this appearing when file copy progress dialog is on screen?

I very much look forward to including this in my build when it is complete.  How is progress going?

hi bob.omb

Been caught up with work lately, but will get on with it in coming days/weeks as the third party controls I use have just been updated so will implement changes and upload new version as soon as possible :)

@All

Just made a few changes and uploaded a new version which uses the latest release of the 3rd party controls I make use of

@bob.omb

Re your request for an easier way to get to the user profiles folders

I have on the "Explorer" tab for now added a new ribbon button called "Rooted At" where you can change the location which appears in the left hand tree view - if you select Users then it shows C:\Users so you can easily access any profiles and the contained folders on the booted system - hope this helps.  If it works okay then I will add same options to the "Dual Explorer" tab as well

Sweet! Thank you dazza!    I will test it out tonight.   Until now I was using the below code to get the standard explorer to put the folders in the quick access section during boot... in my autorun.cmd

Code: [Select]

IF NOT EXIST "C:\USERS" GOTO SKIPQAPINS
IF EXIST "%TEMP%\PIN.PS1" DEL "%TEMP%\PIN.PS1"
IF EXIST "%TEMP%\USERS.*" DEL "%TEMP%\USERS.*"
CD /D "C:\USERS"
DIR /B /A:D>"%TEMP%\USERS.1"
FINDSTR /v /i /c:"All Users" /c:"Default" /c:"Default User" "%TEMP%\USERS.1">"%TEMP%\USERS.2"
ECHO $o = new-object -com shell.application >> "%TEMP%\PIN.PS1"
PUSHD "%TEMP%"
SET "a="
FOR /f "tokens=* delims=" %%a in ('TYPE USERS.2') DO ECHO $o.Namespace('c:\users\%%a').Self.InvokeVerb("pintohome") >> "PIN.PS1"
POPD
DEL /S /Q "%TEMP%\USERS.*" > nul
POWERSHELL.EXE -windowstyle hidden "%TEMP%\PIN.PS1"
DEL "%TEMP%\PIN.PS1" > nul
CD /D %~dp0
:SKIPQAPINS

Update re ghosting issue when file copy progress dialog showing

When running my PE File Explorer in Win10PESE I get the problem as shown in image below where you can see an outline of a ghost window when file copy progress dialog showing

If It run my PE File Explorer in Win10XPE then I DON'T get the problem

So now need to compare files/registry keys relating to file copy progress etc in the two versions of PE to work out what I need to do to fix it so it works in both versions

ChrisR - perhaps you may have an idea what files/keys I am missing