Windows 7 - Open in New Process - Folder

**Brink**

How to Open a Folder in a New Process in Windows 7

Information

This will show you how to open a folder or drive window in a separate new Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) process in Windows 7.

Note

This is not the same as just having a folder open in a separate new window. Those two folder windows would still just be running in the same single explorer.exe process.

Having a folder open in a separate process will allow multiple instances of the open folder window to be running with each instance running with a separate explorer.exe process. If one of these instances should close or crash, the other instances would be completely unaffected by it.

Warning

This can increase the stability of Windows 7 by opening every folder in a separate part of memory. Use this setting if your computer frequently crashes, and you are trying to minimize problems or troubleshoot. Be aware, however, that doing this could slow down the performance of your computer.

Tip

To see what processes (ex: explorer.exe) are running:

Open Task Manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESCAPE).
Click on the Processes tab. (See screenshots below)
Under Image Name, look for how many explorer.exe processes you have open. You will have one for each new folder process you open.

OPTION ONE

To Manually Open a Folder Window in a New Process

NOTE: This will allow you to manually open a selected folder window in a new separate process.

1. Press and hold the Shift key, then right click on the folder or folder shortcut that you want to open in a separate process, release the Shift key, and click on Open in New Process. (See screenshot below)

2. This will now open the selected folder in a separate window that is in a new process.

OPTION TWO

Through Folder Options

NOTE: This will set Windows 7 to always open all folder windows in a separate new process or not when they are opened.

1. Open Folder Options, and click on the View tab. (See screenshot below step 4)

2. To Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process when Opened
NOTE: Folders open in the same process as each other, but a separate instance to the process that provides the Shell.
A) Check the Launch folder windows in a separate process box. (See screenshot below step 4)

B) Go to step 4.

3. To Not Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process when Opened
NOTE: Folders open in the same process as each other, in the same instance to the process that provides the Shell. This is the default setting.
A) Uncheck the Launch folder windows in a separate process box. (See screenshot below step 4)

4. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

OPTION THREE

Using a REG File Download

1. To Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process when Opened
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.

Launch_Folder_Windows_in_Separate_Process.reg

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Not Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process when Opened
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
NOTE: This is the default setting.

Not_Launch_Folder_Windows_in_Separate_Process.reg

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the desktop.

4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes, Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. If open, close and reopen Windows Explorer to see the changes.
NOTE: If you do not see a change, then log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn

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**NormCameron** · 11-10-2008

Another spot-on effort brink. Great Tutorial

**Brink** · 11-10-2008

Thank you Norm.

dew1 · 05-16-2009

thank you , Always a creative

**JoHn87** · 05-09-2010

cheers. I'm trying it for a few days.

So this has no benefit in performance(but does it help, if you got more RAM or not? or better cpu??)

**Brink** · 05-09-2010

Hello John,

Say you have multiple Windows Explorer windows opened with all of then opened and using the same process (ex: explorer.exe in Task Manager Processes tab), and if that explorer.exe should crash or freeze, then all of these multiple Windows Explorer windows running under this process will as well.

Say instead you have one Windows Explorer window opened in one explorer.exe process and open another Windows Explorer window with a new explorer.exe process, and if one of those explorer.exe processes crashes, then the other one will not be affected by it. No performance benefit with this other than more redunancy and reliability. Think of it how Internet Explorer does this with mulitple tabs. This is why you see multiple iexplorer.exe processes entries in Task Manager. One for each tab + Internet Explorer itself. If one tab should crash, the other ones still work and you just need to close the crashed one.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**JoHn87** · 05-17-2010

thanks for the explanation brink.

Quote:

This can increase the stability of Windows 7 by opening every folder in a separate part of memory. Use this setting if your computer frequently crashes, and you are trying to minimize problems or troubleshoot. Be aware, however, that doing this could slow down the performance of your computer.

After trying it for a week, it's slow my PC, had some freezes, and long loading time on opening explorer.exe

Just like you said it would.

Everything back to normal, after unchecking it.

**Brink** · 05-17-2010

Hello John,

Well, it was worth a try I suppose.

**aaaaaa** · 07-22-2010

Has anyone actually tried this and looked at the task list? I never see more than two explorer.exe's running, no matter what I try. Can anyone confirm? Screenshots would be cool too.

**Brink** · 07-22-2010

Hello A, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It's confirmed. You can see screenshots of two explorer.exe processes opened in the yellow TIP box at the top of the tutorial.

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