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View Invisible Windows with Unhider
Posted by Adam Pash at 4:00 AM on April 16, 2008
Windows only: Freeware application Unhider re-displays invisible applications in the wake of a system error—like a Windows Explorer crash—after which some of your application windows remain hidden. If you've been using Windows for any amount of time, you've probably experienced a situation similar to this. Rather than begrudgingly quitting the application you're unable to access and losing the work you've done, fire up Unhider and it'll make your window visible again. It's not an app you're likely to use everyday, but you'll be glad you have it when the time comes. Unhider is freeware, Windows only.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
philosopher_dog
Posted 4:22 AM 16/4/08
Better to just use cntrl alt del and kill explorer.exe from taskmanager, processes tab. Then just run explorer.exe again from I think it's the file menu of task manager. You should be able to get it by just typing explorer.
philosopher_dog
VizionQuest
Posted 4:18 AM 16/4/08
[www.tomuse.com]
Could have used this when I had Window Me, worst OS ever!
ToMuse.com
VizionQuest
Deadman36g
Posted 4:15 AM 16/4/08
I have never lost a window with an explorer.exe crash but what does happen is a lose my systray icons (the app will still be running, but no icon letting me know) will this fix that?
Deadman36g
Fairy Princess
Posted 5:23 AM 16/4/08
* unhide any window minimized to tray which icon is absent after crashing of Windows Explorer process
(From unhider front page under benifits)
so yes Deadman36g seams it should fix it
Fairy Princess
Fierock
Posted 7:00 AM 16/4/08
Why not just alt+tab to the invisible app?
Fierock
zkent
Posted 6:36 AM 16/4/08
I have a dual monitor config for my laptop at work (side by side) but a different config at home (top and bottom) and I am always losing windows that open off screen. Does this help with windows off-screen?
zkent
tastyfoot
Posted 7:24 AM 16/4/08
@Fierock: Nope, this will bring back your taskbar and everything.
Just run explorer.exe.
tastyfoot
Fierock
Posted 7:04 AM 16/4/08
@philosopher_dog: doesn't that just open Windows explorer (ie the folder browser, not explorer.exe process)?
When I kill explorer.exe (which on my company laptop is required often, I have to log off in order to get my taskbar back - I've always wondered how to restart it manually.
Fierock
vfreak
Posted 8:24 AM 16/4/08
Yeah, I just Alt+Tab. And start explorer from Ctrl+Alt+Delete once again.
vfreak
kookoobirdz
Posted 9:15 AM 16/4/08
This seems unnecessary. If you don't feel like restarting the shell, you can Alt+Tab between programs. Maybe they're fixing some problem I've never had but I don't thinks so.
If you do want to restart the shell, your problem is that you have no icons, taskbar, or start button to click on to take any actions. But you can Ctrl+Alt+Delete or Alt+Shift+Escape (for some reason I think I remember the latter is necessary in certain situations) to bring up the process window.
In that, you go to File > New Task (Run...) and type explorer.exe and you're back in business.
kookoobirdz
salmonmoose
Posted 2:52 PM 16/4/08
@zkent:
Alt-Space then M, then tap an arrow key.
The window will "stick" to your mouse.
salmonmoose
adam33777
Posted 3:10 PM 16/4/08
@Zkent
Just right click the app in the taskbar anc click Move. Then use the arrow keys (left or right probably) till it comes on screen.
just saw salmon moooses comment, same thing just with keyoard....
adam33777
2kreative
Posted 8:34 PM 16/4/08
[www.2kreative.com]
@Fierock: See image for visual
Woo a use for the thumbs that doesn't fall into the spam category!
2kreative
Fierock
Posted 2:30 AM 17/4/08
@2kreative: thanks - I experimented by killing explorer.exe and restarting it this way, and also just using the file menu.
It seems to work fine when I close explorer.exe myself, but whenever it crashes I can never get it to restart (for every PC I can remember owning) - next time I'll try your way, but I think the problem lies deeper.
Fierock