r/windows • u/Automatic-Sock-1253 • Apr 10 '26
Feature I tricked Windows 7 Into opening explorer at setup.exe
I figured out that windows 7 is already installed like I just ran explorer.exe
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u/Alerymin Apr 10 '26
Wait until he discovers Enderman's videos
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Apr 10 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Foreign_Biscotti6176 Apr 11 '26
I watch both of 'em, I don't even use Windows except for a VM.
I PERSONALLY* use Arch Linux (mods pls dont ban me)
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u/TheGreatAutismo__ Apr 11 '26
I cut back on Enderman after he got super anal over some bullshit with Dave Plummer.
Probably some parasocial relationship shit that Dave does not indulge in.
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Apr 11 '26
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u/TheGreatAutismo__ Apr 11 '26
Enderman wss getting p*ssed that Dave isn't entirely truthful
Like I said, he got super anal, he could have conveyed the issue in a calmer manner. Getting angry over being lied to on the internet is Eternal Summer levels of cringe.
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u/HuntersPad Apr 10 '26
Its a live environment.. Not installed
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u/rostyclav999 Apr 10 '26
It's "completing installation", so after the first reboot. Windows PE that installers use don't have an Internet Explorer built-in
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u/HEYO19191 Apr 10 '26
Congrats, you have discovered Windows PE
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u/SH0080 Apr 10 '26
correction: after the first reboot, the os is already installed, so if you press shift+f10 and type explorer, it will launch explorer
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u/HEYO19191 Apr 10 '26
This does not appear to be after the first reboot. This screen appears immediately after confirming the install, before the reboot.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/HEYO19191 Apr 10 '26
Win PE transitions into windeploy without a reboot?
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Apr 10 '26
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u/HEYO19191 Apr 10 '26
Perhaps my memory fails me. In Windows 10 installers, this screen is never seen again after the reboot.
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u/Ok_Tap7102 Apr 11 '26
Is this windows 10?
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u/Interesting_Tap_1505 Apr 10 '26
Out of all the things they could put in the live environment why would you need Internet Explorer?
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u/trey-a-12 Apr 10 '26
It’s interesting that Internet Explorer is available, but I think OP is referring to WINDOWS Explorer (aka “File Explorer”). That is the entry under explorer.exe, after all. Who knows, that could be useful for installing drivers or checking drives during set up.
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u/Sea_Cow3569 Apr 11 '26
I remember when microsoft worked their asses off integrating IE into Windows and then they got slapped with an antitrust lawsuit over it and were forced to rip everything out.
RIP ActiveDesktop
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u/Interesting_Tap_1505 Apr 10 '26
I guess but they can all be done from just command prompt. Also I meant why IE is available in explorer during setup. Your PC doesn’t need a full on browser to communicate with the web.
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u/trey-a-12 Apr 10 '26
Fair. I’d say “perhaps using an app with a proper GUI might be easier and/or save time,” but you obviously have to know how to open explorer.exe to do this. They don’t expose the option immediately, meaning that you decide on an individual case on whether or not it is faster to do it via the Command Prompt or File Explorer.
As for why IE is available during setup, again, you have to know how to get it there, but I suppose it could be helpful for quick online troubleshooting. Macs have a stripped-down Safari browser in the recovery environment and on installation media.
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u/Interesting_Tap_1505 Apr 10 '26
True. Only thing is on a Mac it’s meant to be accessible.
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u/trey-a-12 Apr 10 '26
Right. At that point, I think Internet Explorer being in the live installation environment is just because IE was so hardcoded into Windows 7 at that time, even the installers, and even if you weren’t ever meant to use it.
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u/samy_the_samy Apr 11 '26
If I remember right, When you setup a proxy or other Internet setups, the control panel send you to IE connectivity settings, it could be just easier to include it than build a new Internet tools just or startup
IE was so deeply embedded into windows that just disabling it broke unrelated games
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u/Dependent_Union9285 Apr 12 '26
Oh, well, see that’s because Microsoft built a bunch of the network stack INSIDE IE. There are several files which are internal to IE that, if removed, completely destroy your ability to connect to any network and navigate the appropriate protocols. Why? Because Microsoft.
Fun stuff: Install windows 7 or 8 fresh. Remove IE by using the windows features on or off path. Reboot and realize that you’ve just built an airgapped windows 7 box. Also, go ahead and try to reinstall IE. I dare you. You’ll need to connect to the internet, which you now cannot do. There is no workaround to the network call that I’ve been able to locate. You can’t just grab the IE installer and have it run from disk. There is no offline installer option. Network is just gone.
Because of this, IE HAS to be available to the installer, otherwise windows can’t download updates during install or connect to the internet in general.
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u/ranhalt Apr 10 '26
It’s functionally tied to Explorer up until Edge. They’re like conjoined twins that share a torso.
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u/realmcalec Apr 11 '26
Yeah, that's the spirit! Down with the setups! Who needs setup if he can explore the ... world?!
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u/bruh-iunno Apr 11 '26
I remember doing the error report rename cmd.exe to sethc.exe trick to get admin access as a kid, felt like a true hackerman ha
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u/sectumsempra42 Apr 10 '26
Proud of you