There are multiple instances of explorer.exe running in task manager (currently 7), each one using between 10-40MB of memory.

Open file location, in any non explorer.exe software causes this glitch each time!!!

 (I am aware of the other problem with this regarding the taskbar buttons and what not but i believe the solution would be basicly the same and im not elaborating on that problem because I dont know much about that one as its not the problem that affected me)

So I google search, i came across the first few results, mostly forum and it was this page that mentioned the using utorrent and "open file location" command as each time it is an additional explorer.exe in the task manager suddenly using about 10,000kb of memory in each of the additionals as a result. I put 2 and 2 together realizing just a few minutes previously upon downloading a file in firefox browser i used the "open file location" option that is so popular of a command nowadays. why i had in fact done it twice and with 3 explorer.exe running in my windows 7 I killed the processes of low memory which would obviously merit low importance in comparison to the main 26,000kb process. I had a hunch. the largest would be the main so dont kill that one. it is quite simple I tested my theory that using the command opens an additional explorer.exe and this holds true in windows 7 each time you do it when you use the "open file location" command in any 3rd party software such as utorrent or firefox.exe, atleast as i have tested this in task manager itself using the "open file location" command and it appears windows recognizes itself and prevents the extrenuous process from running at all. Basicly if you use the command "open file location" with any 3rd party program or perhaps even any program other than explorer.exe itself it will cause the additional processes to appear and even "hang" around in the background so to speak after closing the explorer window in question. 

With 5 minutes of research and 30 seconds of thinking from a somewhat computer literate average individual like myself I have found the solution and the most likely cause of the problem that everyone is missing, I have one upped the tech support engineers all of them that Ive ever seen online or met. none had an explanation, yet the answer being quite simple indeed.I hope this helps everyone across all forums those I have seen.  (Dont worry if you kill the main explorer.exe that runs normally windows automatically  reboots the main explorer.exe process upon termination. you will barely notice it actually.)

Open file location, in any non explorer.exe software causes this glitch each time!!!

 (I am aware of the other problem with this regarding the taskbar buttons and what not but i believe the solution would be basicly the same and im not elaborating on that problem because I dont know much about that one as its not the problem that affected me)

So I google search, i came across the first few results, mostly forum and it was this page that mentioned the using utorrent and "open file location" command as each time it is an additional explorer.exe in the task manager suddenly using about 10,000kb of memory in each of the additionals as a result. I put 2 and 2 together realizing just a few minutes previously upon downloading a file in firefox browser i used the "open file location" option that is so popular of a command nowadays. why i had in fact done it twice and with 3 explorer.exe running in my windows 7 I killed the processes of low memory which would obviously merit low importance in comparison to the main 26,000kb process. I had a hunch. the largest would be the main so dont kill that one. it is quite simple I tested my theory that using the command opens an additional explorer.exe and this holds true in windows 7 each time you do it when you use the "open file location" command in any 3rd party software such as utorrent or firefox.exe, atleast as i have tested this in task manager itself using the "open file location" command and it appears windows recognizes itself and prevents the extrenuous process from running at all. Basicly if you use the command "open file location" with any 3rd party program or perhaps even any program other than explorer.exe itself it will cause the additional processes to appear and even "hang" around in the background so to speak after closing the explorer window in question. 

With 5 minutes of research and 30 seconds of thinking from a somewhat computer literate average individual like myself I have found the solution and the most likely cause of the problem that everyone is missing, I have one upped the tech support engineers all of them that Ive ever seen online or met. none had an explanation, yet the answer being quite simple indeed.I hope this helps everyone across all forums those I have seen.  (Dont worry if you kill the main explorer.exe that runs normally windows automatically  reboots the main explorer.exe process upon termination. you will barely notice it actually.)

I'm having a variant of this one, I have 22 examples of explorer.exe runnind in task manager. 20 of them are located in C:\Windows\winsxs . This is in Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit with sp1 recently added. You're the expert- suppose you tell me how all those came to be in there and how to fix the problem.

Dave KAHUNA Binko

I had the same problem as Zardos99 and others here and did exactly what Zardos99 suggested and it fixed my issues as well, I don't like the explorer going to the libraries either.

Also the Firefox bug and the utorrent bug are temporary, when I close the windows and also when I close the programs, the extra instances of explorer went away, but on the shortcut issue, it wouldn't. Until I did Zardos99's fix then all was good.

This worked fine for a while then IE9 broght it back again, when I updated to it., also when you update to IE9 you can''t go back to IE8, when you try to it says it isn't compatible with the current O/S, funny M$ never said that you couldn't revert back to IE8 when updating to the newer one. This is for Windows 7 any version.

Also IE9 causes another issue on the update, after a while you will notice the copy and paste function on your system go haywire as well. The solution I found to fix this is this, if you have Firefox, then you can correct this with no problems, if not get it.

Here is what to do, uninstall the IE9 update, then use Firefox to visit M$ to redownload IE9, and reinstall it, it should go to the programs this time, but importantly, do not get it again from the update program, or you will keep on having the same issue. I found when I done this, my explorer problems went away again, and the pain in the neck copy and paste problems went away as well.

The reason I gave this, is Windows 7 uses IE for the updates no matter what browser you use for your default, and when IE9 goes whacky it affects everything. Including the updates.

I hope this helps others as well, so far it has been a few months since I did this and everything is running good. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Vulcan