Extracting a file from the WinSxS folder

2

1

Specifically, I'd like to get the file explorer.exe of version 6.3.9600.17238 (from Windows 8.1 Update 1). I have the following file on my system:

C:\Windows\WinSxS\wow64_microsoft-windows-explorer_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9600.17238_none_4d01a98581e82d4f\explorer.exe

But it looks like some kind of diff, it's only 216 KB, while the original file is around 2 MB.

How can I extract the file? Or alternatively, is there another location where I can find this file, locally or online?

I need the file of this specific version for a tool I'm developing. Not in order to repair an OS installation.

Paul

Posted 2015-04-17T14:20:08.817

Reputation: 1 022

What version of IE are you trying to fix exactly? What version of Windows are you using? If you are using Windows 8 this is extremely easy to fix. – Ramhound – 2015-04-17T14:45:06.827

@Ramhound it's not IE (iexplore.exe), it's the File Explorer. I don't try to fix anything, I need that specific version for some tool I'm developing. I tried to find it online, but no luck. All I found were the file hashes, but that doesn't really help. – Paul – 2015-04-17T14:47:40.263

Of course, you are right. Answer the rest of my question(s). – Ramhound – 2015-04-17T14:49:14.573

@Ramhound It's from Windows 8.1 Update 1, which can be deduced from the file version (6.3.9600 with QFE larger than 17000). – Paul – 2015-04-17T14:50:39.563

I shouldn't have to deduce anything. Update your question to reflect what operating system your using. Are you trying to extract the file so you can repair the installation or do something else entirely? – Ramhound – 2015-04-17T14:53:15.607

@Ramhound I updated the question. – Paul – 2015-04-17T15:02:59.343

So this questions explains how to extract a file from a install.wim image.

– Ramhound – 2015-04-17T15:04:39.493

Use this tool https://github.com/hfiref0x/SXSEXP

– Biswapriyo – 2017-11-17T04:11:01.087

Answers

1

The Explorer.exe in version 6.3.9600.17238 is part of the August 2014 Update Rollup for Windows 8.1.

You can use the Windows inbox tool expand.exe to expand the MSU and next the CAB file to extract the Explorer.exe:

expand -F:* Windows8.1-KB2975719-x64.msu C:<target_dir>
cd <target_dir>
expand -F:* Windows8.1-KB2975719-x64.cab C:<target_dir>

magicandre1981

Posted 2015-04-17T14:20:08.817

Reputation: 86 560

Awesome, that's exactly what I needed! A couple of questions: 1. How did you find out that the file resides in this particular update package? 2. Is there a list of all explorer.exe versions? I'd like to know which versions between build 17039 and 17238 exist. – Paul – 2015-04-17T21:05:23.987

1I used regedit.exe, opened this key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\ComponentDetect\wow64_microsoft-windows-explorer_31bf3856ad364e35_0.0.0.0_none_dc01e295aea4de26 and here I can see that this version belongs to this KB article. I don't know such a list. – magicandre1981 – 2015-04-18T05:11:50.817

Asked: 2015-04-17T14:20:08.817

Viewed: 1 452 times

Active: 2015-04-17T18:16:31.360