Win 11 Pro not letting me download Explorer Patcher update

GerryPeters · Sep 12, 2024

There are several files that Win 11 thinks are viruses that aren't. I installed Explorer patcher and love it. I downloaded it to my Win 10 computer originally and it let me install it on my Win 11.. I wish I could reign in Win 11. It's way over protective

glasskuter · Sep 12, 2024

You have to exclude the EP installation file before installing. Then exclude EP folder in Windows Security after install.

Add an exclusion to Windows Security - Microsoft Support

Find out how to stop Windows Security from alerting you about or blocking a trusted file, file type, or process, by adding it to the exclusions list.

support.microsoft.com

Ghot · Sep 12, 2024

If Defender is as touchy as Bitdefender, you need to add the exclusion BEFORE you download it.

1. Download it, then open up Defender an add an exclusion for it.
2. Then delete the file you downloaded.
3. Then download it again.

I use Bitdefender. It didn't give me a chance to add an exclusion.
It claimed to "disinfect" it in about a millisecond.

Keep in mind that the latest version has TONS of hits on Virustotal.com
It may actually BE infected.
Try an earlier version?

It might also just be a TON of false positives.

Ghot · Sep 12, 2024

@GerryPeters

This was posted yesterday...

MS has flagged Explorer-Patcher as malware

Windows Defender and most other AV tools now report ep-setup.exe as malware (MS seems to have told all the AV vendors to block it). This is really unacceptable - it's not damaging anything. Anyone got any means of contacting the MS Defender folks and get them to back off from this position. David

www.elevenforum.com

Virustotal Results...

Here's an older (much cleaner), version... even Bitdefender likes this one.

Release 22621.3296.64.2 · valinet/ExplorerPatcher

Tested on OS builds 22000.2538, 22621.1992, 22621.3155, 22621.3235, 22621.3296, 25951.1000, and 26058.1000. 1 Taskbar10: Fixed a bug where SCOOBE would repeatedly crash Explorer when Language Swit...

github.com

Virustotal results...

antspants · Sep 12, 2024

GerryPeters said:
There are several files that Win 11 thinks are viruses that aren't.

What are the ”several” files, Gerry?

GerryPeters said:
I wish I could reign in Win 11. It's way over protective

Get a virus and then you would say that Defender didn't adequately protect you.
Microsoft Defender doesn’t know what you deem to be safe or what you are comfortable installing or downloading, It simply protects you. It would be irresponsible if it did anything else. Once you learn how to exclude, you’ll be happier.

@glasskuter linked you to a tutorial, it isn’t a complicated tutorial. It’s all a learning process.
It isn’t Windows 10, correct, but Windows 10 wasn’t easy when people upgraded from 8.1, anyone that says it was problem free isn’t being honest. If it was problem free, there wouldn’t be a TenForums.

GerryPeters · Sep 13, 2024

I'm glad you told me about exclusions, maybe I can get it to stop it on other files I have that are about 20 years old that never caused any problems that are definitely safe.

As a precaution, I've made image files of all 6 of my computers and have so, for as long as image files have been in use. I also nightly back up files on my 6 networked computers. To my knowledge, I've never had a computer virus that infected my computers and caused problems. Just stupid adware stuff.

Whenever I download a free program I always run the custom install that usually allows you to uncheck installing useless stuff. When In doubt after an install I check Control Panel Programs to see if something else installed.

Kees · Sep 13, 2024

GerryPeters said:
Whenever I download a free program I always run the custom install that usually allows you to uncheck installing useless stuff.

Whenever I download a free program, I always test it first in my VirtualBox Windows 11 environment. Most of the free programs are rubbish anyway, but leave a lot of rubbish in the registry after removing it (I know, could remove that too by Revo uninstaller). In the testenvironment the only thing I have to do is stop the app and reset it to the last snapshot. Gone is the tested program...

I really can recommend you to use such a method too, for testing apps (free or payed).

GerryPeters · Sep 13, 2024

I added Explorer Patcher to the exclusion list and it worked perfectly.

I did find a very old but useful file that was put into quarantine. I clicked on restore, but it didn't restore it. It's fine to put something in quarantine, but it should be able to be restored. Are there other options for restoring it?

spapakons · Sep 13, 2024

Today I tried to update Explorer Patcher in my Fujitsu Stylistic Q702 laptop and Windows Defender stopped the update stating a threat found. I didn't lose time to investigate a false positive or adding an exclusion. I just disabled Windows Defender, installed the update and enabled it again. As simple as it gets.

GerryPeters · Sep 13, 2024

I hope Defender doesn't delete the program. If it does, you'll need to add the exclusion. Let us know - thanks

antspants · Sep 13, 2024

GerryPeters said:
I hope Defender doesn't delete the program. If it does, you'll need to add the exclusion. Let us know - thanks

I believe it’s the installer, not the program, Gerry

GerryPeters · Sep 13, 2024

you're right, it was Malwarebytes that got rid of a program and I had to get it to restore it

spapakons · Sep 13, 2024

No, it doesn't uninstall Explorer Patcher. It simply blocks the update and moves ep-setup.exe to quarantine. Disabling Windows Defender (or third-party Antivirus) and try the update again it succeeds.

Fabler2 · Sep 13, 2024

That's why I like DefenderUI. Makes life a little bit easier,

hdmi · Sep 14, 2024

spapakons said:
No, it doesn't uninstall Explorer Patcher. It simply blocks the update and moves ep-setup.exe to quarantine. Disabling Windows Defender (or third-party Antivirus) and try the update again it succeeds.

No, you also need to add multiple other exclusions besides your download location of the file ep-setup.exe like I have explained in my post.

cheaterslick · Sep 14, 2024

Is this really so infected with malware?

Or is this some kind of ploy to get people not to use it? :think:

hdmi · Sep 14, 2024

cheaterslick said:
Is this really so infected with malware?

Or is this some kind of ploy to get people not to use it?

The latter.

spapakons · Sep 14, 2024

hdmi said:
No, you also need to add multiple other exclusions besides your download location of the file ep-setup.exe like I have explained in my post.

I hadn't updated Windows 11 in my Fujitsu, it was build 22631.4037 Maybe if I install all the updates Windows Defender stops giving false positives. If it doesn't, I will consider adding the exclusions. This was the first time I ever saw a false positive for Explorer Patcher. It never did that before. The truth is we were about to watch a movie and I didn't want to invest time to fix Explorer Patcher. So I disabled Defender, updated Explorer Patcher, just in case, and we could start watching. In the past I had issues because of outdated Explorer Patcher.

cheaterslick · Sep 14, 2024

hdmi said:
The latter.

I figured as much. Microsoft directly or indirectly attacking it with malware. More of their attempts to control people.

Well we're not giving in. Where there's a will, there's a way. Some people will play cat & mouse, no doubt.