.EX_ File Extension
Renamed Windows Executable File
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Popularity |
3.8 | 54 Votes |
What is an EX_ file?
An EX_ file is a Windows executable file renamed from ".exe" to ".ex_". It contains the exact contents of an .EXE file. EX_ files are commonly found on installation CDs, where the installer must first rename the file before executing it.
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Renamed EX_ files are useful for preventing accidental or unwanted execution in Windows. For example, if the user accidentally double-clicks the file, it will not execute by default.
To make an EX_ file executable, rename the ".ex_" extension to ".exe". You can now double-click the file like any other EXE file.
Programs that open or reference EX_ files
Compressed Executable File
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Popularity |
3.7 | 19 Votes |
An EX_ file may also be a Windows executable (.EXE) file compressed using some form of compression and renamed from ".exe" to ".ex_." EX_ files are used to decrease the size of EXE files so they can be included on software installation CDs and other space-limited external media. Users must decompress EX_ files using the Windows Command Prompt's expand command to transform them into installable EXE files.
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EX_ files are commonly created using Makecab, a file compression utility included with Windows. Here is example syntax for creating the file program.ex_ from the file program.exe:
makecab program.exe
How to open an EX_ file
EX_ files created with Makecab can be decompressed back to their original form using the expand.exe command included with Windows. The program uses the following syntax:
expand program.ex_ program.exe
After expanding your EX_ file to an EXE file, you can double-click the EXE file to install the program it contains.