Unhider makes any window visible, even after a crash
Description: Unhider is a program that can reveal/unhide any window(s) that belong to applications and/or process running in the background that are not visible. It can do this for programs that are running but not visible in the wake of a crash.
This is one of those tools that you must download and keep somewhere on your hard drive. You may not use it that often, but when you do need it you will be very thankful that it’s there. It is able to reveal any hidden window, including programs that seem to disappear completely after explorer crashes and are not amenable to being brought back using Windows’ Task Manager.
Imagine the following scenario: you are working on something for more than an hour using program A when Program B crashes, or Windows explorer itself crashes, or for whatever reason the system crashes. Your first reaction is to go to the task manager, find the program or process that is causing the trouble and end it (or in the case of explorer crashing, you end the explorer.exe process, go to the task manager’s ’file’ menu, and run a new instance of explorer).
All good and well, except now the window for Program A is not showing. A quick check with the task manager shows that the process for Program A is indeed running, but you have no access to it. Or it’s showing as an application in the task manager but you are unable to reveal it even when you right-click "switch to" or "bring to front". At this point you are prepared to bite the bullet; you’ve already started thinking about not wasting any more time and simply re-creating any unsaved work. But here’s the good news: Unhider will most likely bring the application window back for you, enabling you to save your work before you restart your computer.
I’ve had this program on my machine for about two weeks, during which time it successfully enabled me to get my applications back from the brink (and saved my skin) three different times. There are other uses for it; here are a few that are listed on the program’s home page:
- Hide any window, for whatever reason (e.g. your boss is coming around)
- View all hidden windows.
The verdict: Unhider is a no-install app that you simply unzip on your hard drive. Download it and keep it in mind: I guarantee that the time with come when you will be very grateful for it.
Version Tested: 1.0.0.1
Compatibility: Windows 9x/2000/XP/Vista.
Go to the program page to download the latest version (approx 104K).
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[…] Windows only: Freeware application Unhider re-displays invisible applications in the wake of a system error—like a Windows Explorer crash—after which some of your application windows remain hidden. If you’ve been using Windows for any amount of time, you’ve probably experienced a situation similar to this. Rather than begrudgingly quitting the application you’re unable to access and losing the work you’ve done, fire up Unhider and it’ll make your window visible again. It’s not an app you’re likely to use everyday, but you’ll be glad you have it when the time comes. Unhider is freeware, Windows only. Unhider [via FreewareGenius] […]
[…] Windows only: Freeware application Unhider re-displays invisible applications in the wake of a system error—like a Windows Explorer crash—after which some of your application windows remain hidden. If you’ve been using Windows for any amount of time, you’ve probably experienced a situation similar to this. Rather than begrudgingly quitting the application you’re unable to access and losing the work you’ve done, fire up Unhider and it’ll make your window visible again. It’s not an app you’re likely to use everyday, but you’ll be glad you have it when the time comes. Unhider is freeware, Windows only. Unhider [via FreewareGenius] […]
NICE!
I like the concept, a great ’stand-by’ tool, now added to my Hard Drive & ‘Tools’ Thumb/Flash Drive, THANKS, again! =)
You should look at a VERY similar program, “WinLister”, from our old friend Nir Sofer, of ‘NirSoft’ - http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/winlister.html
Nir’s seems to provide MUCH more information, including recognizable Icons (missing in ‘UnHider’), plus WinLister is only 23KB vs UnHider’s 216KB (94KB UPX’d) - but I now have TWO great options!
FWIW! =)
Sysinternals Process Explorer. It’s seriously hard to impress when software category has its’ The-Holy-Grail-Level app.
Wherzit.exe (4K)
http://www.bcheck.net/apps/#wherzit
I’ve actually been using this for quite awhile. It’s an extremely useful tool. It has saved me from many issues
[…] Unhider makes any window visible, even after a crash | freewaregenius.com. This definitely looks like a useful tool… […]
I’ve just tried it. It does what it says it does. No installation, simple interface, works great in WinXP x64 (which is rarely the case with way too many apps). Nothing else to add, except to thank Samer for pointing out yet another must-have utility.
Oh, I also decided finally to try out Process Explorer. I’ve heard about it many times, but, for some reason, never got interested enough to test it myself. That The-Holy-Grail-Level is what ultimately persuaded me otherwise
[…] | Freeware Genius Descarga | […]
[…] | Freeware Genius Descarga | […]
[…] | Freeware Genius Descarga | […]
[…] Unhider nos mostrará una lista con todas las aplicaciones y ventanas abiertas, sean visibles o no. […]
[…] Das Programm läuft unter allen gängigen Windows Versionen von 9x bis zu Vista und besteht aus einer kleinen 104 kB großen exe Datei. [via freewaregenius] […]
[…] Unhider makes any window visible, even after a crash Review & Download Link | freewaregenius.com… […]
[…] You know…sometimes, when explorer crashes, your little icons in the taskbar just stop showing up? Their still running…but their not *there*?Well, when that happened, I used to open up task manger, kill em, and restart em. Well…turns out i dont need to do that Unhider shows those programs for you While this is one function of the program, it also lets you show the programs that normally dont show up. Check it out, Unhider […]