EX_ files are but compressed or zipped executable (EXE) files that were created using different installation archiving utilities. When compressing an executable file, some archiving utilities will rename the EXE to EX_ but once a user decompresses the file, it will be renamed back to its original file extension which is EXE.
EX_ files are actually associated with the Microsoft Windows operating system. Thus, EX_ files are compressed installation or executable files of programs that can be installed in the Windows platform. Aside from the compression part, the major difference between an EX_ file and an EXE file is the fact that some EXE files are the executable file for an already installed application while an EX_ file is solely an installation file. Thus, when a user sees an EX_ file, it is most likely an installer in a compressed format rather than an executable file for an installed application.
The underscore (_) following any truncated file extensions mostly mean that the file is a compressed version of the file too. For example, a SY_ file is but a compressed SYS file and a DL_ file is a compressed DLL file. This structure works normally in a Windows platform. Compressing files is of course useful to save space and for a faster distribution especially online. This works well for executable files which are sometimes large in disk size.
Since EX_ files are executable files in a compressed format and run in Windows platform, only Microsoft Windows operating system can open the file by executing it in the system.
