pctechguide.com

  • Home
  • Guides
  • Tutorials
  • Articles
  • Reviews
  • Glossary
  • Contact

Kill Running Process on Computer

Method #1: There are many ways to kill an active process, and in this article we will examine some of the most common and effective approaches to achieve this task. When deciding to end a process, especially during a time when your system is compromised with a malware infection, be sure that you are ending the correct process, as problems can arise and make the situation worse. The first, and most common method is to use the task manager. There are several ways to bring up task manager. One method is to right click on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen and click the option that says “Task Manager”. The second method is to hit CTRL+ALT+DEL, and again, select the “Task Manager” option. The third method is to hit the Start Button, Run, type “taskmgr” and hit enter.

After clicking the “End Process” button, using the above method will prompt the user with the dialog box shown below. Once again, make sure that you are shutting down the correct process.

Sometimes, during a malware infection, Task Manager will be disabled. One method of fixing this (but it doesn’t work every time) is to use Start>Run, and use the following command to re-enable use of Task Manager:

REG add HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem /v DisableTaskMgr /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Method #2: The second method is geared towards the more technically savvy, however it should be noted that this option only works with Windows XP Pro through Windows 7. The commandline is generally the same for this method, regardless of which version of windows you’re running. After bringing up the command prompt or the Start>Run feature (cmd.exe), the user can make use of a feature in windows called TaskKill. This allows the user to kill any active process and subsequent child processes. Below are the details of the commandline for taskkill.exe.

The quickest, and easiest option is to use the /F parameter along with /IM and the name of the process you want to terminiate. /F forces the process to unload immediately, which can be handy if recovery is time sensitive. /IM allows the user to specify which process they would like to terminiate, and even allows for wildcard matching, which allows multiple offending processes to be shut down from one commandline parameter.

Method #3: Another method (if the computer requires a restart and the process is still active) is to use msconfig from either Start>Run or the commandline. After MSConfig starts, the processes can sometimes be prevented from starting up by disabling them from the “Startup” tab. After rebooting, the process will no longer be active.

Method #4: Sometimes, a process that you want to terminate can be rather stubborn, and none of the above options work. There are several applications that you can download from the internet that will allow you to do the same thing as Task Manager in the event that access to taskmgr.exe has been blocked. One of these applications is called Process Killer, and below is a screenshot of it in action.

Process Killer not only serves the same function as Task Manager, but it also provides the user with a little more information about what’s happening with each process.

Method #5: As a last case resort, if a particular process refuses to shut down under any circumstance, it has most likely been installed as a service. Running services.msc from the Start>Run area will bring up the Windows Services snap-in management console. It is strongly recommended that you only use this as a last resort, because terminating the wrong service can cause all manner of strange and undesirable effects on your system. If services.msc doesn’t work in windows normal mode, usually it will work if you run it in safe mode. Below is a screenshot of the snap-in management console.

Conclusion

Getting a process to end can sometimes be a headache, but using one of the above methods is guarunteed to help put an end to those minor annoyances, especially during a malware infection. While there are a few other methods to kill a running process, these are the easiest, and often most effective methods to use when the need arises.

  • Computer Security

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Computer Security

Latest Articles

Navigating the Internet’s VPN Chaos

You don’t have to be a black hat hacker or a dark web dweller to appreciate the benefits of online anonymity. According to a poll from Pew, a plurality of Americans are more concerned about their privacy than ever. Around 57% of Americans don’t want the government monitoring private citizens and the … [Read More...]

Here are Some of the Many Ways you Can Speed up your Internet when Working From Home

Slow computers are an underdiscussed crisis in the developed world. According to one study, 66% of Americans report that having a slow computer is one of their biggest frustrations. The average person wastes an average of 16 minutes a day waiting for their computer to load. Other polls suggest that … [Read More...]

Preparation Strategies to Score Well in Oracle 1Z0-808 Exam

Oracle 1Z0-808 is a highly valuable test that is recognized globally. It is an Oracle certification exam that is not easy to pass. Proper preparation using the best resources is the only way to excel in it. Thus, you are preparing to take the Oracle 1Z0-808 exam. Well, that’s one of the best … [Read More...]

Artificial Intelligence is Shaping the Solar Energy Field

The global market for solar power is expected to be worth $194.75 billion by 2027. As demand for solar energy solutions rises, solar product … [Read More...]

9 More Great Microsoft Word Hacks to Boost Productivity

We mentioned a few great Microsoft Word hacks in our last post. We wanted to follow up and share some more that can help improve productivity. … [Read More...]

7 Great Microsoft Word Hacks to Bolster Productivity

Today we are going to show you 24 Word tricks to get the most out of this text editor. Although there are many alternatives, Word is still the tool … [Read More...]

The Growing Importance of AI in Forestry Preservation

Artificial Intelligence as a key to environmental and forest industry preservation There are different types of Artificial Intelligence. On the one … [Read More...]

Machine Learning: the Future of the Hotel Industry

Do you operate a hotel chain and want to calculate budgets automatically? Does your hotel need to predict next week's purchase orders or how many … [Read More...]

5 Pieces of Technology to Boost Your Business in 2021

Let’s face it; running a business is not usually easy. Whether you are self-employed and running your own one-person operation or employing many … [Read More...]

Guides

  • Computer Communications
  • Mobile Computing
  • PC Components
  • PC Data Storage
  • PC Input-Output
  • PC Multimedia
  • Processors (CPUs)

Recent Posts

Page Description Languages

Communication between a computer and a printer is very different today to what it was several years ago. Text was sent … [Read More...]

How Good Schema Design Helps Keep Your SQL Server Secure

SQL Server is made to help users manage and easily access important data about their applications and systems, which is exactly why it’s essential to … [Read More...]

HDD Regenerator Review

HDD Regenerator HDD Regenerator is a program that is needed by all data recovery professionals. It's not really meant to recover files, but it is … [Read More...]

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2021 About | Privacy | Contact Information | Wrtie For Us | Disclaimer | Copyright License | Authors