Windows Task Manager

[Andrew Nicholson]

In the past I have been able to access Windows Task Manager either by
pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete or right clicking on the Task Bar and then left
clicking on the Task Bar entry. Today however, I cant get into the Task
Manager with either method.
What have I done to cause this but more importantly how do I resolve the
problem?
Andrew

 

[Wesley Vogel]

To start the Task Manager...

Ctrl + Alt + Delete
or
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
or
Right click the Taskbar | Task Manager
or
Start | Run | Type: taskmgr | Click OK

Ctrl + Alt + Delete opens the Windows Security window if the Welcome screen
is turned off.

When you open Task Manager, it flashes for a second and quits.

This symptom is caused by viruses.

Task Manager, MSCONFIG, or REGEDIT disappear while opening
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/ToolsQuit.htm

If you get an error message: Task Manager has been disabled by your
administrator.

Error Message: "Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator"
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Taskmanager_error.htm

Enable/Disable Task Manager
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_taskmgrenab.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Andrew Nicholson]

Hi Wes,
Both "regedit & msconfig" open normally. I have scanned with AVG (latest
definitions), nothing found.
I tried Start|Run|Typed: taskmgr................response, taskmgr could
not be found.
Trying all the options for starting the Task Manager, doesn't cause a
flicker, it doesn't attempt to start.
Installed software Grisoft's AVG Antivirus 7.1.375, ZoneAlarm version
6.1.737.000, CounterSpy 1.5, Spyware Doctor 3.5.0.478
Andrew

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Andrew,

taskmgr.exe is the Task Manager.

Will this start the Task Manager?
Start | Run | Paste the following line into the box and click OK...

%windir%\system32\taskmgr.exe

Does taskmgr.exe exist in these two folders?
C:\WINDOWS\system32
and
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache

If taskmgr.exe is missing from C:\WINDOWS\system32 but exists in
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache.

Copy taskmgr.exe from C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache and paste it into
C:\WINDOWS\system32.

If taskmgr.exe is missing from both folders...

Run the System File Checker, sfc.exe. Sfc replaces bad files.

Load your XP CD in your CD drive.

Start | Run | Type or paste: sfc /scannow | Click OK

It should take a while to run.

If that doesn't work we can replace taskmgr.exe another way.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Andrew Nicholson]

I ran the small programme given in
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_taskmgrenab.htm, no change.
Then searched for Taskmgr and found that there was a copy of taskmger.exe in
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 but was not in the C:\Windows\system32. I
copied this file into C:\Windows\system32 and Windows Task Manager is now
operable.
What caused this problem to occur I will probably never know, I'm just
pleased that I was able to resolve the situation.
Andrew

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Hi Andrew,

You're correct, we may never know what caused it.

Glad you got it worked out. Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In