Cannot Start Task Manager

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nancy
  • Start date Start date
N

Nancy

When I type:
Ctrl + Alt + Del to open Task Manager a Windows Security window
pops up with the "Lock Computer", "Log off" and "Shut Down" but
the Task Manager button is grayed out.
It always worked in the past.
I'm running Windows 2000 Server and logged in as administrator.
Does anyone know how I might fix this?
I really need Task Manager so any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you

Nancy
 
Nancy said:
When I type:
Ctrl + Alt + Del to open Task Manager a Windows Security window pops up
with the "Lock Computer", "Log off" and "Shut Down" but the Task Manager
button is grayed out.
It always worked in the past.
I'm running Windows 2000 Server and logged in as administrator.
Does anyone know how I might fix this?
I really need Task Manager so any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you

Nancy
Click to expand...

The Task Manager is just a humble executable file. Open a Command Prompt and
type the command taskmgr.exe so that you can see why it won't launch.
 
Check the following values if they exist are;


HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
""DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
""DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy
Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
"DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
"DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
"DisableCAD"=0



--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
 
I tried to run TaskMgr.exe buy clicking on it in its directory
and this popped up: "Task Manager has been disabled by your
Administrator"

So I tried running Regedit as you suggested and got the same
thing.

I am the administrator and am not on a network. Just a home user
with no one else using it except for a friend who was messing
with the Services the other day.

So I'm assuming that a service has been disabled but I cannot
figure out which service.
I have been spending a lot of time reading about user accounts,
file permissions, etc. but not finding how to enable these
programs.

Any suggestions will be welcome. Thank you.
(I'm running Windows 2000 Server)

Nancy

--------------------------------------

Check the following values if they exist are;


HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
""DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
""DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy
Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
"DisableTaskMgr"=0
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
"DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
"DisableCAD"=0

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


Nancy said:
When I type:
Ctrl + Alt + Del to open Task Manager a Windows Security
window pops up with the "Lock Computer", "Log off" and "Shut
Down" but the Task Manager button is grayed out.
It always worked in the past.
I'm running Windows 2000 Server and logged in as
administrator.
Does anyone know how I might fix this?
I really need Task Manager so any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you

Nancy
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
You could download LocalSystem.zip from http://assarbad.info/en/stuff and
use it to launch a Command Shell under the System account. When you then
launch regedit.exe from this shell then you may be able to check the
registry entries that Dave mentioned. After you've resolved your problem,
consider restricting the access you give to your friends for your computer.


Nancy said:
I tried to run TaskMgr.exe buy clicking on it in its directory and this
popped up: "Task Manager has been disabled by your Administrator"

So I tried running Regedit as you suggested and got the same thing.

I am the administrator and am not on a network. Just a home user with no
one else using it except for a friend who was messing with the Services
the other day.

So I'm assuming that a service has been disabled but I cannot figure out
which service.
I have been spending a lot of time reading about user accounts, file
permissions, etc. but not finding how to enable these programs.

Any suggestions will be welcome. Thank you.
(I'm running Windows 2000 Server)

Nancy

--------------------------------------

Check the following values if they exist are;


HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
""DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
""DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy
Objects\LocalUser\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
"DisableTaskMgr"=0
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
"DisableTaskMgr"=0

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
"DisableCAD"=0

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect


Nancy said:
When I type:
Ctrl + Alt + Del to open Task Manager a Windows Security window pops up
with the "Lock Computer", "Log off" and "Shut Down" but the Task Manager
button is grayed out.
It always worked in the past.
I'm running Windows 2000 Server and logged in as administrator.
Does anyone know how I might fix this?
I really need Task Manager so any suggestions are appreciated.

Thank you

Nancy
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Use the Group policy editor
%systemroot%\system32\gpedit.msc
User Config\Admin Templates\System\Prevent Access To registry Editing
Tools="Not Configured"

(usually spyware/ junkware that sets this Reg_Dword decimal value to 1)
DisableRegistryTools
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Window­s\CurrentVersion\Policies\System



--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
 
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