Task Manager won't Open - Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7

For Windows XP You can repair the Task Manager quickly and easily with a registry file. Download it and run it, it takes 2 seconds and you don't even have to reboot. After you run the fix, just open the task manager.

Download Task Manager Repair - (Windows XP Only) After downloading, run the file and choose allow changes, then test your task manager. If it still does nothing, check your registry for this path and make sure it is set correctly. To check your registry, follow the steps below.

For Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 you can check your registry for this path and make sure it is set correctly. Follow the steps below to open your task manager.

• For Windows XP - Go to Start, Click on Run and type regedit and hit enter
  
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7 - Go to Start, then in your search box on your start menu type regedit and hit enter

Now that your Registry Editor is open. Browse to the location below. You should be able to find the folder called taskmgr.exe as shown below at the end of the registry string. If you find the folder, your done with this part of the check. If you DO NOT find the folder called taskmgr.exe, then create one by right clicking on the folder called "Image File Execution Options"  and then choose New, Key and name it taskmgr.exe. You might have to reboot to make the changes take effect and then test your Task Manager again.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\taskmgr.exe

If the task manager fixes failed, you can use Process Explorer as a work around until you get the virus removed, then try the fix again. It works the same as Task Manager. Process Explorer is owned by Microsoft. You can download Process Explorer from Microsoft by clicking on this link to visit the Microsoft.com Download Page

If you cant download or do not want to use Process Explorer. Use your command prompt as the task manager to end processes.

You can look at all running process in the command prompt following the steps below:

1. click on start
2. click on run - (For Windows Vista and Windows 7, browse to c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe and right click on cmd.exe and choose "run as administrator", then skip to step 4)
   
3. type cmd into the window and hit enter
4. Now in the black window with the blinking cursor, type  "tasklist"    <-- without the qoutes
5. You should not have a list of tasks running on your computer
   
6. Now type "taskkill /IM theprocess.exe /f"  - look at more examples below
   

• Without the qoutes, and REMEMER to replace the word notepad.exe with the name of the process you want to end. This will force quit any running process. Some processes may take a minute to close. More examples below.
  
• taskkill /IM anotherprocess.exe /f
• taskkill /IM andanother.exe /f
• taskkill /IM andanother.exe /f