task manager seems to be disabled 3

[scroce]

I have a win 2k professional user on my network who's task manager is eerily disabled. If you ctrl-alt-del, and choose task manager, it doesn't say anything, it just disappears.

I checked with our central IS, and they said that there should be no policy that prevents the user from being able to view task manager.

Does anyone know where I could look to find a local option that controls this?

I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[MattWray]

Look in your C:\%systemroot%\ directory (WINNT\System32 by default) for taskmgr.exe. Try and run it from there and see what happens. Maybe someone deleted it accidentally...

Thanks,

Matt Wray

GFH

http://www.sss-steel.com

 

[karmic]

check here too:

http://is-it-true.org/nt/nt2000/registry/rtips56.shtml

~ K.I.S.S - Don't make it any more complex than it has to be ~

 

[scroce]

matt,

good idea - i was able to find taskmgr.exe, and when you double click it, it runs just fine.

It's only when you hit ctrl-alt-delete and choose Task Manager that you just get nothing at all - it's just not there.



I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[MattWray]

Did you check the link from Karmic?

Click Start
Click Run
Enter gpedit.msc in the Open box and click OK
In the Group Policy settings window
Select User Configuration
Select Administrative Templates
Select System
Select Ctrl+Alt+Delete options
Select Remove Task Manager
Double-click the Remove Task Manager option

Looks like that could be it...


Thanks,

Matt Wray

GFH

http://www.sss-steel.com

 

[scroce]

yes, i looked at that one, but my group policy window doesn't have an option for Ctrl+Alt+Delete options. There is a setting for Disable Task Manager, but it is showing as unconfigured. I tried disabling it, but that didn't seem to work.

I can follow the tree indicated by Karmic down until System - under system I've got two folders, one called Lgon/Logoff, and one called Group Policy, and a few other entries under system itself. I've been muddling around in this window for a while, but I don't see any ctrl alt del options.

hmmmmmm...

I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[MattWray]

TRy an "upgrade". Reinstall Win2k over itself. Maybe something buggy going on with Windows. Do you know when this started? No events right before? Have you looked in the event viewer to see if anything shows up in there?

Thanks,

Matt Wray

GFH

http://www.sss-steel.com

 

[scroce]

ugh - I'm trying to avoid having to do an entire re-install.

I don't know when exactly this happened, but yesterday I had trouble on this user's PC because of that $##@! Gator program.

I was able to successfully remove @$%$#! Gator using LavaSoft AdAware6, but I'm wondering if that somehow would have shut off access to the task manager?

I'm sure the user must have had rights at one time, since all our pc's are configured exactly the same.

I'll try to scan event viewer to see if that brings up anything.

I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[danomac]

There are a couple viruses that will do that. Although I believe they usually mention Windows XP I'm sure that virus probably will work on 2K as well.

Usually going into safe mode you can check the processes that are running.

I would also check the registry to see what things are being loaded.

Some of the viruses also close the registry editor as well. Have you tried opening that?

D

 

[MattWray]

That is a good idea. Most viruses write to the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run key. Look at the entries there and check for anything out of the ordinary...

Thanks,

Matt Wray

GFH

http://www.sss-steel.com

 

[scroce]

danomac,

yes, the registry editor is disabled, when you try to open it, the box saying "registry editing has been disabled. See your administrator blah blah...." pops up. this is strange, since this shouldn't be disabled.

But if I go into policy editor, I don't show registry editor as being denied - it just says not configured.

Going into Safe Mode, the task manager works as it should, and so does the registry editor

I checked HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run key
but I didn't notice anything weird.

I tried event viewer, but nothing jumped out at me there, I checked over the past two weeks (when I was first aware of a problem) but saw nothing telling. I'm not sure what I'd be looking for anyway.

still stumped.


I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[mccleod]

Hi there,

You must have different templates...or looking at Local Computer Policy.
Follow in Group Policy: (gpedit.msc)
User configuration/administratvie templates/windows components/system/logonlogoff...your top option should be disable task manager.
If not, you may have to expand your templates:
right click administrative templates and select Add/Remove Templates then add all the ones listed in that option (it will allow you ctrl+a here (which is nice!!!!))

Hope this helps!

Cheers
Mc

 

[scroce]

under User configuration/administratvie templates/windows components I have only the following:
Net Meeting
Internet Explorer
Windows Explorer
Microsoft Management Console
Task Scheduler
Windows Installer

I see the other choices your are referring to, but they are under the path:

User configuration/administratvie templates/system/logonlogoff

are you still saying that I need to right click administrative templates and add all the emplate choices that are there?

I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[mccleod]

Sorry, my mistake, Windows Components shouldn't have been in the path...!!!
Under logon/logoff there should be an option to Disable Task Manager. Try disabling this to see if it fixes your problem.
If this option is not there or doesn't help try adding the other available templates. Also, by adding these templates it may add the ctrl+alt+del options that will appear under system...another place you can try enabling the Task Manager from.

 

[scroce]

thanks mccleod, I had tried specifically disabling that before, but it didn't work. I'll try adding the other templates and post back with results



I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[MattWray]

If you do an Upgrade, it will not lose any of your settings, but will correct an issue with Windows...

Have you scanned for viruses? Disabling Task Manager and Regedit are classic virus signs...

Open Task Manager the manual way, and check the processes you have running. If you see anything unusual, google it...

Thanks,

Matt Wray

GFH

http://www.sss-steel.com

 

[scroce]

i did do a virus scan - nothing came up - thanks for the reminder of opening task manager manually - I'll double check that

I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.

 

[beachplum]

My computer is exhibiting the same symptoms as scroce's. I've tried everyone's suggestions to no avail. Scroce, did you find an answer? Let me know! Thank you.

 

[bcastner]

It can easily be a trojan/spyware remnant/Adware fragment that your antivirus does not consider a true "virus."

Follow steps #2-#4 in faq608-4650

 

[scroce]

beachplum, I haven't yet come to a resolution to this problem. I do have a sneaking suspicion that what bcastner says is true.

I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect.