Solved Task Manager Troubleshooting - Registry Access and Changes Denied

sassofalco · Mar 5, 2010

I am experiencing a number of Reliability and Performance Logs, and Task Scheduling issues and difficulties.

In trying to troubleshoot the problems, I have started with the Task Manager, as it is clearly not performing at all.

First, before starting this process, I created a new Restore Point.

Then, at Start>Help and Support>Select, ?Troubleshooting>in Search Help box type, Troubleshoot Task Manager>Select, How do I enable Task Manager if it has been disabled. ....I end up with this set of troubleshooting instructions;

Using Administrator Rights, I am able to navigate down to Step 3 of the instructions,[see string in bottom panel] here;

Before going further, per the instructions, I saved a copy of the Registry Key to a hard-drive.

With that done, I tried to double click on System, but nothing happens! Disable TaskMgr does not come up to allow me to continue with the troubleshooting process.

So where to now? What are my options?

richc46 · Mar 5, 2010

Hi Sassofalco,

I really hope that I can help, since you have given so much help to others. Based upon your description, do you think that you may have better results using the built in Hidden Administrator?

or even better

Try going to Control panel folder folders>view>uncheck hide hidden folders>uncheck hide protected system folders.

Try the second selection first
Then try hidden administrator

The try both together.

I really hope this works. I enjoyed reading your posts and learning from them.

If this doesn't work do not be too disappointed, I have only a 75% hunch that this will work and I rather not go to my registry to try it.

Brink · Mar 5, 2010

Hello Tony,

This tutorial can show you a few other easier methods to hopefully enable the Task Manager again.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/103275-task-manager-enable-disable.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

sassofalco · Mar 6, 2010

richc46 said:
If this doesn't work do not be too disappointed, I have only a 75% hunch that this will work and I rather not go to my registry to try it.

Thanks rich46....I'm none too comfortable in the Registry either, and approach it with extreme caution. Besides, there's nowhere there where a Coffee can be had!!

I'm going to go with Shawn's Tutorial, once I'm clear in my mind that I'm on the right track. If I disappear completely from these environs, then you'll know that my failure was successful :shock:

!

Old saying -"If at first you don't succeed, then at least celebrate in the success of your failure."

Brink said:
Hello Tony,
This tutorial can show you a few other easier methods to hopefully enable the Task Manager again.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/103275-task-manager-enable-disable.html
Hope this helps,
Shawn

...and thanks too Shawn,

I'm looking at "The Manual Way" Steps 1 - 7, at the bottom section of your Tutorial, and must admit to a little more confusion [I'm usually confused only 50% of the time :confused:

].

If I click on System, then I get this display [Note: the next step 'New' etc, was just me doing a trial run];

So, as I understand it, I now click on and highlight System, then I complete the same admin process detailed at Steps 5, 6 and 7, for that value?

In other words, I'm about to type in DisableTaskMgr [the Dword]for the System Value, so that this will then appear under the Default REG_SZ line at the top of the page, the same as that shown in the screen shot under Step 5.A. of the Tutorial?

And after that, I just continue through all the remaining steps to the Close?

As I try to understand the nuances of what I'm doing - I'm setting up a Disable Function Key to clean out the current Task Manager, then Enabling a new and reset Task Manager?

Or am I misreading the whole tutorial?

mitchell · Mar 6, 2010

Hallo Tony, I have gone over & over your post. screenshot & the tutorial (I think i just fried my brain trying to process it all)

Looking at your screenshot task scheduler appears to be on, but because of your problems you want to disable Task Sched. & reanable it again to hopefully correct the problems you are experiencing.

Following your post & comparing it to the tutorial you are spot on as i see it with how you are going to proceed.

sassofalco · Mar 6, 2010

mitchell said:
Following your post & comparing it to the tutorial you are spot on as i see it with how you are going to proceed.

Thanks Mitch......but I'm just going to wait-out to see if Shawn gives the tick to my line of thinking on this issue.

In the meantime, I'm trying to sort out how to approach another issue - my Reliability Monitor ceased all functioning way back on 3 September 2008, here look;

Reliability Monitor in suspended inactivity.JPG

......not a pretty sight, huh?

richc46 · Mar 6, 2010

Maybe, one of these solutions will work:

The Perfmon.exe process may continuously start and stop when you click the "Resource Monitor" button on a Windows Vista-based computer

or the last two posts from our own forum
http://www.vistax64.com/vista-performance-maintenance/125032-reliability-monitor-not-working.html

If Shawns suggestion does not work for the task manager, additional research has given me a little more confidence that the remedy involving showing the system folders and the hidden folders will do the job.

niemiro · Mar 6, 2010

Hi,

I know this is not what you are asking for, but have you seen this free program: Download Re-Enable Portable 2.0.0.1 - Re Enable regedit, command console "cmd", task manager, system restore and folder options after been disabled by a virus - Softpedia

It will allow you to re-enable most system tools without going into the registry at all. For some reason, the radio buttons are used as checkboxes in this program :confused:

. It is mainly for repair after a virus attack, but may serve your purpose. The re-enabling of msconfig from this program is only for Windows XP.

Richard

Brink · Mar 6, 2010

sassofalco said:
richc46 said:

If this doesn't work do not be too disappointed, I have only a 75% hunch that this will work and I rather not go to my registry to try it.

Click to expand...

Thanks rich46....I'm none too comfortable in the Registry either, and approach it with extreme caution. Besides, there's nowhere there where a Coffee can be had!!

I'm going to go with Shawn's Tutorial, once I'm clear in my mind that I'm on the right track. If I disappear completely from these environs, then you'll know that my failure was successful!

Old saying -"If at first you don't succeed, then at least celebrate in the success of your failure."

Brink said:

Hello Tony,
This tutorial can show you a few other easier methods to hopefully enable the Task Manager again.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/103275-task-manager-enable-disable.html
Hope this helps,
Shawn

Click to expand...

...and thanks too Shawn,

I'm looking at "The Manual Way" Steps 1 - 7, at the bottom section of your Tutorial, and must admit to a little more confusion [I'm usually confused only 50% of the time].

If I click on System, then I get this display [Note: the next step 'New' etc, was just me doing a trial run];

View attachment 18608

So, as I understand it, I now click on and highlight System, then I complete the same admin process detailed at Steps 5, 6 and 7, for that value?

In other words, I'm about to type in DisableTaskMgr [the Dword]for the System Value, so that this will then appear under the Default REG_SZ line at the top of the page, the same as that shown in the screen shot under Step 5.A. of the Tutorial?

And after that, I just continue through all the remaining steps to the Close?

As I try to understand the nuances of what I'm doing - I'm setting up a Disable Function Key to clean out the current Task Manager, then Enabling a new and reset Task Manager?

Or am I misreading the whole tutorial?

Tony,

That would be correct. Using the REG files in the tutorial will do this automatically for you though if you would like. However, adding DisableTaskMgr with a 1 value will disable the TaskManager.

sassofalco · Mar 6, 2010

Brink said:
sassofalco said:

....I'm none too comfortable in the Registry either, and approach it with extreme caution. Besides, there's nowhere there where a Coffee can be had!!

I'm going to go with Shawn's Tutorial, once I'm clear in my mind that I'm on the right track. If I disappear completely from these environs, then you'll know that my failure was successful!

Old saying -"If at first you don't succeed, then at least celebrate in the success of your failure."

Brink said:

Hello Tony,
This tutorial can show you a few other easier methods to hopefully enable the Task Manager again.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/103275-task-manager-enable-disable.html
Hope this helps,
Shawn

Click to expand...

As I try to understand the nuances of what I'm doing - I'm setting up a Disable Function Key to clean out the current Task Manager, then Enabling a new and reset Task Manager?

Or am I misreading the whole tutorial?

Click to expand...

Tony,

That would be correct. Using the REG files in the tutorial will do this automatically for you though if you would like. However, adding DisableTaskMgr with a 1 value will disable the TaskManager.

Thanks Shawn,

I hate taking up your valuable time, but I just need to make sure that I've fully understood the process in my own mind.

I do prefer to stay well away from manually tinkering with the Registry, and from what you have just said, I can avoid that by using the .reg downloads.

I now understand that if I go to this part of your Tutorial, here;

Task Scheduler - Access Denied start Service a.JPG

......and FIRST - Follow Step 1 instructions to Disable, ......then SECOND - Follow Step 2 instructions to Re-enable.,

......that this process should then return the Task Manager to a working state?

Correct?

If yes......correct - do I need to, or is it good practise, to restart between each process?

I'm sorry Shawn, but my 'senior moments' seem to be having their own 'even more senior moments'! Your patience with this patient is unquestionable.

Brink · Mar 6, 2010

It's no trouble at all Tony.

Yes, hopefully toggling it off and on like that may be able to enable Task Manager again for you. There will be no need to restart though, the change is immediate with the REG files.

If Task Manager is still disabled as shown in the tutorial examples, then you can try using Find and Find Next to search for DisableTaskMgr in the registry and delete any entry of it that it finds in case it was place (ex: by malware) in a different registry location than what was in the tutorial.

sassofalco · Mar 6, 2010

Brink said:
It's no trouble at all Tony.

Yes, hopefully toggling it off and on like that may be able to enable Task Manager again for you. There will be no need to restart though, the change is immediate with the REG files.

If Task Manager is still disabled as shown in the tutorial examples, then you can try using Find and Find Next to search for DisableTaskMgr in the registry and delete any entry of it that it finds in case it was place (ex: by malware) in a different registry location than what was in the tutorial.

Thank-you so much Shawn, and to other Members who helped in the maintenance of my insanity through all of this.

At Windows Task Manager - at the Applications tab, is this entry;

...and at the Services tab, this entry;

....so I guess that's that issue dusted off.

I guess that it didn't help by my introduction of an additional issue about the Reliability Monitor halfway through this one.....so now it's on to that issue.

Thanks all, once again.

Brink · Mar 7, 2010

You're most welcome Tony. I'm happy to hear that you got this one sorted.

richc46 · Mar 7, 2010

Tony,

Do you still have the problem with the resource monitor? I made a few suggestions on a possible fix.

sassofalco · Mar 7, 2010

richc46 said:
Tony,
Do you still have the problem with the resource monitor? I made a few suggestions on a possible fix.

Hello Richard,

I have yet to tackle the disabled Resource Monitor issue, but to be fair to this thread, I'm looking at starting a new one specific to the Resource Monitor.....but not tonight.

And yes, I did have a look at your suggested fixes - Post#4 - Russ Ws suggested solution looks the more promising and manageable, so if all other system fixes fail, I may need to resort to that solution.

In the meantime, I'm furiously reading up the self-help and troubleshooting features within Vista on the issue.

Give me a day or two, and I'll be back with a new thread. Maybe even convince an Admin or two to move this post, and the others where we've gone off subject, to the new thread, as info background.

Cheers and thanks.

Solved Task Manager Troubleshooting - Registry Access and Changes Denied

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