Can't kill processes

Question

I'm having trouble killing processes on Windows 8.1. I open the task manager, I click on end task (or simply select the process and press the delete key) and nothing happens. If I choose the tab on the task manager "details" and do the same on the process I want to kill I get a message saying "Operation could not be completed. Access is Denied"

This is not specific to any process, happens with multiple ones I need to kill, also happens to a process that is running normally or if it says that is "not responding" I simply can't kill them and when that happens I have to shut down the computer by holding the power key, since if I try to shutdown or restart the computer just hangs out on the restart or shutdown message.

I already did the usually stuff that people recommends, like running sfc /scannow (no problems found), I have a freshly installed windows 8.1 with all the updates from windows update done. UAC is on the default settings and of course I'm on an account with the administrator privileges.

No idea what can I do to fix this.

Answer 1

Hi,

See if these help.

Taskkill which is part of Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8/8.1

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb491009.aspx

---

Process Explorer from SysInternals.

Process Explorer - Free - Find out what files, registry keys and other objects processes have open,

which DLLs they have loaded, and more. This uniquely powerful utility will even show you who owns

each process.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

Be sure to Right Click on the SetUp and RUN AS ADMIN. I also Right Click on Procexp.exe and RUN

AS ADMIN.

---

PSKill - Free (or use PSTools which included PSKill)

http://www.watchingthenet.com/how-to-kill-windows-processes-that-wont-die-or-terminat.html

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896649.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896683.aspx

Hope this helps.

---

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle <- Mark Twain said it right!