HEY, this fixed it! Although when I first ran ProcExp, the Options menu still said "Disable Task Manager" (which was in fact disabled), I checked that anyway. After closing ProcExp, I opened it again, and this time the menu said "Restore Task Manager". I clicked that, and then I right-clicked the task bar to run Task Manager...
POOF! It's up and running again - thanks! -- Richard D. McClary Systems Administrator, Information Technology Group ASPCA® 1717 S. Philo Rd, Ste 36 Urbana, IL 61802 [email protected] P: 217-337-9761 C: 217-417-1182 F: 217-337-9761 www.aspca.org The information contained in this e-mail, and any attachments hereto, is from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA ®) and is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying or use of the contents of this e-mail, and any attachments hereto, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify me by reply email and permanently delete the original and any copy of this e-mail and any printout thereof. Jonathan Link <[email protected]> wrote on 09/09/2009 11:03:07 AM: > Coming into this late...but I remember this happening to a friend a > year or so ago. Turns out he installed Process Explorer then deleted it... > This post details the same circumstances (not my exprience, but my > google fu found it now and back then). > http://forums.whatthetech. > com/Cannot_run_Taskmgr_exe_Window_XP_t90973.html&gopid=456620#entry456620 > > On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 11:47 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > I can give you a quick summary (I've already told Help Desk to wipe > it, fearing a bot): > > TaskMgr.exe will not run from the task bar menu or from the "Ctrl- > Alt-Del button bar". Nothing happens. > > Opening a command console and entering "c:\windows\system32\taskmgr. > exe" returns a "file or path not found". > > Opening a command console and entering "c: > \windows\system32\tasklist.exe" (or even skipping the path) DOES > return a list of running tasks and properties. > > Browsing with Explorer to .\system32 shows the TaskMgr.exe icon. In > its properties sheets, all is identical with the same file on > functional systems. Copying said file to the affected machine fixes > nothing - all the above actions return the "file or path not found" message. > > Double-clicking the TaskMgr.exe icon returns a pop-up saying file or > path not found. > > The known registry changes for other systems (world-wide) reporting > the loss of TaskMgr are not found. These reports also mention other > functions lost, such as WindowsUpdate, not being able to lock the > screen, no toolbars for IE, etc. On this system though, all these > functions appear to work. > > Deep scan with VIPRE and full scan with MalwareBytes (both in > regular mode and with the machine booted into SafeMode) find nothing. > > CHKDSK /f and reboot fixes nothing. > -- > Richard D. McClary > Systems Administrator, Information Technology Group > > ASPCA® > 1717 S. Philo Rd, Ste 36 > Urbana, IL 61802 > > [email protected] > > P: 217-337-9761 > C: 217-417-1182 > F: 217-337-9761 > www.aspca.org > > The information contained in this e-mail, and any attachments > hereto, is from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® > (ASPCA®) and is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named > herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential > information. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, > you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, > copying or use of the contents of this e-mail, and any attachments > hereto, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in > error, please immediately notify me by reply email and permanently > delete the original and any copy of this e-mail and any printout thereof. > > David Lum <[email protected]> wrote on 09/09/2009 10:20:27 AM: > > > > Quicker yes, but I'm super curious about this one and have been > > following this thread closely, I was hoping to find out what it was > > even though I have no systems with this issue. > > > > Dave > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Ben Scott [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 7:55 AM > > To: NT System Admin Issues > > Subject: Re: Can't run TaskManager > > > > On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 10:36 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Anyway, like Ben and another or two have said, it's time to wipethis one. > > > Don't know when a very-well-hidden bot is going to show up (but > not show up > > > in TaskMgr because that's been whacked). > > > > It might not even be malware, but some accidentally screwed up > > registry setting or class registration or system library or whatever. > > Finding it will take forever, assuming it's even possible. Quicker to > > wipe and reload. > > > > -- Ben > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > > > > > > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > > > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
