Two questions:

1. What is the proper procedure to enable/disable the Task Manager for Windows XP and Vista? (disabled is when you can't hit CTRL+ALT+Del and pop up the box; it's still available through the control panel)
2. Also, why would someone want that disabled?

Dave

Windows XP Pro

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies \System Name: DisableTaskMgr Type: REG_DWORDValue: 1=Enablethis key, that is DISABLE TaskManagerValue: 0=Disablethis key, that is Don't Disable, Enable TaskManager
As part of the enhanced management available in Windows 2000 and Windows XP, rather than risking a registry change, as an administrator you can enable or disable Windows 2000 Pro or Windows XP Pro's TaskManager using Group Policy Editor.

Or Click Start > 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.

Windows Vista

Open start menu and in the search area type "gpedit.msc" (without quotes) In the left side pane, navigate to "User Configuration-> Administrative Templates->System->Ctrl+Alt+Del Options"In the right side pane double click on "Remove task Manager" which will open the properties window To enable either select "Not Configured" or "Disabled" and click OK To disable select "Enabled" and click OK

Or Open the start menu and in the search area type "regedit" and press enter Navigate to > HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\System If there’s no key called "System" right click Policies navigate to "New -> Key" in the right click menu and type "System" to create a new key.(skip this step if you have the key) To disable task manager right click the empty area in the right side pane and create a key with the following settings "New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value" and type "DisableTaskMgr" and press Enter.(without the quotes) Right click on "DisableTaskMgr" and click "Modify", type 1 and press ok.
As to why would someone want that disabled - I don't see the point of disabling Task manager !

Cindy.

On the why, I was thinking of disabling the task manager on a friend's computer that I have worked on several times. There's been a couple of times when their computer has locked up and they hit the CTRL+Alt+Del to restart the computer. But, they went to the processes screen and shutdown something they shouldn't, and that got me a telephone call and I told them to just do a hard shutdown and start it back up.

I didn't know if people did that for those that were only PC users and really didn't know anything about workings. Since you can still get to via the CP, someone working on the computer would still have access to it.

Do you think that is a good reason to do that? Or would you just keep telling them not to shutdown processes?

Dave

I would think that an explanation of what the task manager is and its uses to your friend's would be useful "expanding there knowledge of there system" task manager is a useful tool.

Yes, explain that unless you really know what you're doing, DON"T MESS WITH THE PROCESSES!!

I do explain that they shouldn't do shutdown stuff if they don't know what they're doing, but I also keep going back and fixing stuff (or having them reboot, lol).

I didn't know if anyone ever used that to keep inexperienced people from using the task manager. Thanks for your answers!

Dave

Hey, if they keep messing with the processes then disable Task Manager. Then maybe you won't have to clean up so many messes . . . until they figure out how to get at it again!