How To Enable Windows Task Manager When Disabled By a Virus

Let’s face it. All of us have been infected by virus before. Even if you have anti-virus installed, you can still be infected by a new or custom virus that is not recognized by your anti-virus. Sometimes after removing the virus completely from our system, you’ll face new problems such as you can no longer bring up Windows Task Manager from CTRL+ALT+DEL. You get the error message saying “Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator”. This post will help you to re-enable the Windows Task Manager as long as it cannot open normally. Just follow these steps.

Disabling Task Manager is one way viruses try to make it harder for you to deal with their infections. Before proceeding any further, you should run a complete and up-to-date anti-virus scan of your machine. It’s possible, perhaps even likely, that you’ve been infected.Once you come back virus-free, you can proceed with the fix. Usually when you try to run taskmgr.exe manually, you get this message:

task-manager-disabled

If you have Windows XP, Click Start, then click Run and type in gpedit.msc and press OK.

gpedit

Once in the Group Policy Editor, expand in turn:

  • User Configuration
  • Administrative Templates
  • System
  • Ctrl+Alt+Del Options

You should see something much like this:

cltalt

Double click on Remove Task Manager to change its setting:

not configured

Click on Not Configured and then OK and Task Manager is available once again.

Using Software Method

If you don’t want to apply these settings yourself, here is a software utility that will let you do these settings. Remove Restrictions Tool (RRT) allows you to re-enables all what the virus had previously disabled, and gives you back the control over your own computer, it even lets you re-enable the Task Manager, Registry Editor, folder options and Show hidden files and folders.

RRT

I hope this post will let you re-enable your critical system components, don’t forget to leave your comments and suggestions.

  • kannan

    But i cant able to enter into the gpedit.msc.Give me an idea please.

    Regards,
    Kannan
    http://www.brokenglass.co.in

  • sonu

    it will run but it will be disable again after some time so what should we do?

  • techyv

    If it is a Windows XP Professional then Just press Crtl + Alt + Delete or twice and you may get the window where you need to type in the Username as Administrator and password for that if password is set.

    If the operating system you have is a Windows XP home edition then you need enable the task manager by entering into the safe mode. For that restart the computer and then tap the F8 key at the time of loading and then you need to enter into the Safe Mode. In safe mode just click on Start and then on Run.

    In Run type in as gpedit.msc. You may see a window opened with a list of contents in it .
    techyv

  • vashudev raghav

    My task manager is not opening in windows 7 . What to do can you tell please?

  • Sam

    thanx.

  • azmat

    really works! useful thanks.

  • M10LFC

    At my computer it works just 2 time in a row but than disabled again….why this happen i don’t understand…please help me someone