Task Manager has disappeared

[mysts]

We have lost the "task manager"(ctl, alt, delete) function.
We are using winxp sp2.
We get the message "Task Manager Disabled by Admistrator"
We went into the registry and changed the disable to enable.
Something quickly changes it back to disable.
We have tried the following:

Complete antivirus check
Several cleaner type programs like regcure, spybot, etc.
Rebooted after each effort.
Restore no help


We tried all the above in safe mode, same result.
Any ideas to fix this would be appreciated.

[misterbill]

Try this:
Click Start, Run, type gpedit.msc and click OK.
Navigate to this branch:
User Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / Ctrl+Alt+Delete Options / Remove Task Manager

Double-click the Remove Task Manager option.
Set the policy to Not Configured.

Good luck.

[mysts]

misterbill

Tried what you said. No luck
Each time we change it to enable, something immediately changes it back to disable.

[misterbill]

Sorry to hear that.

Read this on a page, " I ran the free Panda antivirus program from the net. Anyway, it ran for two hours, found 1 virus and that was it. Task manager is back and working."
You might download free Panda and give it a try.
Good luck.

[mysts]

Thanks. I will give it a try.

[GMaq]

Hello,
If Panda doesn't do the trick you will probably have to use a more specialized tool like "SDFix". My friend brought his wife's laptop to me with the same issue, he had also tried numerous virus scans and spyware progs, the only thing that worked was SDFix, Google it and you will see a lot of links, this is a very common issue.

[mysts]

Well, SDfix did not fix it. I have a question: If we run sfc /scannow will this affect sp1 or sp2?

[Midzuki]

As a "penultimate resource", you might need to run "gmer":

http://www.gmer.net/files.php

Hope this helps.

[deckard8]

Download SuperAntiSpyware Free.

http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html

In the preferences section it has fixes to restore various
windows functions crippled by spyware/virus including
task manager.

I'll only work once your system is clean though, so
run a number of virus/spyware scans with different
tools first. - suggestion:

AVG antivirus free/ AVG antispyware/ Spybot/ Vundofix/
CWShredder/ SmitfraudFix/ SuperAntispyware/ Spyware Terminator/
Avast/ Hitman Pro etc.

[Mrsash]

Mate you got a virus if I am not mistaken. I had that happened once, even though I mucked around with the reg and some antivirus/spyware products, eventually had to format. good luck

[dvstorm]

We have lost the "task manager"(ctl, alt, delete) function.
We are using winxp sp2.
We get the message "Task Manager Disabled by Admistrator"
We went into the registry and changed the disable to enable.
Something quickly changes it back to disable.
We have tried the following:

Complete antivirus check
Several cleaner type programs like regcure, spybot, etc.
Rebooted after each effort.
Restore no help


We tried all the above in safe mode, same result.
Any ideas to fix this would be appreciated.

KINDLY CHECK YOUR E-MAIL......just sent you the fix...hope it helpss

[Midzuki]

dvstorm wrote:

KINDLY CHECK YOUR E-MAIL......just sent you the fix...hope it helpss

Hmmmmmm...

[mysts]

This problem is finally solved.
The problem appeared to be in two parts. The first part created its own desktop which contained advertising and then changed the registry to kill the task manager. I could fix both of these but then the second part immediately put them right back. In desperation I deleted some strange looking folders, ran several cleaners including a trojan remover without rebooting in between.
I'm not sure what fixed it but my machine is now clean and in production once again.
Thanks to all of you that tried to help. This is what makes this forum so successful.