Complex programs are not the only ones affected: if there is not enough working memory or processor power, your applications may falter. This manifests itself in the fact that the affected windows freeze and sometimes the message “No feedback” also appears in the title bar. When faced with such complications, you have a choice: wait for the error to go away on its own, or exit the application(s). If you don’t want to be patient, you can throw the problem software out of the main memory. A trick speeds up the process – you can even use it to shoot several stubborn tools in one go, saving you time.
A software tip: With the Winaero Tweaker integrate the Windows task killer described below with equivalent functionality into the desktop context menu. This is more convenient than manually tinkering with your operating system’s registry. If you uninstall the tweaking utility, its addition will continue to work. It is based on resources inherent in the operating system.
Download Winaero Tweaker
Per assistant: build task killer
Windows allows programs that are no longer responding to be terminated on their own. You build the necessary access option yourself. An OS-specific assistant helps here.
taskkill /F /FI “STATUS eq NOT RESPONDING”
After clicking on “Next” specify the desired file name, it makes sense task killer on. Complete with “Finish”. Double-click the new item, Windows shuts down stubborn programs. Problem-free applications are left out: For example, if Firefox behaves normally, the special link does not affect the browser.
task kill not working?
Set up quick access
If you deposit the task killer in the Windows taskbar, it is usually at your service; “Mostly” because programs running in full screen (mostly games) cover the taskbar and thus the icon.
Usually it is necessary to switch to the desktop to access the new file. This is sometimes inconvenient and does not always work in the event of a problem. Assigning a keyboard shortcut to the shortcut helps. If you press the defined keys, the call is made within a short time.
Since this is an (LNK) shortcut and not an EXE or MP3 file, assigning a keyboard shortcut is easy: right-click the file and go to “Properties”. Click in the field behind “Key combination” and press about the B key (like exit); the dialog suggests “Ctrl + ALT + B” as the shortcut.
If you like that, confirm with “Apply > OK”. You can now use the new keyboard shortcut – or alternatively drag and drop the Taskkiller shortcut to the taskbar so that you have it there at any time. The latter drag & drop no longer works under Windows 11 – but it does under Windows 7 (which introduced such an extension of the taskbar) as well as under Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. With a taskbar integration, one click is sufficient for the call. If you wish, you can delete the original (desktop) file after attaching the taskbar; the strip counterpart continues to work.
How to react in case of a system crash?
The Windows interface surrenders? Restarting explorer.exe irons that out and lets you use your task killer. The task manager heaves the explorer.exe back into RAM.
Usually, but not always, you will be able to call up the shortcut against the program hanger. If the explorer.exe process has crashed, it will no longer be easy to use. The process is responsible for displaying the desktop, taskbar and file manager windows. If the EXE element has disappeared from RAM due to an error, you will no longer find the desktop shortcut so easily. And the mapped key combination doesn’t do anything anymore. Access to the task killer via the run dialog, which can be called from the task manager, still works.
Icing on the cake: task killer in the context menu
Detour registry: If you create a context menu entry here, you don’t necessarily need a desktop shortcut. You can pseudo-program such an extension in about a minute.
tap task killer (or another name) and press Enter. Using the same click sequence, create the Taskkiller subkey command. If the latter key is selected, double-click the “(Standard)” entry in the right half of the regedit.exe window. Paste the following and confirm with “OK”:
taskkill /F /FI “STATUS eq NOT RESPONDING”
If you now right-click on an empty space on the desktop, a task killer entry will appear, which will quickly terminate stalling processes. Under Windows 11, a mouse click on “Show more options” is required beforehand. The latter command can be found in the context menu at the bottom and calls up the full-featured legacy context menu known from Windows 10.
This is how you integrate the task killer into the desktop context menu with Winaero Tweaker
Do you want it easy? Then install the free tweaking tool Winaero Tweaker and type “kill not responding tasks” in its search box at the top left. Double-click the search hit and check “Add ‘Kill Not Responding Tasks’ to Desktop context menu”. There is now a new command at the top of your desktop’s right-click menu with a red warning icon. If you have a PC problem, click it and it will go after hung applications.
Winaero Tweaker on Windows 11 does not release you from selecting “Show more options” before navigating to the new helper tool entry. When the minimal script kills software, it lists them for you in the form of their process ID (PID) for assignment. One disadvantage: You have to close the command line info window that opens after clicking on the new context command. However, since it won’t go away on its own, you’ll have a chance to see the exact PIDs.
Download Winaero Tweaker
