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  • Terminate Windows apps via CMD or Context Menu

 #24361  by TheAslan
 05 Dec 2012, 17:43
Sometimes there might be some sort of bug in your Windows machine when you can't get access to your Task Manager when you want to terminate a software which causes bugs or does not shutdown when you hit close button, for me this happens quite often, but there's a simple solution for this, it's a small command which you run in your CMD window or Context Menu.

Command Prompt - Method


1. Open CMD window by typing cmd in your startmenu searchbox and hit enter

2. Then type this command:

taskkill /f /im notepad.exe

2b. Change notepad.exe for a software you'd like to terminate and hit enter

3. There should appear confirmation message which says that software is successfully terminated.

PS: Make sure that you have your CMD window hotkeyed, it ensures that you'll be able to open CMD window when nothing else works, thanx to Giin70 for mentioning this tip.

Image

Context Menu - Method


Terminate software:
Code: Select allWindows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\DesktopBackground\Shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\DesktopBackground\Shell\Terminate Notepad]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\DesktopBackground\Shell\Terminate Notepad\Command]
@="taskkill /F /IM notepad.exe"


"Terminate Notepad" is the word which appears in your Context Menu after you have merged this .reg key to registry, so remember to specify your own word what you like to use, then replace notepad.exe with your software.
Last edited by TheAslan on 06 Dec 2012, 03:05, edited 2 times in total.
 #24362  by Angel
 06 Dec 2012, 01:06
The first method is useful in making silent installers. If a program launches a browser, opens a window or opens itself then this will kill it.