Cannot End Service Processes with Task Manager

• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

You may receive the following warning message when you try to end a process with Task Manager:

   The operation could not be completed. Access is denied.

CAUSE

Killing a process is done with a call to TerminateProcess (Win32 API). By default, it is not possible to kill a process that is running under a security context different than the one of the process who issued the call to TerminateProcess.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, use the KILL command line utility (available with the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit) to kill processes that do not run under the security context of the logged on user.

MORE INFORMATION

It is possible to kill any process even though it is a service or a system process by previously enabling the debug privilege. This privilege is assigned to Administrators and is disabled in the access token. Task Manager does not make any use of the debug privilege unlike the KILL utility.

You may assign this privilege to other users with User Manager. To do so:

1. On the Policies menu, click User Rights.

2. Click Show Advanced User Rights so that it is selected.

3. In the Right box, click Debug Programs, and then click Add to add users.