ok, i just right clicked on my taskbar to enter task manager, but the button is not clickable. has this happened to anyone else before? i havent changed anything for months and a restart is not working

it looks like this:

Is it also locked when you ctrl+alt+del?

Are you the admin on the PC?

Run gpedit.msc
In the Group Policy settings window select User Configuration, Administrative Templates -> System > Ctrl+Alt+Delete options
Select Remove Task Manager
Double-click the Remove Task Manager option

or

HKEY_CURRENT_USER - Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System - DisableTaskMgr REG_DWORD
Value: 1=Enablethis key, that is DISABLE TaskManager
Value: 0=Disablethis key, that is Don't Disable, Enable TaskManager

@sierra

that is not the problem. nobody stopped me from using taskmanager. if it was like that, i would get a message telling me that it was disabled by administrator. look at the picture, i cant click it at all. i am the administrator, and it doesnt work with ctrl, alt, del either

so when you start 'taskmgr' in the run box it will open?

it looks like this, do i change all those numbers to 0?

Replace 31 with 00. And take a look at DisableRegistryTools, too .. After the change restart your PC

It 's better to start 'gpedit.msc' though and do it from there. The advantage of it is, you don't have to restart your PC

have youdone a virus scan? I know a few viruses will dsable the task manager.

thanks guys, i fixed it. i ran adaware and found a whole bunch of spyware. god knows where they came from because they just appeared today. taskmanager is back.

HINT: Don't use your server to go onto the web (except Windows Updates). Rather use a client pc for surfing.

rofl now who in their right mind would use a server to surf the internet ? * looks at the admins in the corner playing counter strike in lunch time at work * speaking of which was looking at channel9 (http://www.msdn.com/channel9) and some of the videos which show the microsoft labs is beyond belief