Solved Windows cannot find C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskmgr.exe

[MurderMoose]

Hey guys, the issue started today when I needed to shut down a program through task manager but apparently it wouldn't open and I was getting this error window

"Windows cannot find 'C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskmgr.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again"

I thought this was weird and looked up some fixes and some said go through administrator CMD, and apparenly it cant find cmd when run in admin mode.
so then I tried regedit and still it cannot find that either.

Thank you for any help that is given.

 

[DOUGIE]

Hi, and welcome to PCHF.
Have you tried a system restore?
Try running sfc /scannow. (note: space between "c" and "forward slash"

 

[MurderMoose]

Hi, and welcome to PCHF.
Have you tried a system restore?
Try running sfc /scannow. (note: space between "c" and "forward slash"

I need to run the console as admin to use that command and I get the error and i try and launch the cmd in admin mode

 

[Malnutrition]

• Download and run Power Run. Make sure and drag this icon to your desktop, when you download it.
• Then install and run the all in one repair tool. Drag the All in one repair icon onto the Power run tool, with power run open; then follow these instructions....

Windows Repair.

Install (use the direct download) the Tweaking.com - Windows all in one repair tool. Then boot Windows into Safe Mode, (Make Certain To Run This Program As Administrator) then run through the Prescan on step 2 tab. Then skip to step 5 and create a system restore point. Then go to the repair tab...

Notice create a registry backup is ticked by default, so no need to do so in step 5...

Now run the program, with the boxes ticked in the picture below.

Click Image Below For Better Resolution.

May want to save picture or write down what boxes need ticked, since you will run this in Safe Mode.


Important: Make certain to reboot twice after running this tool!!

 

[MurderMoose]

• Download and run Power Run. Make sure and drag this icon to your desktop, when you download it.
• Then install and run the all in one repair tool. Drag the All in one repair icon onto the Power run tool, with power run open; then follow these instructions....

Windows Repair.

Install (use the direct download) the Tweaking.com - Windows all in one repair tool. Then boot Windows into Safe Mode, (Make Certain To Run This Program As Administrator) then run through the Prescan on step 2 tab. Then skip to step 5 and create a system restore point. Then go to the repair tab...

Notice create a registry backup is ticked by default, so no need to do so in step 5...

Now run the program, with the boxes ticked in the picture below.

Click Image Below For Better Resolution.

May want to save picture or write down what boxes need ticked, since you will run this in Safe Mode.


Important: Make certain to reboot twice after running this tool!!

I can't even run powerrun, i get the same error

 

[Malnutrition]

In safe mode?

 

[MurderMoose]

In safe mode?

so I have to be in safe mode before running any of the programs?

 

[Malnutrition]

In your case, yes please.

 

[Malnutrition]

If the above fails, then you can boot into the recovery console and do a system restore from there.

 

[MurderMoose]

If the above fails, then you can boot into the recovery console and do a system restore from there.

sadly all that did not work

 

[Malnutrition]

Ok, since you are able to use the tool in safe mode, then enable the admin account... from within safe mode. See if the issue still happens, from within it.

 

[MurderMoose]

Ok, since you are able to use the tool in safe mode, then enable the admin account... from within safe mode. See if the issue still happens, from within it.

I made the admin account and I have access to everything again on that account only, I do hope i can make the current one i have work since i kinda dont want to customise it all again

 

[Malnutrition]

OK, run this tool for me from the admin account, and if you can please run it from the other account, perhaps in safe mode if needed....

I'd like to see logs from both accounts....

Instructions Part 1 Diagnostic Scan With FRST:

Please download the FRST 32 bit or FRST 64bit version to suit your operating system. It is important FRST is downloaded to your desktop.

If you are unsure if your operating system is 32 or 64 Bit please go HERE.

Once downloaded right click the FRST desktop icon and select "Run as administrator" from the menu"

If you receive any security warnings, or the User Account Control warning opens at any time whilst using FRST you can safely allow FRST to proceed.
FRST will open with two dialogue boxes, accept the disclaimer.

1. Accept the default whitelist options,
2. If the additions.txt options box is not checked please select it.
   
3. Then select Scan

Frst will take a few minutes to scan your computer, and when finished will produce two log files on your desktop, FRST.txt, and Addition.txt. They will display immediately on the desktop, but can be reopened later as a notepad file.

Please Copy and Paste the contents of these logs in your next post

 

[MurderMoose]

OK, run this tool for me from the admin account, and if you can please run it from the other account, perhaps in safe mode if needed....

I'd like to see logs from both accounts....

Instructions Part 1 Diagnostic Scan With FRST:

Please download the FRST 32 bit or FRST 64bit version to suit your operating system. It is important FRST is downloaded to your desktop.

If you are unsure if your operating system is 32 or 64 Bit please go HERE.

Once downloaded right click the FRST desktop icon and select "Run as administrator" from the menu"

If you receive any security warnings, or the User Account Control warning opens at any time whilst using FRST you can safely allow FRST to proceed.
FRST will open with two dialogue boxes, accept the disclaimer.

1. Accept the default whitelist options,
2. If the additions.txt options box is not checked please select it.
   
3. Then select Scan

Frst will take a few minutes to scan your computer, and when finished will produce two log files on your desktop, FRST.txt, and Addition.txt. They will display immediately on the desktop, but can be reopened later as a notepad file.

Please Copy and Paste the contents of these logs in your next post

I tried running it on the main account and as i expected it "couldn't find it" but when i run in the admin account it just doesn't do anything, doesn't open or pop up with anything, the cursor does the circle loading icon for about 3 seconds then goes away

 

[Malnutrition]

Run it on the main account in safe mode please.

 

[MurderMoose]

Run it on the main account in safe mode please.

I ran it in admin mode on the normal account in safe mode and it did the same thing

 

[Malnutrition]

Also, you can create a new admin user, then log into the admin account you enabled earlier.
Type C:\Users into the windows search on the start menu.
Then double click your main user folder.
Organize -- Select All -- Copy.
Now double click on the newly created account folder.
Organize -- Select All -- Right Click selected folders -- Delete.
Click Organize again then select paste.

This is gonna take a long time....

When you get done with the file transfer then you can log out of the admin account, then log into the new account you created... Hopefully all of the settings you had will be transfer... This is the easiest way that I know of to perform this action, have done it on several machines without issue. When I was unable to solve issues such as yours.

 

[Malnutrition]

If you run into issues, then there are other options.... So no need to worry.

 

[Malnutrition]

You have to be in the Admin account and completely logged out of the other two accounts for this to work properly. I should have mentioned that before.

 

[MurderMoose]

Also, you can create a new admin user, then log into the admin account you enabled earlier.
Type C:\Users into the windows search on the start menu.
Then double click your main user folder.
Organize -- Select All -- Copy.
Now double click on the newly created account folder.
Organize -- Select All -- Right Click selected folders -- Delete.
Click Organize again then select paste.

This is gonna take a long time....

When you get done with the file transfer then you can log out of the admin account, then log into the new account you created... Hopefully all of the settings you had will be transfer... This is the easiest way that I know of to perform this action, have done it on several machines without issue. When I was unable to solve issues such as yours.

what do you mean by Organize