How to "End Process Tree" instead of the soft alt f4

[dolphin99]

Task I am wanting to do.

Pretty simple. I am looking for a way to setup my Windows 7 Ultimate x64 with a keyboard shortcut to "End process Tree" of the current application. There are some programs that can be installed to give this funcionality, however that seems like a terrible waste to have a program running and taking up resources to do such a simple thing.

Explanation of why I want this functionality.

Basically I find "alt f4" to be a waste as it rarely works on a program that is frozen and when it does it takes too long, also programs thast are not frozen sometimes seem to disable the ability to do it this way and require the use of their own menu's to exit the program or using task manager. If I "alt ctrl del" and "end process tree" it is quick ,efficient and works every time, except that getting to windows task manager then searching the list of processes negates that efficiency.

 

[LMiller7]

I don't see an easy way to do this without third party software. While the concept is simple there is often a wide gulf between concept and reality. This doesn't seem a good solution for your problem. It would be better to find why the software was freezing.

 

[dolphin99]

Thanks for your response.

Programs freeze because my Windows 7 Ultimate x64 can't update no matter what I do. I have a legit copy but it has never once installed and been able to get past the first update, even with a new downloaded copy or a freinds copy. always using my serial ofcourse. I have tried getting a new video card and new ram and new harddrive. Nothing works possibly a new MB CPU. However I have been told Microsoft went with a one motherboard only policy.

Kinda beside the point though because as pointed out in first post, it is not just for program freezes, but also any program that doesn't allow alt f4 to exit.

There has to be a way even if it is a keyboard shortcut to a .bat file that "End Process Tree"'s multiple programs from a list, to cover the most used programs in one.

 

[Anak]

Hi dolphin99, welcome to 7F!

You have bigger problems than wanting a keystroke workaround.

In your first post you mention "frozen programs", and in your next "Programs freeze because my Windows 7 Ultimate x64 can't update no matter what I do."

Here's what you should do, go to: Windows Updates & Activation - Windows 7 Help Forums
and start a thread there taking notice of the posting instructions at the very top of the page.

   Note

Attention: dolphin99

Before starting a new thread please read and follow the instuctions bellow.

For Windows genuine and activation problems - Windows Genuine and Activation Issue Posting Instructions

For Windows Update problems - Windows Update Posting Instructions

Give a short synopsis of your updating problems, you could even insert a link back to this thread for reference only.

Once you get your updating problems squared away, and you're still having problems with programs freezing, you may be asked to start a new thread here: BSOD Help and Support - Windows 7 Help Forums


Then we can see if you need more help finding that elusive keystroke.

 

[dolphin99]

Thanks for that however control panel says Windows is activated. The dvd's I have used are my legit copy and my friends legit copy, and a copy downloaded from the site referred to on one of the official forums I found when trying to fix that problem.

I have already followed the update instructions on the forums. also the instructions that go with the error code I get when trying to update from the official forums. If I remember correctly I had to delete some cached update files from the system drive and try restarting the update process. Nothing works and thats ok I can live with it.

However if someone has a way to setup the "End Process Tree" style of application killing to a small batch file that I can link to a keyboard shortcut, or another method that gives the desired functionality without haveing to run a program in the background all the time just for that purpose. It would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Anak]

I can't help you with a "batch file".

 

[dolphin99]

ok thanks anyways.

If anyone else can help would be awesome either with a batch file or any other method that doesn't require installing new software to run in the background.

 

[x BlueRobot]

@echo off
taskkill /pid <Process ID> /f /t

To find the Process ID of a currently running process, then run Task Manager, and then change View > Select Columns > Show PID



The /f switch will forcibly terminate a process, and the /t switch will terminate all child processes along with the parent process, since you said you wanted to end the process tree.

 

[dolphin99]

thankyou BlueRobot

While not the ideal solution as the process id for the current program can't be found without going to the same effort as the original method of using task manager to end the process tree. It did make me look into setting up a keyboard shortcut for a desktop shortcut so I can use your method using imagename instead.

It is still not ideal to close every program on a list, however it is preferable to accessing the task manager every time. Hopefully I can find a way now to get the current process name or id so it can be applied to any program and only if it has focus.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks for that however control panel says Windows is activated. The dvd's I have used are my legit copy and my friends legit copy, and a copy downloaded from the site referred to on one of the official forums I found when trying to fix that problem.

I have already followed the update instructions on the forums. also the instructions that go with the error code I get when trying to update from the official forums. If I remember correctly I had to delete some cached update files from the system drive and try restarting the update process. Nothing works and thats ok I can live with it.

However if someone has a way to setup the "End Process Tree" style of application killing to a small batch file that I can link to a keyboard shortcut, or another method that gives the desired functionality without haveing to run a program in the background all the time just for that purpose. It would be greatly appreciated.

Just purely out of curiosity why did you use two copies of the OS? Plus if you did did you wipe the drive before using the second DVD??

 

[dolphin99]

I used the one i bought and it had the issue of not being able to update. I troubleshooted the issue using the guides on the forums and it didn't change. Basically no matter what I do the update files end up corrupted before actually applying, or so it would seem. It has been about two years since then so I don't remeber the code exactly though running update would produce it if i tried now. The guide to fix that problem according to the error code had me stop a service, delete the update files, then restart the service(if I remember correctly).
When troubleshooting failed I tried with a friends copy and my serial, because maybe the copy I got was faulty. The problem persisted. I downloaded a copy from the forums, burned it and tried that way still no love. The only things I haven't replaced since then are my motherboard and cpu so possibly they have something to do with it, but cannot afford that atm and I was told that microsoft has gone money hungry and limited use to one motherboard so I am hesitant to do that even if I could afford it. I have lived with it for so long now, it doesn't bother me.
Ultimately it just makes it like using win 98 where crashes are a fact of life.
I have found that if it gets too bad a fresh install alleviates it so I just format and reinstall every now and again.

** my bad forgot to actually answer the question properly. Yes I always format before reinstalling. The harddrive isn't even the same now as the original harddrive so errors on the disk are a pretty low chance.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Dolphin if you have the activation code for either copy try this if you haven't already

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

I don't know which one you are going to use but in any case whatever you put on the machine is tied to that motherboard if it an OEM. At least this way you avoid the DVD. But be sure to get the correct version form the ISO list ones with an "N" behind them do not have WMP and make sure it has SP1..

 

[dolphin99]

thnx will try it next time I reinstall. fingers crossed

 

[ICIT2LOL]

thnx will try it next time I reinstall. fingers crossed

You will be fine mate we will still be here

 

[martyd03]

Saw there was no follow up to this, so adding a solution.
Create a shortcut, and put the following into the shortcut:
C:\Windows\System32\taskkill.exe /f /im <Image Name from task manager>
my program is Toggl, so I use this:
C:\Windows\System32\taskkill.exe /f /im TogglDesktop.exe

I'm using this to kill an application that occasionally goes to a black screen when brought forward. Putting this into a shortcut and double clicking it will kill the application.
Hope this helps someone.

 

[Anak]

Hi martyd03, welcome to 7F!

You can never tell, it just might.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Sorry late replymate have been caught up a bit but glad something worked out.