Enable / Disable the Task Manager

The value

The following values prevent the task manager from running when they are set to 1 (they are DWORD values) :
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr for the current user and
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr for all users.
Since this is a very useful tool, we'll give you 3 methods to unlock it.

The methods

The reg file

You simply need to create and launch the following reg file :

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"DisableTaskMgr"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"DisableTaskMgr"=-

The VBS

Tested and working on Win 2k and XP.
In notepad, copy/paste the following script, and save the file with a .vbs extension, then run it :

'Enable/Disable Task Manager
'By PatheticCockroach - based on an idea by Doug Knox
'© 2005 MPAM Rebooted - http://patheticcockroach.com
'This code may be freely distributed/modified as long as it remains free of charge

Option Explicit
'Declare variables
Dim WSHShell, rr, rr2, MyBox, val, val2, ttl, toggle
Dim jobfunc, itemtype

On Error Resume Next

Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
val = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr"
val2 = "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"
jobfunc = "Task Manager is now "
ttl = "Result"

'reads the registry key value.
rr = WSHShell.RegRead (val)
rr2 = WSHShell.RegRead (val2)

toggle=1
If (rr=1 or rr2=1) Then toggle=0

If toggle = 1 Then
	WSHShell.RegWrite val, 1, itemtype
	WSHShell.RegWrite val2, 1, itemtype
	Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & "disabled.", 4096, ttl)
Else
	WSHShell.RegDelete val
	WSHShell.RegDelete val2
	Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & "enabled.", 4096, ttl)
End If

The modified taskmgr

We created a modified taskmgr.exe for Windows XP (English). This cracked taskmgr is completely insensitive to any key trying to prevent it from running. You can have it here :
mpam4_taskmgrXP.exe (133 KiB, Win XP, English)
You can send us your own task manager file if you are using another version of windows (other language or other version), and want it cracked.