Windows 10: Auto-kill a process

Is there a way to auto-sense that a process has started and automatically kill it, without user intervention? I am aware of Auto-kill any process v.2.2, but that, according to one reviewer, requires user input. Thanks.

:)

 

Too many background processes running in Windows 10

I agree, there are wayyyy too many processes running in W10. Right now I have 82 processes running. In W7 only in the 30s. I uninstalled all the apps, disabled Defender, killed some processes. Disabled all the spyware. Killed auto update in GPedit. I still
have this many processes. It's ridiculous.

 

Activesync dies on the PC requiring restart

Activesync always dies on my PC requiring a restart to fix the problem.

The icon remains in the system tray. The rapimgr and wcescomm processes show as running.

The trick where you use task manager to kill wcescomm and then manually restart it doesn't work because the process can't be killed by the task manager--it's bulletproof!

This problem is making life impossible!

Toshiba Portege running XP, Activesync 4.5 and at the latest update (auto updates turned on).

Any help would be most appreciated, thanks.

 

Hi, you can create a small Autohotkey script containing a loop in which you would, at intervals, test if the process exists and then close it or kill it.

Simply search for Autohotkey. It comprises an extensive syntax with which simple programs can be written, interacting with Windows and GUI features.

In your case, just a simple loop with a couple of statements would be needed.
I use this to close Ashampoo advertising popups, for example.

 

Appreciate the suggestion. I use a .bat file here to do essentially what you describe, but my aim is to automate the process - no user intervention. A specified process opens; it spots and kills it. Closest that I have seen is an app that claims to do this on a schedule.

 

If you're already using a batch file, perhaps the built-in TaskKill utility would work for you?
You can then add delay times, etc, in the batch file.
You could also add it to a scheduled task to run one time x minutes after the computer starts.

 

Yes, TaskKill is in use. Unfortunately, the process/es in question repeatedly reassert themselves. Thus, the kill util would need to detect that, and take the appropriate action - repeatedly. A method to prevent a process from running in the background would be an alternative, while still allowing the app itself to run on demand.

To wit: the BG process for a specific app here does not appear when the app is run. It pops up randomly in Task Manager after the app is closed; that's what should be prevented or killed.

 

Expanding on the batch file possibility, you could use the tasklist command (appropriately filtered) to determine if the task is running, including if it appears randomly, then take action with the taskkill command if it is. Again, you can use Task Scheduler to run a batch containing all the commands, repeatedly. Not sure if that helps. Also it doesn't cater to running the task on demand.

 

Appreciate your suggestions, Kanata. Thanks.

 

As I said, a trivial Autohotkey script - a permanent loop
loop {
If process exists - kill it
sleep n
}

(very roughly)

 

Or how about a couple of alternative approaches:
a. Registry/group policy:
How to Block an Application or .EXE from Running in Windows

b. or use your firewall (some firewalls allow you to block processes from running)

 

Good thoughts Dalchina. Don't want to block the app, just the process that randomly starts when the app isn't in use, so "a" won't do the job.

"b" seems promising. After more extensive searching, I find that this store app DOES have an executable.

Nonetheless, firewall blocking did not discourage CALCULATOR.EXE from popping up in Task Manager. Good try though. ^_^

 

What process are you trying to kill, and what causes it to run?

 

The process is CALCULATOR.EXE, a store app supplied with Win 10. Why and when it runs (seemingly randomly) as a background process would be pure speculation on my part.

The reason for killing this BG process is that when it, or perhaps any store-supplied app is running in the background, shortcuts launched via shortcut keys will lag by about five seconds. This has been reported to MS level II support and is allegedly being looked at by the developers. Various forum posts hint that the problem was evident in earlier operating systems, but it did not crop up here until W10.

Now testing a new approach. See my comment just prior to yours for the latest. Thanks for your input.

 

Sure looks like a multimedia keyboard problem. I often find myself launching Mail, muting sound or launching Calc because those special keys are on the left edge of my keyboard. Maybe try disabling them with a tool like KeyTweak (haven't tested yet in W10).

But anyway, there are ways to specifically kill the said process using audit and event ids, but it's way too much hassle (plus the security and performance concerns). If you want to use the simplest way of auto-kill it every minute, I've made a script.

It's actually a generic tool, since it prompts for a .exe process name and an optional timer (default 1 minute).
It will create a system task, with full admin rights, so don't do crazy stuff like writing explorer.exe in there.
To undo, press Cancel, it will delete the respective named task if defined previously.
If you find this familiar, it's because it's based on steamwebhelper_killer v2.0rc