Why would you need to kill a process in Windows XP or Vista? We sometimes need to stop a process to diagnose a system problem, such as removing Spyware or computer viruses. One of the easiest yet most efficient way to accomplish this is to use the built-in Task Manager in Windows XP or Vista. Here’s how you do it:
1. Press “Alt+Ctrl+Delete“, then click on “Task Manager“. You can also launch the Task Manager instantly if you press Ctrl + Shift + ESC simultaneously. This is much easier than accessing it from Ctrl + Alt + Delete or the taskbar. It works for both Windows XP or Windows Vista.
2. Select the process that you want to stop, then click on “End Process“.
It’s advised not to stop a system process. Stopping a system process can cause the computer to hang or freeze up.