Killing a "Critical Process" In Windows (C/C++)

What is the best way to kill a critical process?

From stackoverflow

• It's critical for a reason so you probably shouldn't be killing it at all. The best way is to shut down the box lest you leave it in a dangerous state.

  If you choose to ignore my warning, here is some sample C++ code to do it.

  ixo : Ok. Well thank you for the life lesson. However, if I NEEDED to kill a system process, how would I do so.

  paxdiablo : Sorry, ixo, didn't mean to sound condescending, added a link for you.

  ixo : Oh no, you did not sound condescending. You were just being quite logical and using reasoning :) Thank you for the link kind sir.

  Paul Betts : Killing a critical system process means that the machine is pretty much hosed and can't do anything (i.e. can't authenticate users, can't create remote threads, etc). Don't do this.

• Invoking the kill function in signal.h is one way to killing a process in C. No idea about the alternations in C++.

  Killing a Process in C

  Edit : Have a look on this code.

  WIN 32 API example

  ixo : Thank you, I love the link btw! (bookmarked) What would be the best way via Windows API?

  strager : This looks like POSIX, not Windows.

• with a wrench

  in the library

• This knowledge base article describes how to do it. You first call SeDebugPrivilege() to obtain the privileges to terminate processes, then you call OpenProcess() with the PROCESS_TERMINATE flag to get a handle to the process you wish to terminate, and then finally you call TerminateProcess() to terminate the process.

• Yup, do what Adam suggested. Then watch as your machine bluescreens since you just terminated a critical process :) (btw, to be clear: Adam's suggestion is 100% accurate, it's not my intent to criticize it at all).

  Why do you want to do this? There's a reason they're called critical processes.

  1800 INFORMATION : I recall one day I had a services control panel that was stuck so I decided to kill it from task manager - hmm what could the name be I asked myself - obviously it must be services.exe

  1800 INFORMATION : In case you are wondering, no it isn't and the machine bluescreened