Task manager - Can't end processes (Access Denied)

The problem at hand is the creation of a so called "Zombie Process", it happens when a process is calling to a driver that fails to complete it's task hanging the entire process. This also causes the I/O to close not allowing messages from the OS to be read, thus causing the "Access Denied" error. There is no real fix for this, except for maybe updating drivers and software. Microsoft can update it's drivers to handle such errors, and to my understanding it has, but at it's core, this is a software error. The correct people to go to in such an error, are the developers of whatever program became "zombified". 

I'm going to say this problem has nothing to do with drivers. I have this problem with Star Trek online and the related Arc game launcher occasionally. Most recently the problem is launching the Arc game launcher, when it tries to connect to the login server, fails and times out. Now this I have no problem believing is a problem on Cryptic/PerfectWorld's end. However when I quit the launcher, the Arc.exe program is left over in my task manager and cannot be killed by any means short of restarting the computer. I have the same problem after game patches occasionally when launching the actual game and it cannot connect to the patching on demand server. The game client will usually hang there and then report it cannot connect to the on demand patching server, however the game client is still left over in my task manager and nothing short of a reboot will make it go away. 

In either case the call to the graphics and/or sound drivers have already been made and the program is already running so I am doubting this is related to driver calls. Perhaps to a communications driver/process call since it seems to happen both times durring communications? However if I run the program in a different manner, in this case currently I am running the STO game client and bypassing the Arc launcher and it seems to connect and communicate with the game fine in this manner so again I am having a problem seeing how this is related to even a communications driver call. 

Perhaps this is related to a windows communications security protocol becoming hung causing these timeouts? In any case I have notified STO of my issues also, but as neither company is willing to provide any feedback about the issue or even that they are aware of it, it seems like a dead issue and all we can do as lowly consumers is hope big brother who runs our computer and makes our software eventually accidentally fixes is apparently.

Hi HyperXII,

Thank you for posting this question in Microsoft Community Forums!!

I see that you aren’t able to end tasks in Task Manager.

I will certainly guide you in the right direction to get the issue fixed.

But before we continue to the resolution, could you give us more information?

1.     Do all the game processes point to a single task?

Here’s what you can try:

Method 1: Perform Safe Mode and Clean Boot.

Step 1: Follow the steps given in the link below to check if the issue occurs in Safe Mode.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode

Choose Safe Mode as the Startup Setting.

If you still can’t end the processes, continue to perform Step 2.

Step 2: Clean Boot

Follow the steps given in the link below to perform Clean Boot.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Check if you are able to end the processes in Clean Boot.

Note: Please go through step 3 of the Kb to keep the computer in normal startup after fixing the issue

Method 2: Re-install the games and check if the issue continues.

Step 1: Uninstall the games and check if you are able to end the tasks.

Step 2: Follow the link below to get help to install the games.

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/Program_Install_and_Uninstall/

Please get back to us with the results.

If you have any further questions about Windows, write to us anytime.

We are happy to help!!

Regards,

This isn't a solution to the problem, this is a band-aid fix. An administrator should not under any circumstances get an "Access is denied" message. A UAC prompt would be fine, but not allowing an administrator to terminate a process is unacceptable. I am also having this problem with games, and isn't a fix to have to restart the computer to kill a process.

The problem at hand is the creation of a so called "Zombie Process", it happens when a process is calling to a driver that fails to complete it's task hanging the entire process. This also causes the I/O to close not allowing messages from the OS to be read, thus causing the "Access Denied" error. There is no real fix for this, except for maybe updating drivers and software. Microsoft can update it's drivers to handle such errors, and to my understanding it has, but at it's core, this is a software error. The correct people to go to in such an error, are the developers of whatever program became "zombified".

I am having exact same issues.  I'm not sure that it's a driver's issue. This has occurred to me on a few downloaded games apps. Is it an apps developer issue, or Microsoft issue?  Either case it needs to be resolved...it hear more people disenchanted with Windows every day....not sure if it's just in my circles?

I'm having the same issue trying to kill a process.  How can this thread have gone on so long with no good response from Microsoft?

Agreed... it's 2014 and I'm still having this problem in Windows 8.1.

In some cases after clicking "end process" a very long disk dump occurs (I'm not sure what or why) but the activity is basically 100% for several minutes.  Following this maybe 5 minutes later -- the process occasionally will end on its own.  But even so, this is unacceptable from a UX point of view as:

1. As a user, you have no idea what is happening with your OS.. no dialog or notification to wait etc
2. "End Process" should do what it says and issue a kill signal that happens IMMEDIATELY.  This is because ending a process is typically the last resort... you don't want to wait 5 minutes whilst it potentially does god knows what to and corrupt the file system or worse.

Microsoft - please urgently acknowledge this issue for what it is first and post what action is being taken second.