Killing windows services Dec 13, 2015 · To Force stop or kill a Windows server service stuck in stopping status, run Command Line as an Admin. Be careful of what you are killing though. They are intended to provide core operating system features such as Web How to Steps Killing Windows Update Service Windows Update hung on stopping. If you want to restart a service via batch file (stop then start), the stop returns immediately, the start then fails because the service isn't stopped. When stopping processes, realize that stopping a process can stop process and services that depend on the process. With the help of PowerShell, you can easily restart a service. Oct 10, 2010 · I am trying to find a service, stop it and then disable it remotely using Powershell. As the name suggests, it allows you to terminate (kill) Windows processes on local or remote Windows systems. Let’s see how. We have 6 easy ways you can do it in no time. However, this doesn't always work; if I try it eno Jun 8, 2023 · When using Stop-Process you should note, that the process does not stop in an orderly fashion like when using Stop-Service. Open the services add-in (Start > run > services. The first step is to stop the service, then delete it using command-line or the registry. How do I get Windows to wait until my service is done and not kill it while it’s still working? — Jeff Jan 30, 2023 · Process. Oct 5, 2022 · Hi, I am trying to stop a service, change the associated applications config file, start the service again, perform a task, and then reverse the process. Examples Kill and then restart Windows Explorer: Apr 18, 2023 · I'm trying to stop a Windows service with an underlying java process with command net stop. Jul 13, 2022 · I have a problem with one service which stuck at starting stage when I try to start such service, and I am not able to terminate such process. net stop "spooler". When I try to stop the Windows Update service (via services. Sometimes these services play nice, and sometimes they do not. If you cannot reboot your server or workstation for whatever reason you can kill the task using taskkill. Services eq, ne String The service name Windowtitle eq, ne String Modules eq, ne String The DLL name If used, the image name must include the file extension, or a wildcard. You can then try to shutdown each of them by entering the command net stop "" ,e. msc) Start Process Explorer In Process Explorer make the command line visible (View / Select Columns / Command line) locate the process and kill it (Del) Example command line: C:\Windows\system32\svchost. In task manager, the Services tab shows the following name:shipper PID: 5000 status:running In the Process tab: image name: Sep 12, 2019 · How to kill a process in Windows by Name, PID or Port using 'taskkill' command from the command-line (CMD). May 21, 2023 · To delete a service on Windows, identify the service in the Services utility. For now, I only know a method when you set the startup type to " May 20, 2024 · This post shows how to kill explorer. 8 Retrieve the command line of your service from the service properties (services. Mar 4, 2025 · Manage Windows services via command line using sc. Aug 8, 2011 · I ran into this issue when I attempted to restart the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder service under Windows Server 2008 R2. Enter the command below and execute it by pressing Enter. May 24, 2016 · In the new window, switch to the tab Services. What may also happen, however, is it just getting stuck somehow. exe, terminates one or more processes and all of their threads. If you kill a critical windows service you may end up forcing the machine to reboot on it own. For disabling, I have to run the Set-Service command separately. The only way to stop the service is by killing the process then. Force shutdown the process with the PID # · Type taskkill /PID ### /F with the PID # you found in previous step. It's the last option on this page, but you should also get familiar with the command to remove one app, appxgetpackage. This command is typically utilized to halt services that may need to be restarted due to configuration changes Sep 12, 2023 · In this post, I’ll demonstrate using the sc delete Windows command and the Remove-Service PowerShell command to delete a Windows Service. Sep 28, 2020 · Im writing a Windows service, the continued operation of which is important. Note: By forcing a service to stop you can also use these instructions to Kill a Windows Service which is stuck at starting as well. Net stop/start returns after the action is complete, so doesn't have this problem. Mar 2, 2024 · Too many Background Processes in Windows 11 1] Kill background processes using the Task Manager The first method is to kill the unnecessary background services and apps using the Task Manager. Sep 18, 2019 · The Windows Service is stuck in the “stopping” state. Aug 29, 2013 · An average Windows Admin would say "The server is going to have to be rebooted to clear up this problem". Then, press at the same time the keyboard keys Windows + R that will pop up the Run Command screen. Apr 26, 2025 · In Windows, sometimes a service may become unresponsive or stuck and cannot be stopped using the usual net stop or Task Manager methods. It usually comes bundled with the drivers for a series of Intel’s Wifi cards, appropriately named Killer Network cards. Find out the Service Name To do this, go in to services and double click on the service which has stuck. This will allow you to restart the service. exe -k netsvcs Dec 27, 2024 · Learn how to manually force a service to stop when it’s unresponsive. But if you are sure that the service is stuck, you have to kill it. Management module and provides a straightforward way to manage service statuses efficiently. exe service in Windows 10 without a reboot? I can stop the service neither via UI nor via cmd. Topic Replies Views Activity Stop a hung service Networking general-windows , general-networking , howto 54 3723 October 2, 2019 Remotely Kill Processes Networking remote-support , howto 4 165 February 15 All platforms: spps Windows: kill You can also use the properties and methods of the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Win32_Process object in Windows PowerShell. In my scenario, the service was stuck in starting because it was configured in the recovery tab to restart indefinitely. If that service can't be stopped, find the PID as explained in Step 2 and try to stop the service that way. Dec 8, 2022 · What Is the Killer Network Service? The Killer Network Service (KNS) is a background process created and published by Intel. Dec 31, 2011 · Does somebody knows how to close a TCP or UDP socket for a single connection via windows command line? Googling about this, I saw some people asking the same thing. Sep 8, 2008 · Occasionally a program on a Windows machine goes crazy and just hangs. g. Killer Networking cards are designed to reduce latency and network lag for an improved gaming experience and are usually installed in high-end gaming This document covers stopping and restarting Apache HTTP Server on Unix-like systems. The next steps requires a command prompt (Start > cmd. Ho Dec 26, 2022 · PsKill is a command-line tool that is part of the Sysinternals suite. This problem can be resolved with PowerShell though without the need for a restart. Sep 16, 2025 · In this case, the service control buttons (Start, Stop, and Restart) will be grayed out and inactive. Sometimes as an administrator you may need to kill a service which is stuck at stopping in order to avoid having to reboot a server in the middle of the day. Aug 28, 2015 · I am trying to kill wuauserv on a windows server 2008 R2, however it has the same PID as other services which I don't want to kill. We’ve provided step-by-step guidelines on how to do so below. Dec 5, 2024 · The Kill tool, kill. You can find the process ID of that service in Task Manager under Processes. Services are an application type that runs in the system background without a user interface. Windows NT, 2000 and XP users should see Running httpd as a Service and Windows 9x and ME users should see Running httpd as a Console Application for information on how to control httpd on those platforms. Aug 5, 2025 · We'll show you how to disable unnecessary Windows 11 services step by step, thus easily improving your PC's performance. [1] [2] Sep 28, 2021 · In this tutorial, learn how to kill a Windows process using native utilities, third-party utilities, and PowerShell! Jul 6, 2014 · Learn how to check and terminate services running on a remote computer within the same network using command prompt commands. Type command prompt in the Start Search box. Sep 8, 2025 · Instead of rebooting the server, you can try killing the Windows service that hangs on stopping. For example: Print Spooler is Spooler. Here’s what you need to do: Step 1. But the answers looked like a m Jan 29, 2025 · Previously I could simply use the registry, gpedit, taskscheduler and services to rip out a lot of the garbage that comes with Windows, Windows Update being the chief offender. Mar 4, 1999 · A. Find out the PID of the service. I typed in the wrong password, and that locked the account in AD. Aug 6, 2012 · It’s pretty simple to simulate this behavior by creating a Windows Service in C# (or any . Nov 30, 2021 · This tutorial will show you how to delete a service in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The Stop-Service cmdlet sends a stop message to the Windows Service Controller for each of the specified services. For This cmdlet is only available on the Windows platform. As mentioned in the post, PsKill is a rather old tool with just a few options. Theoretically the less you have running in the background taking up CPU time, memory and using the hard disc, the faster and smoother a game or intensive application will run. 1/8/7. NET Framework or by other means (net stop, Win32 API), the service remains in the state of stopping and never reaches the stopped phase. First, locate the service that you are attempting to fix, and remember it’s Display Name (the name listed Service Stop Adversaries may stop or disable services on a system to render those services unavailable to legitimate users. Windows Update service will free up and stop hanging. Can i Jan 23, 2017 · A customer asked (via their customer liaison), “We wrote in-house Windows service that is set to auto-start when the user logs in. About (Safely) Force close all proccesses and services with a batch script windows services service applications processes batch force kill end close stopper Readme Activity 19 stars May 27, 2025 · Windows comes with a lot of additional baggage, and if your PC isn't equipped to handle the overhead, you'll find your CPU being hogged by hidden Windows services. Aug 26, 2010 · I am attempting to write a batch file that kills the windows audio service using the following taskkill /F /FI "Services eq Windows Audio" however I am unable to get taskkill to handle the space Aug 10, 2023 · In this tutorial we'll show five (5) different methods to remotely start or stop services on Windows. This tutorial will guide you through the process of force killing a service on Windows. What can I Use services. Here's 8 free tools to quickly and automatically close down unneeded programs and services for you. To find this just type the following in at a command prompt: sc queryex servicename Replace ‘servicename’ with the services registry name. The problem I believe I am having is that the service itself, sometimes, can take a while… Jul 11, 2025 · It's no secret that Windows runs a bunch of background services to power various features. msc), Windows 7 SP1 attempts to stop it, but then after waiting a few minutes, reports that it cannot stop the Jul 28, 2017 · Some services may take a while to stop. Double-click to see the service name and the path to the executable. Aug 26, 2021 · Step-by-step instructions on how to stop a running service or a program from command prompt or from the Windows PowerShell in Windows OS. msc and hit Enter to open the Service manager. exe process. taskkill /im process-name /f Note: In the command, replace process-name with the name of the process from the Task Manager that is causing the Mar 18, 2014 · Maintenance on Windows Devices sometimes requires the manual stopping/restarting of Services. Open Run using the Windows and R keys. How can we prevent the user from terminating it in Task Manager, or at least have the service auto-restart if it is terminated?” Services have access control lists. Just make sure to use the actual service name and not the display name! > sc queryex <SERVICE_NAME> This will output some information about the service, including the process id. Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open Command Prompt as administrato r. net start > services. Dec 17, 2022 · To stop a Windows service through Command-Line, you can use the Stop-Service cmdlet in PowerShell or the Net stop command in CMD. Feb 20, 2024 · We show you how to kill a process in Windows 10 with Task Manager, Command Prompt's taskkill, PowerShell, and third-party tools. For more information, see Get-CimInstance and the WMI SDK. 2. Jan 3, 2024 · Windows Search service helps you index files on your computer in a faster speed. Dec 8, 2022 · This guide shows you how to restart Windows Explorer (explorer. In particular, I wanted to play around with Windows APIs related to Mar 23, 2019 · Windows Kill Process By PORT Number [duplicate] Asked 6 years, 8 months ago Modified 6 years, 4 months ago Viewed 212k times Oct 22, 2019 · This tutorial describes how to stop/start a windows service via batch or cmd. Thankfully I didn’t have to restart, as I found the solution here. Jun 7, 2018 · Is there actually a way to stop MpsSvc. Determine the PID by typing the following: sc queryex servicename Next, issue the taskkill command from a Command Prompt: taskkill /f /pid [PID] An Apr 22, 2025 · Disabling these background services could help speed up your Windows 11 PC. Jul 21, 2015 · I have a windows service named 'shipper' running which processes files. Apr 30, 2025 · To stop an unresponsive program or free up resources, learn how to kill a process in Windows with this tutorial. PowerShell. This quick guide helps you troubleshoot and manage services on your system effectively. This works great if you have a service stuck in the “Starting” phase of Mar 31, 2016 · To kill the service you have to know its PID or Process ID. Open Windows Services, find the service name… May 22, 2016 · If you cannot stop a service and looking forward to kill it, here's how to force stop a Windows Service using Command Prompt in Windows 10/8. Sometimes when we reboot the server, Windows doesn’t wait for the service to finish, and we end up with database corruption, which is a huge pain. When a Windows service is stuck in the stopping state, it can cause various issues, including system slowdowns, resource hogging, and the inability to start or stop other services. I have created a windows service and in the service in control panel -> administrative tools -> services, its status is starting. In such cases, you can force kill the service using the taskkill command. To find this just type the following in at a command prompt: sc queryex servicename <Press Enter> Replace ‘ servicename ‘ with the services registry name. exe. The Windows Jul 26, 2016 · A kill a windows service quick tip from the trenches. msc) and search the service to stop. There are certain commands that can be used to do the same thing, i. The difference between services and other programs is that they run in the background and don’t have a user interface you can click or tap on. When a CancellationToken arrives, the loop exits and the service tries Sep 29, 2025 · This post tells you what Windows 11 services are safe to disable and how to disable them. Here you will learn how to enable or disable Windows Search service in Windows 10 with three options. The Windows May 31, 2017 · Two commands for killing services: net start to get a name list of running services net stop "name of service" to stop the service A service is a programm almost like any other. In this post, I also share my PowerShell script, which allows you to restart a hanging service on multiple computers. e. There is also the danger of incidentally killing other processes and services, that depend on you process you stopped. lst). , terminate a process. The problem with SC is that the command returns immediately and not after the action is complete. I’ve found two ways to kill a process in CMD: taskkill /F /PID [number], and taskkill /F /IM process. You can have a try. In this comprehensive 2500+ word guide, you‘ll learn how to kill processes in Windows using task manager, command prompt, and PowerShell. exe Here’s the problem: when I kill the push notification service by PID number, it restarts itself with a different PID number, and the numbers seem to be randomly May 14, 2019 · One of our file ingestion services can take a while to finish all pending database updates and exit cleanly. I need help to kill a windows service using C#, now to kill the service use the following option: From the cmd: sc queryex ServiceName After discovering the PID of the service taskkill /pid 1234( Aug 15, 2013 · Well, it’s better than rebooting the entire server to get around that! I would point out that “servicename” is not the display name on the list of services, but the actual running name. Stopping critical services or processes can inhibit or stop response to an incident or aid in the adversary's overall objectives to cause damage to the environment. It is part of the Microsoft. However, one of these background services is killing your battery, without benefiting you nearly as much in daily use. Sometimes the underlying process doesn't stop. I'm unable to pinpoint which update is causing the issue because Windows won't allow me to remove all of the updates that install. Jun 8, 2025 · For those searching for safe ways to debloat Windows, the “disable unnecessary Windows services for speed” tactic ranks high in both community trust and practical value. It’s pretty simple to This lab was inspired by an old post Phant0m: Killing Windows Event Log by @hlldz where he introduced a powershell tool Invoke-Phant0m, which disables Windows EventLog service by killing its threads hosted by the svchost. So I'll call up the task manager and hit the "End Process" button for it. Discover how to effortlessly execute a Powershell stop service on remote computer in this concise guide. The only option to this was to kill the service process and start it again. Type: taskkill /f /pid [PID] Where PID is the process ID. You can also use the Resource Kit Jun 30, 2025 · If you're looking for a simple no-brainer solution to eliminate all the processes in Windows 10/11 with the simplest solutions available, this article is for you. msc or (Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services) to find the service in question. Today, I will explain how to use two built-in tools: Tskill and Taskkill. Jun 25, 2025 · Sometimes, these services might malfunction, be unnecessary, or pose security risks, prompting the need to remove or disable them. 1. Jun 2, 2025 · Find out how to disable antimalware service executable in Windows. Oct 27, 2022 · It sometimes happens (and it’s not a good sign most of the time): you’d like to stop a Windows Service, and when you issue the stop command through the SCM (Service Control Manager) or by using the ServiceProcess classes in the . If its process ID is 1234, you can simply run kill 1234 or kill -s TERM 1234 or k You may be better off actually looking at started services - sometimes new java processes spawn again in some sort of failover - so you'd be killing processes forever! Nov 6, 2023 · It is usually the case that new versions of Windows see the arrival of new features and options, but Microsoft is also known to take things away. This makes it an essential tool for system administrators dealing with Nov 1, 2024 · Reference article for the taskkill command, which ends one or more tasks or processes. exe, net, and PowerShell cmdlets to start, stop, and automate services. Killing a service that is stuck or has refused to start will save you the time of restarting or rebooting a Server. exe in your Task Manager window, is a background service that constantly scans your files and folders Is there a way to stop a windows service that its status is "Starting"? I'm working on Windows 7/Server 2008 and the service is running under an admin user. Here is the code where I start the process. Right-click Command Prompt from the search results and select Run as administrator May 12, 2016 · 4 Many websites, including SuperUser, recommend restarting the Windows Update service in order to fix the common problem of Windows Update getting stuck at 0% downloading. exe process in Windows 11/10 in 3 clicks. NET language whatsoever) and adding an infinite loop in the Stop method. Services provide core operating system features (such as printing, networking, remote access, File Explorer, Windows Master the art of managing services remotely with PowerShell. But the answers looked like a m Aug 29, 2013 · An average Windows Admin would say "The server is going to have to be rebooted to clear up this problem". Find out the PID of the service Open an elevated How to Steps Killing Windows Update Service Windows Update hung on stopping. This month, May 1, 2013 · About programming Windows services: how to stop my windows service? Here is a very simplified example code (C#): Jan 22, 2025 · Want to kill 'Antimalware Service Executable' From Windows 10? Here's how to stop antimalware service executable from Windows. For now, I only know a method when you set the startup type to " Sep 19, 2023 · If the PC SSD is formatted and Windows freshly reinstalled the Yealink headset will work and the audio service will not crash until Windows Updates have installed. Apr 26, 2021 · I’ve been tasked with creating a script that can kill the windows push notification service, which is a svchost. Jun 1, 2025 · This comprehensive guide provides actionable steps to identify and disable unnecessary Windows services, reclaim valuable system resources, and dramatically improve your PC’s speed and responsiveness. In the following example, if we wanted to kill the WinVNC4 service we would copy the number 1828. To deal with crashes, the OS can be configured to automatically restart it. This comprehensive article guides you through the various methods to remove a service on Windows 10 and Windows 11 effectively and safely. Mar 12, 2018 · This will look for an image name either literally or with a wildcard and the /F forces the termination of the process. May 24, 2024 · Learn how to efficiently stop all background processes in Windows 11 to boost your PC’s performance with our comprehensive guide. It can find and stop but cannot disable. The purpose of this quick lab is to understand some of the inner workings of Invoke-Phant0m. To get a list of the running services enter the command net start (you can add > [filename] to the end to make it output to a file, i. In Apr 15, 2016 · The Windows Update service resisted a restart and was stuck at “Stopping the service” in services window. Dec 17, 2024 · The taskkill command is a powerful Windows command-line utility used to terminate processes either by specifying their process ID or name. Killing the apps will kill many of the unwanted services. Mar 1, 2024 · This tutorial will show you how to change the WaitToKillServiceTimeout value for how long the system waits for services to stop when you shut down the computer in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Step 1: Query the process To kill the service you have to know its PID or Process ID. It provides versatile options for forcefully terminating processes, terminating processes along with their child processes, and even terminating processes on remote machines. If the verb "kill" seems out of place f Aug 19, 2015 · On Unix or Linux, it's easy to gracefully ask a running application to terminate: you send it the SIGTERM signal. Remember the name “Service name”. Similar: Configure When and How Windows Updates Are Delivered Aug 10, 2022 · Fix 1 – Terminate the Process Using taskkill in Command Prompt 1. Check the exe version information for a clue as to the owner of the service, and use Add/Remove programs to do a clean uninstall if possible. Dec 27, 2011 · SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0) CHECKPOINT : 0x0 WAIT_HINT : 0x0 PID : 1800 FLAGS : After you identified the service on the SERVICE_NAME line, notice the PID. In the View menu of the Task manager you can choose […] Apr 20, 2009 · If you ever have trouble with a service being stuck in a ‘starting’ or ‘stopping’ state, you can run a couple of simple commands to kill the service. Jul 21, 2023 · If you see any services listed under The following system components depend on this service you will need to find the service, right-click on that service and click on Stop. . Step 2. Step 1: Right-click on Start and select Run to launch the Run command window. Not all of these services are important, though, meaning you can turn some of them off and give your CPU some breathing room. (How to Start/Stop services remotely in Windows) Jan 8, 2024 · I've found many questions/answers that document how to kill a Windows process in Cygwin, but I'm asking how to kill a Windows 10 service in Cygwin. Jun 9, 2024 · We show you how to stop, terminate, or kill one or multiple Processes using Command Prompt, Terminal or PowerShell in Windows 11/10. What Is Windows Search Indexer? The Windows Search Indexer, visible as searchindexer. Using the command line and process ID we can get kill a service that isn't stopping. Feb 19, 2018 · All you need to do is find the process id (PID) of the offending service and kill it via the command line. I want to stop this service, but the stop option is grayed out. Step 2: In the Run command window, type services. The exe file that is run as a process does not have a GUI, so CloseMainWindow doesn't work. This tool works only on processes running on the local computer. exe). I can only stop it by doing a taskkill /f /pid. You can specify the services by their service names or display names, or you can use the InputObject parameter to pass a service object that represents the service that you want to stop. Dec 12, 2022 · That a Windows service hangs (that is, becomes unresponsive or fails to stop) is a common issue admins face. Here are the steps for stopping processes: Press the Windows key once. Then open up PowerShell or Command Prompt as administrator and run "sc delete ServiceName" to delete the service. Find out the Windows Update Service PID # · Type sc queryex wuauserv into the cmd field to find the PID # 3. 3. I‘ll Dec 17, 2024 · The Stop-Service command is a powerful utility available in PowerShell that allows users to stop running services on a Windows operating system. Windows If a Windows service is hung, such as the eFORMz Service Manager, launch a command prompt. Aside from restarting the system, there are some built-in commands that will allow you to stop and/or restart individual services. Master the art of managing services remotely with PowerShell. (as shown in Picture below) Sep 5, 2024 · Method 1: Use Command Prompt The easiest solution is to use the command prompt to terminate a process. Kill() to terminate the process, but I'd like to try to end the process cleanly before killing it. The Windows Sometimes as an administrator you may need to kill a service which is stuck at stopping in order to avoid having to reboot a server in the middle of the day. I assume running taskkill /f /pid [PID] would kill them all, how do I target just the wuauserv service? If your games are lagging, your CPU is stuck at 100%, or you're dealing with random stutters and slow performance in Windows 10/11 — these hidden Windows services are destroying your FPS. Jan 29, 2025 · Previously I could simply use the registry, gpedit, taskscheduler and services to rip out a lot of the garbage that comes with Windows, Windows Update being the chief offender. exe) in Windows 11 via CMD or PowerShell, without using Task Manager. Find the service you want to stop and copy from the column PID the process ID number of the service. you will need this number. Let’s learn how to forcefully kill a stuck Windows service or process without a system reboot. With the right tools, you can clean up unneeded background services, free up RAM and CPU power, and stop malicious processes in their tracks. I've read through several other threads, but haven't found a solution that works. Ive already seen this happen when network calls go wrong; once OpenSSL got into Mar 13, 2023 · In my previous post, Terminate Windows processes with PsKill, I explained how to use PsKill to kill Windows processes on local or remote systems. Open cmd in admin mode. Apr 24, 2020 · Reasons to forcefully kill or stop a process in Windows As an Administrator from time to time, you may need to kill a service that is problematic and stuck or start a service that has refused to start. 1 Runtime Broker The Windows Runtime Broker manages permissions for Microsoft Store apps in the background Dec 5, 2024 · The Kill tool, kill. Double click on the service to open the properties. I know that restart is a solution, but server can't be Sep 17, 2025 · Learn how to delete Windows service from command-line and registry. Using taskkill command, you can kill the rogue service now by typing: taskkill /PID 1800 /F C:\>taskkill /PID 1800 /F SUCCESS: The process with PID 1800 has been Mastering process killing techniques enables you to forcibly quit apps and troubleshoot system problems. Mar 26, 2020 · Want to kill stubborn Windows service that hangs on stopping or not responding? Mar 4, 1999 · A. If multiple processes match the name, they will all be killed. Some services will ask you to enter a y to confirm, and for these just add /y to the end. Else use a desktop shortcut or the context menu to kill Explorer. Make a note of the “Service Name”.