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Edited by N N Martin, Krystle, The Guy Who Hates Hating, Carolyn Barratt and 4 others

Two Methods:LinuxWindows

Have you ever had a program hang and waiting for the computer to sort the problem out was not an option? This puts in effect the immediate termination of almost any irritating, hanging, unresponsive program on your PC.

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EditMethod 1 of 2: Linux

  1. 1
    kill
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EditMethod 2 of 2: Windows

  1. 1
    Press Alt+Ctrl+Del keys simultaneously, and keep them pressed until you see a window open. This is called the Task Manager.
    • Note: In the new OS, Windows 7, a screen comes up with a number of options. Just click on 'Start Task Manager'.
  2. 2
    Select the program from the list of open tasks. Also understand that although the name of the task may be unclear, there is also a description column through which you may identify your hanging program.
  3. 3
    With the unresponsive task highlighted, click on the 'End Process' button at the bottom of the window. When prompted, click 'Yes'.
  4. 4
    The program is closed. Please note that unsaved changes to most programs will be lost.
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EditTips

  • Also beware that you may lose unsaved data with the above process. So be sure to constantly save work regardless of which application you are using.
  • The new Windows 7 OS is much more efficient at handling these program crashes, and also drastically minimizes the amount of times you experience them.
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Article Info

Categories: Operating Systems

Recent edits by: Maniac, KnowItSome, Darrelljon

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