I originally created my version of to replace the native Windows Task Manager because even though the Windows Task manager is a pretty decent tool as far I’m concerned, it by default it gives you a lot of information and options. In a Terminal Server environment, you might not want to have all those options available to your users. For example, the Set Priority option when right-clicking on a process in the processes tab isn’t an option you want your users to have.

My TS Task Manager basically only allows you to use the applications tab. Everything else is disabled. The download is an .msi file which installs the TS Task Manager into Program Files\Thincomputing.net Tools. This way it is installed into the same directory as the Thincomputing.net Tools (if you have them installed) The installer also replaces all calls to the old taskmgr.exe. This includes:

• Selecting Task Manager from the Start Menu context menu
• Selecting Task Manager from the Ctrl+Alt+Del dialog box
• Typing -> run -> taskmgr.exe
• Even browsing to the old taskmgr.exe and double clicking it!

It does NOT delete or overwrite the original taskmgr.exe executable. Using TS Task Manager you can safely give users access to the useful options of Task Manager and still preserve security. You, as an administrator can still continue to use the old taskmgr.exe, you just have to rename it.

Now the guys over at Control Alt Delete consultancy actually created their own tool that does about the same thing, without hacking task manager which probably is a much better idea.

Now TSTaskMan is a standalone Windows GUI tool designed to show a user the list of processes running in their Terminal Server session only. Processes can then be terminated by the user by selecting the process and pressing the terminate button. This utility was written for the purpose of allowing users to terminate frozen programs or processes that exist only in the Terminal Server Session of the currently logged in user. The GUI lists all the running processes in the Terminal Session of the logged on user, and does not display any other user or system processes. 

Download it here.