How to end VBScript on Windows 10?

Question

I accidently did a cd-drive vbs prank on myself on windows 10 and I can't find the wscript.exe file.. Is there any way to end this program?

Reboot? Look for `cscript.exe` processes instead of `wscript.exe` (it's the other scripting host process). — Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007, May 18 '16 at 15:09
@Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 There are no files like that there, any other way? — Shariq Musharaf, May 18 '16 at 15:10
VBS needs a scripting host to run; wscript and csscript are the Windows scripting host processes that run VBS scripts. If a VBS script is running, one of those MUST be running. Where exactly are you looking for them in the Task Manager? — Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007, May 18 '16 at 15:11
@Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 I'm looking in the background processes and there is no process like scripting or any like wscript or csscript. — Shariq Musharaf, May 18 '16 at 15:13
Just reboot. Unless you have set it to run at start. In which case, disable that then reboot. — EBGreen, May 18 '16 at 15:17

score 11 · Answer 1 · answered May 06 '19 at 09:12

11

Best option according to me is

1) Open Task Manager

2) Go to the processes tab

3) Right-click on Name header and click command line (to show Command line)

4) Under command line look for "C:\Windows\System32\WScript.exe" "yourfilename.vbs"

5) Right-click and end task

answered May 06 '19 at 09:12

N Khan

2

Brilliant stuff. This works like a charm on window 10. Thanks a ton for sharing. – Ajay Kumar Oct 15 '21 at 21:45
Much easier, thanks! – EM-Creations Nov 29 '21 at 18:09

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered May 18 '16 at 21:52

Your script probably runs elevated so could become invisible in normal unelevated task manager. Run it elevated as well.

Another approach: open an elevated command line window. Then, taskkill /? could suggest a solution (or read taskkill: End one or more processes by process ID or image name article).

tasklist | findstr /I "PID script.exe"

and search for .vbs i.e. VBScript file extension:

wmic process where "CommandLine like '%.vbs%' and name != 'wmic.exe'" get /value

and search for your script file name (let's say cdprank.vbs):

wmic process where "CommandLine like '%cdprank%' and name != 'wmic.exe'" get /value

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 25 '17 at 14:15

2

Look for something called "Microsoft Windows Based Script Host" in the running processes. End this process and you should be fine.

answered Mar 25 '17 at 14:15

DZoten

How does this differ from the accepted answer – Ramhound Mar 25 '17 at 14:48
This is how I do it as well. Why was this down-voted? Much simpler than the accepted answer. You just run Task Manager, look for the above string, and click "end task". – Blisterpeanuts Nov 01 '18 at 19:09

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 05 '18 at 13:45

0

For Windows 10 TaskManager>Details search for wscript.exe Right click and select End Process tree.

answered Dec 05 '18 at 13:45

AV Sunil Kumar

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 31 '21 at 08:08

0

Look for a process called "microsoft windows based script host" in task manager on the process tab. End task the process and your done

answered Dec 31 '21 at 08:08

Darius Concazo

5 Answers5