Troubleshooting Guide

Problem: Can't Run Portable Version

Solution:

• Extract all files from the ZIP archive (don't run from within the ZIP)
• Ensure you have write permissions to the folder
• Check if Windows Defender or antivirus is blocking the executable
• Try running as administrator
• Verify you downloaded the correct architecture version

Problem: Antivirus Detects Process Hacker as Threat

Solution:

1. Add to Whitelist/Exclusions: Add Process Hacker's folder and executable to your antivirus exclusions
2. Windows Defender: Go to Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings → Exclusions → Add or remove exclusions
3. Other Antivirus: Check your antivirus settings for exclusions or whitelist options
4. Download Verification: Always download from official sources (SourceForge, GitHub, official website)
5. Report False Positive: Report the false positive to your antivirus vendor

Problem: Antivirus Removed Process Hacker

Solution:

• Restore the file from your antivirus quarantine
• Add Process Hacker to exclusions before restoring
• Re-download if the file was permanently deleted
• Ensure you download from official sources only

Problem: Process Hacker is Slow or Freezing

Solution:

• Reduce the refresh interval in Options → Refresh
• Disable unnecessary columns in the process list
• Close other resource-intensive applications
• Check if you have too many processes running
• Update to the latest version
• Check system resources (CPU, memory, disk)

Problem: High CPU Usage by Process Hacker

Solution:

• Increase the refresh interval (Options → Refresh → set to 2-5 seconds)
• Disable real-time graphs if not needed
• Close unnecessary tabs (Network, Services, etc.)
• Check for plugin issues (disable plugins one by one)
• Restart Process Hacker

Problem: KProcessHacker Driver Won't Install

Solution:

• Run Process Hacker as administrator
• Disable driver signature enforcement temporarily (advanced users only)
• Check Windows Event Viewer for driver installation errors
• Ensure you have administrator privileges
• Try installing the driver manually using Device Manager

Problem: Driver Installation Blocked by Windows

Solution:

1. Open Windows Settings → Update & Security → Recovery
2. Click "Restart now" under Advanced startup
3. Choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings
4. Click Restart and select "Disable driver signature enforcement"
5. After restart, install the KProcessHacker driver
6. Note: This is a temporary setting and will reset on next boot

Problem: Can't See All Process Details Without Driver

Solution:

• Some features require the KProcessHacker driver, but Process Hacker works without it
• Run Process Hacker as administrator for more access
• Kernel-mode stack traces require the driver
• File handle name retrieval is enhanced with the driver
• Most features work without the driver

Problem: Can't Terminate Certain Processes

Solution:

• Run Process Hacker as administrator
• Some system processes are protected and cannot be terminated
• Try "Terminate Tree" instead of "Terminate"
• Check if the process is a critical system process
• Use "Suspend" to pause the process instead

Problem: Can't View Process Details

Solution:

• Run Process Hacker as administrator for full access
• Some processes require elevated privileges to view details
• Check if the process is still running
• Try refreshing the process list (F5)

Problem: Network Tab Shows No Connections

Solution:

• Run Process Hacker as administrator
• Network monitoring requires administrator privileges
• Check if the ExtendedTools plugin is enabled
• Refresh the network tab
• Ensure you have active network connections

Problem: Process Hacker Crashes with Plugins

Solution:

• Update all plugins to the latest versions
• Disable plugins one by one to identify the problematic plugin
• Remove outdated or incompatible plugins
• Check plugin compatibility with your Process Hacker version
• Re-download plugins from official sources

Problem: ExtendedTools Plugin Not Working

Solution:

• Run Process Hacker as administrator (required for ExtendedTools)
• Enable the plugin in Hacker → Plugins
• Update the plugin to the latest version
• Restart Process Hacker after enabling the plugin

Problem: Settings Not Saving

Solution:

• Ensure Process Hacker has write permissions to its directory
• For portable version, create ProcessHacker.exe.settings.xml file
• Check if antivirus is blocking settings file creation
• Run Process Hacker as administrator
• Check disk space availability

Problem: Process Hacker Won't Start

Solution:

• Check if another instance is already running
• Check Windows Event Viewer for errors
• Try running as administrator
• Re-download and reinstall
• Check if required system files are present (.NET Framework, Visual C++ Redistributables)
• Disable antivirus temporarily