Here are three ways to do it: •• Invoke the new “three-fingered salute,” Ctrl+Shift+Esc. •• Press the old “three-fingered salute,” Ctrl+Alt+Delete. That keystroke opens the Windows Security screen (Figure 6-1). From here you can get to the Task Manager—by clicking Start Task Manager (Figure 6-1, top). •• Right-click the taskbar and, from the shortcut menu, choose Task Manager from the shortcut menu. In any case, now you see a list of every open program. The Status column should make clear what you already know: that one of your programs—labeled “Not responding”—is ignoring you. Tip: Now, “not responding” could just mean, “in the middle of crunching away.” If the nonresponsive program is some huge mega-hog and you just chose some command that’s going to take awhile, give it a chance to finish before you conclude that it’s locked up.
Figure 6-1: Top: Click the Task Manager button on the Windows Security dialog box to check on the status of a troublesome program. Bottom: As if you didn’t know, one of these programs is “not responding.” Highlight its name and then click End Task to slap it out of its misery. Once the program disappears from the list, close the Task Manager and get on with your life. You can even restart the same program right away—no harm done.