{"record":{"id":"9528f37495460db5","repo":"rustdesk/rustdesk","slug":"failed-to-kill-the-process","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"Failed to kill the process","messagePattern":"Failed to kill the process","errorType":"exception","errorClass":null,"httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"src/platform/windows.rs","lineNumber":3790,"sourceCode":"        }\n        return Ok(None);\n    };\n    Ok(Some(get_msi_uninstall_subkey(&product_code)?))\n}\n\n// Double confirm the process name\nfn kill_process_by_pids(name: &str, pids: Vec<Pid>) -> ResultType<()> {\n    let name = name.to_lowercase();\n    let s = System::new_all();\n    // No need to check all names of `pids` first, and kill them then.\n    // It's rare case that they're not matched.\n    for pid in pids {\n        if let Some(process) = s.process(pid) {\n            if process.name().to_lowercase() != name {\n                bail!(\"Failed to kill the process, the names are mismatched.\");\n            }\n            if !process.kill() {\n                bail!(\"Failed to kill the process\");\n            }\n        } else {\n            bail!(\"Failed to kill the process, the pid is not found\");\n        }\n    }\n    Ok(())\n}\n\npub fn handle_custom_client_staging_dir_before_update(\n    custom_client_staging_dir: &PathBuf,\n) -> ResultType<()> {\n    let Some(current_exe_dir) = std::env::current_exe()\n        .ok()\n        .and_then(|p| p.parent().map(|p| p.to_path_buf()))\n    else {\n        bail!(\"Failed to get current exe directory\");\n    };\n","sourceCodeStart":3772,"sourceCodeEnd":3808,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/blob/91c9fccbb0f7bfe5f11644d5fbdec9b23fa10540/src/platform/windows.rs#L3772-L3808","documentation":"After the name check passes, `process.kill()` (sysinfo) is called; if it returns false the process could not be terminated and this error is raised. Common underlying causes are insufficient privileges (the process runs elevated or as another user) or the process already exiting between the snapshot and the kill call.","triggerScenarios":"Calling the kill helper with a valid pid whose name matches, but sysinfo's `kill()` fails: target is elevated/protected, owned by another session, or terminated concurrently.","commonSituations":"Trying to kill an unelevated RustDesk instance's elevated counterpart; killing a service process without admin rights; antivirus protecting the process.","solutions":["Re-run the operation from an elevated (administrator) process","Verify the process is still alive and retry the kill","Use `taskkill /f /pid N` manually to see the OS-level error (e.g. Access denied)"],"exampleFix":"// before\nkill_processes(&pids, name)?;\n// after: elevate first\nif !is_elevated() { request_elevation()?; }\nkill_processes(&pids, name)?;","handlingStrategy":"retry","validationCode":"let can_kill = pids.iter().all(|p| sys.process(*p)\n    .map_or(false, |pr| pr.name().to_lowercase() == name));\nif !can_kill || !is_elevated() { /* elevate before calling kill */ }","typeGuard":null,"tryCatchPattern":"if let Err(e) = kill_processes(&pids, name) {\n    if e.to_string() == \"Failed to kill the process\" {\n        request_elevation()?;\n        kill_processes(&pids, name)?;\n    } else { return Err(e); }\n}","preventionTips":["Run kill operations from an elevated process","Do not kill processes owned by other users/sessions","Expect kill() to fail on already-exiting processes and retry once"],"tags":["windows","process","permissions"],"backgroundTag":"insufficient-permissions","analyzedSha":"91c9fccbb0f7bfe5f11644d5fbdec9b23fa10540","analyzedAt":"2026-09-10T19:53:44.083Z","contentChangedAt":"2026-09-10T19:53:44.083Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-09-14T05:17:10.506Z"}