Get full running process list ( Visual C++ )

Question

I am currently using the EnumProcesses function to obtain a list of running processes. Since my application runs in user space, however, it is not able to get handles for processes not running under the user, including System processes. Is there another method that will give me access to these? All I need are the process names.

Answer 1

I finally found a solution (figures after posting here as my last desperate attempt). If anyone else only needs a list of process names running on the system (all processes), this will do it for you.

Process Walking

Answer 2

Just to add to this answer, I built this for cases when you are looking for just one particular process instead of the entire list.

bool FindRunningProcess(AnsiString process) {
/*
Function takes in a string value for the process it is looking for like ST3Monitor.exe
then loops through all of the processes that are currently running on windows.
If the process is found it is running, therefore the function returns true.
*/
    AnsiString compare;
    bool procRunning = false;

    HANDLE hProcessSnap;
    PROCESSENTRY32 pe32;
    hProcessSnap = CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS, 0);

    if (hProcessSnap == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
        procRunning = false;
    } else {
        pe32.dwSize = sizeof(PROCESSENTRY32);
        if (Process32First(hProcessSnap, &pe32)) { // Gets first running process
            if (pe32.szExeFile == process) {
                procRunning = true;
            } else {
                // loop through all running processes looking for process
                while (Process32Next(hProcessSnap, &pe32)) { 
                    // Set to an AnsiString instead of Char[] to make compare easier
                    compare = pe32.szExeFile;
                    if (compare == process) {
                        // if found process is running, set to true and break from loop
                        procRunning = true;
                        break;
                    }
                }
            }
            // clean the snapshot object
            CloseHandle(hProcessSnap);
        }
    }

    return procRunning;
}

I should note here this was written in Embarcadero RAD Studio (C++ Builder) and per @Remy_Lebeau System::AnsiString is a C++Builder string class for 8bit ANSI character data in its VCL/FMX frameworks.