The Task Manager provides you
with dynamic information about your computer’s performance and also
displays details about programs and processes running on your computer.
It also displays network information. Task Manager is also capable of
ending and starting programs, which is especially useful when you have a
frozen or hung program. The status bar of this window also displays the
number of running processes, the CPU usage percentage, and the Commit
Charge of your memory.
To open task manager, right
Click on the taskbar and select Task Manager, or use the keyboard
shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Del.
We will first begin by looking
at the menus available in Task Manager.
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File |
New Task (Run…): Opens the Run box (also
available in the Start Menu). |
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Exit Task Manager |
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Options |
Always On Top: Toggles the option to keep
the Task Manager window on top of all other windows. |
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Minimize On Use: Toggles the option to
minimize the Task Manager when an application is opened from the
Applications tab. |
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Hide When Minimized: Toggles the option to
hide the Task Manager to the notification area/system tray when
minimized. |
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View |
Refresh Now: Refreshes the window. |
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Update Speed: Provides update options for
High, Normal, Low, and Paused. (This is in relation to the
Performance Tab.) |
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Large icons: Displays a large icon view
under the Applications tab. |
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Small icons: Displays a small icon view
under the Applications tab. |
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Details: Displays a detailed icon view
under the Applications tab. |
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Windows |
Tile Horizontally: Tiles the active
window(s) horizontally. (The active windows are those which are
selected under the Applications tab.) |
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Tile Vertically: Tiles the active window(s)
horizontally. |
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Minimize: Minimizes the active window(s).
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Maximize: Maximizes the active window(s). |
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Cascade: Cascade the active window(s). |
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Bring To Front: Brings the active window to
the front of all other windows. |
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Shut Down |
Stand By: Enters the computer into a Stand
By state, where devices are powered off, allowing your computer
to ender a low-power state. (This state is useful for laptops
which need to conserve battery power.) |
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Hibernate: Enters the computer into a
hibernation state, where your current state is saved to the hard
disk so the computer can power off. When you restart your
computer, your desktop is restored exactly as you left it. |
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Turn Off: Turns off the computer. |
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Restart: Restarts the computer. |
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Log Off: Logs off the current user. |
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Switch User: Allows you to switch to
another user. (Keeps the current user logged on.) |
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Help |
Task Manager Help Topics: Opens the Task
Manager help window. |
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About Task Manager: Provides technical
information about task manager. |
Next, let’s look at the
different tabs available in device manager. The available tabs are:
The Applications tab provides a
list of your currently opened applications and their status. It also
provides button options for End Task, Switch To, and New Task.
The Processes tab provides a
list of currently running processes from your computer though a column
list display. Other column menus can additionally be added to this
window through the view menu.
The performance tab displays
dynamic information regarding your CPU(s), Page File usage, and other
resources. The first graph is your CPU graph which shows you a dynamic
graph displaying your CPU usage. Below this is a Page File Usage graph.
Below the main graphs are the sections for Totals, Commit Charge (K),
Physical Memory (K), and Kernel Memory (K). Let’s explain these
resources in further detail.
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Section |
Sub-Sections |
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Totals |
Handles: Handles are sometimes referred to
as pointers, enabling a program to access a resource, such as a
library function. |
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Threads: A thread is usually a part of a
program that can function and execute independently of other
threads. A program can have one or many threads. |
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Processes: The number of running processes
on the computer. These are listed in detail under the Processes
tab. |
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Commit Charge (K) |
Total: This is the total amount of memory
in use by all applications, including memory that has been
temporarily paged to disk. |
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Limit: This is the limit of the memory in
use by all applications and other memory resources. |
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Peak: This is the peak amount of memory
used by all applications and other memory resources. |
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Physical Memory (K) |
Total: This is the total physical amount of
memory installed in your computer. |
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Available: This is the available amount of
memory available in your computer. |
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System Cache: This is the amount of memory
being used as a disk cache. |
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Total: This is the total amount of kernel
memory, reserved for open processes. |
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Paged: This is the amount of kernel memory
which has been paged. This is usually a process done between the
hard drive and memory. |
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Nonpaged: This is the amount of kernel
memory which has not been paged. |
The networking tab displays a
dynamic graph for each operational network connection. It also displays
each network connection with more information based on your desired
column selection.
The Users tab displays the
currently logged on users and more information based on the desired
column selection.
