Lesson 6:Using Task Manager | MCSE Training Kit(c) Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Exam 70-270 2001)

Task Manager provides information about the programs and processes running on your computer and the performance of your computer. You can use Task Manager to start programs, to stop programs and processes, and to view a dynamic view of your computer's performance.

After this lesson, you will be able to

Identify three methods for starting Task Manager
Use Task Manager to monitor programs, processes, and system performance
Add columns to the Processes tab display
Use Task Manager to start and stop programs

Estimated lesson time: 25 minutes

Monitoring Programs

Task Manager allows you to monitor applications and processes currently running on your computer. It also provides information about the processes, including the memory usage of each one. It provides statistics about the memory and processor performance and network usage. You can start Task Manager in any of the following three ways:

Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc
Right-click the Windows taskbar, and then click Task Manager
Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete

Depending on whether your computer running Windows XP Professional is in a workgroup environment or a domain environment and, if it is in a workgroup environment, how the Logon and Logoff Options are configured, you start Task Manager by either pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete or by selecting it.

The Task Manager dialog box shown in Figure 15.8 has four tabs: Applications, Processes, Performance, and Networking.

Figure 15.8 Task Manager dialog box with the Applications tab selected

You can use the options in the Applications tab of the Task Manager dialog box to stop a program from running (End Task), to switch to a program and bring the program into the foreground (Switch To), and to start a program (New Task). At the bottom of the display, Task Manager shows you the number of processes currently running, the CPU usage, and the memory usage.

When the Task Manager is running, Windows XP Professional displays an accurate miniature CPU usage icon on the taskbar. If you point to the icon, Task Manager displays the percentage of processor usage in text format.

Monitoring Processes

The Processes tab in the Task Manager dialog box (see Figure 15.9) lists all processes currently running on your computer that run in their own address space, including all applications and system services. Task Manager also allows you to end processes.

Figure 15.9 Task Manager dialog box showing the Select Columns option

By default, the Processes tab shows you the processes, the users running each process, and the CPU and memory usage for each process that is running. You can add additional performance measures to those shown by default in the Processes tab. To add performance measures, on the View menu, click Select Columns (see Figure 15.9). Table 15.8 describes the columns that are displayed in Task Manager by default and some of the columns that can be added to the Processes tab.

Table 15.8 Processes Tab Columns


Column	Description
Image Name	The name of the process, displayed by default.
PID (Process Identifier)	The numerical identifier assigned to the process while it is running.
User Name	The name of the user that the process is running under, by default.
CPU Usage	The percentage of time the threads of the process used processor since the last update, displayed by default.
CPU Time	The total processor time (in seconds) used by the process since it was started.
Memory Usage	The amount of memory (in kilobytes) used by the process, displayed by default.
Base Priority	Determines the order in which threads are scheduled for the processor. The base priority is not set by the operating system; it is set by the code. You can use Task Manager to change the base priority of processes. To change the base priority of a process, right-click the process and click Set Priority.
I/O Read Bytes	The number of bytes transferred in input/output generated by a process.
I/O Reads	The number of read input/output operations generated by a process.
I/O Write Bytes	The number of bytes written in input/output operations generated by a process.
I/O Writes	The number of write input/output operations generated by a process.
Nonpaged Pool	The amount of memory (in kilobytes) that is used by a process; operating system memory that is never paged (moved from memory) to disk.
Paged Pool	The amount of system-allocated virtual memory (in kilobytes) used by a process; virtual memory that can be paged to diskPaging is the moving of infrequently used data from RAM to the paging file on the hard disk.
Page Faults	The number of times that data had to be retrieved from pagefile on the hard disk for this process because it had been paged out of physical memory.
Peak Memory Usage	The maximum amount of physical memory resident in a process since it started.
Thread Count	The number of threads running in the process.

Monitoring System Performance

You can use the Performance tab in the Task Manager dialog box (see Figure 15.10) to see a dynamic overview of system performance.

Figure 15.10 Task Manager dialog box with the Performance tab selected

Table 15.9 describes the fields that are displayed in Task Manager by default in the Performance tab.

Table 15.9 Performance Tab Fields


Field	Description
CPU Usage	The percentage of time that the processor is running a thread other than the idle thread
CPU Usage History	The percentage of time that the processor is running a thread other than the idle thread shown over time
PF Usage	The amount of virtual memory used (in kilobytes)
Page File	The amount of virtual memory used (in kilobytes) shown over Usage History time
Total: Handles Threads	The number of object handles in the tables of all processes The number of running threads including one idle thread per processor
Processes	The number of active processes, including the idle process
Physical Memory (K): Total	The amount of physical RAM installed in the computer
Available	The amount of physical memory available to processes
System Cache	The amount of physical memory released to the file cache on demand
Commit Charge: Total	The size of virtual memory in use by all processes
Limit	The amount of virtual memory that can be committed to processes without enlarging the paging file
Peak	The maximum amount of virtual memory used in the session
Kernel Memory (K): Total	The sum of the paged and nonpaged memory
Paged	The size of the paged pool allocated to the operating system
Non paged	The size of the nonpaged pool allocated to the operating system

Monitoring Networking

The Networking tab in the Task Manager dialog box lists the adapter name, the network utilization, the link speed, and the state of the connection.

Practice: Using Task Manager

In this practice, you use Task Manager to monitor programs, processes, and system performance. You use Task Manager to start a program and to stop a program. Finally, you add new columns to the Processes tab.

Run the TaskManager file in the Demos folder on the CD-ROM accompanying this book for a demonstration of using Task Manager.

To monitor programs, processes, and system performance

If necessary, log on as Fred or with a user account that is a member of the Administrators group.
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch Task Manager.
What programs are currently running on your system?
Click New Task.
Windows XP Professional displays a Create New Task dialog box.
In the Open text box, type wordpad and click OK.
WordPad should start and be listed as a running application.
Click the Processes tab.
How many processes are running?
On the View menu, click Select Columns.
The Select Columns dialog box appears.
Click Peak Memory Usage, and then click Page Faults. Click OK.
Two new columns, Peak Memory Usage and Page Faults, are added to the Processes tab display. You might need to maximize Task Manager to see all columns.
Click the Performance tab.
What percentage of your CPU's capacity is being used?

Do you think that your CPU could be slowing down the performance on your system?
Click the Applications tab.
Click WordPad and then click End Task.
WordPad closes and is removed from the list of running applications.
Close Task Manager.

Lesson Review

The following questions will help you determine whether you have learned enough to move on to the next lesson. If you have difficulty answering these questions, review the material in this lesson before beginning the next lesson. The answers are in Appendix A, "Questions and Answers."

Which of the following methods can you use to start Task Manager? (Choose all answers that are correct.)
1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Esc
2. Right-click the Desktop and click Task Manager
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc
4. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and, if necessary, click Task Manager
Which of the following tabs can be found in Task Manager? (Choose all answers that are correct.)
1. Networking tab
2. Programs tab
3. Processes tab
4. General tab
What are page faults? Do you think a larger or smaller number of page faults indicate better system performance? Why?
What does CPU usage represent? In general, is system performance better with a high CPU usage value or a low value?

Lesson Summary

You can use Task Manager to monitor applications and processes currently running on your computer, as well as to monitor memory and processor performance and network usage.
You can use the Applications tab of Task Manager to stop a program, switch to a program, and start a program.
After you have scheduled a task to run, you can still modify any of the options or advanced features for the task, including the program to be run.
You can add additional columns to the Processes tab.