Well, if I had XP, I reckon my time with this piece might be valuable; otherwise it was a severe waste of my resources (time), so the next time I want to find which piece is gonna hog my resources, I'll look at the heading of the article for the names of the authors, and be certain to walk the other way.
Mr. Mean&Cantankerous
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This article originally had "Windows XP" in the title and somewhere along the way it got shortened to Windows. However, since it does apply mostly to Windows XP, we're going to change the title back to the original.
in your peice you said "One way to find the specific offending program is to use the Task Manager. You can open the Task Manager with the keyboard combination [Ctrl][Shift][Esc]".
Its CTRL-ALT-DEL.
Damn, why should I read this stuff if you can't get this little peice of **** correct?
Its CTRL-ALT-DEL.
Damn, why should I read this stuff if you can't get this little peice of **** correct?
If you take the time to try Ctrl, Shift, Esc you will find that it opens Task Manager. Using CTRL-ALT-DEL involves a second step of clicking on Task Manager to actually open it.
It's not always easy to remember all the keyboard shortcuts to various Win pgms but, if there is enough utility in the target app and I use the shortcut often, it becomes more efficient for me. I usually try new shortcuts before deciding on their utility and easy.
I'd rather hit CTL+SHIFT+ESC than bring up the 3-finger dialog and still have to hit CTL+T or worse yet 'mouse' to open Task Mgr.
As far as the article - there are many data lines generated with 'ALL' selected. It might have been nice to focus on a specific performance object and what constitutes reasonable activity and trends, but also understanding every machine is different.
I will be taking looks at the various parameters and their meanings but the possible details are almost at a software/hardware engineering level.
Another 'tool-to-explore'
I'd rather hit CTL+SHIFT+ESC than bring up the 3-finger dialog and still have to hit CTL+T or worse yet 'mouse' to open Task Mgr.
As far as the article - there are many data lines generated with 'ALL' selected. It might have been nice to focus on a specific performance object and what constitutes reasonable activity and trends, but also understanding every machine is different.
I will be taking looks at the various parameters and their meanings but the possible details are almost at a software/hardware engineering level.
Another 'tool-to-explore'
Ctrl-Shift-Esc does bring up the Task Manager. Try it. Ctrl-Alt-Del will bring up the Shutdown/Restart screen and there also happens to be an option to go to the Task Manager from there.
why then did you use up your valuable resources to post a reply? I clicked on read replies thinking I would find something intelligent.
I for one used this to find out that it was norton antivirus eating up my systems resources like a hungry pirrhana.
I for one used this to find out that it was norton antivirus eating up my systems resources like a hungry pirrhana.
I frequently DO have to chase leaky applications since I administer the servers that host the applications that our inhouse DEV groups create. The particular tools that I use DEFINITELY include Performance Monitor and TaskManager.
My methods generally include, along with the mentioned Memory counters, tracking processes and threads within processes to find the offending component (all within Perfmon). Memory Deltas and Peak from Task Manager extra columns views can be a 'quick' method to try to spot something, but you won't likely find a SLOW leak.
Most people will be intimidated with Perfmon, the counter descriptions aren't generally aimed at the average user. Additionally, bloating of the pagefile, wouldn't, imho, be the concern. A reboot will at least wipe the memory slate clean. System Resource consumption on a server, however, it a crucial problem.
The article appears to be aimed more at novices rather than professional IT folk. If the novice is the target audience, MUCH MUCH more detail is required--not just ALL COUNTERS and watch it. Identify the exact counters, and what they mean and how to spot a trend. Or, at least a reference to a MS article that details the process of identifying memory leaks.
I started with the Windows 2000 Resource Kit, Server Operations Guide, Chapter 5. This document will give you very good methods for memory leak detection as well as other bottleneck detection steps. Very good reading for ANYONE interested in the operations of Perfmon.
BTW, CTRL-SHFT-ESC----Nice!!! Gotta love all the little things about Windows, at least 5 different ways to do ANYTHING.
Bob
My methods generally include, along with the mentioned Memory counters, tracking processes and threads within processes to find the offending component (all within Perfmon). Memory Deltas and Peak from Task Manager extra columns views can be a 'quick' method to try to spot something, but you won't likely find a SLOW leak.
Most people will be intimidated with Perfmon, the counter descriptions aren't generally aimed at the average user. Additionally, bloating of the pagefile, wouldn't, imho, be the concern. A reboot will at least wipe the memory slate clean. System Resource consumption on a server, however, it a crucial problem.
The article appears to be aimed more at novices rather than professional IT folk. If the novice is the target audience, MUCH MUCH more detail is required--not just ALL COUNTERS and watch it. Identify the exact counters, and what they mean and how to spot a trend. Or, at least a reference to a MS article that details the process of identifying memory leaks.
I started with the Windows 2000 Resource Kit, Server Operations Guide, Chapter 5. This document will give you very good methods for memory leak detection as well as other bottleneck detection steps. Very good reading for ANYONE interested in the operations of Perfmon.
BTW, CTRL-SHFT-ESC----Nice!!! Gotta love all the little things about Windows, at least 5 different ways to do ANYTHING.
Bob
I've done it before, I'll likely do it again, I didn't mean to reply to WHY THEN, rather I meant it as a new post and did resubmit at the root. Can you delete a POST if you're the poster?
The article and methods can be applied to virtually any Microsoft OS, and to other OSes as well (given the appropriate tools). Perfmon has been around for many many years and continues in the current 2003 products.
Out of curiosity, "... as a severe waste of my resources (time)..." How much time did it take to read the article and then post a reply? How long to qualify for a MINOR, major, or critical waste of time?
Out of curiosity, "... as a severe waste of my resources (time)..." How much time did it take to read the article and then post a reply? How long to qualify for a MINOR, major, or critical waste of time?
Some administrators have claimed that Windows XP actually has more problems with memory managment and system stability than Windows 2000. If you have deployed and used both Windows XP and Windows 2000, how would you compare them?
I operate two laptops, one with XP; the other 2000 SP4. I prefer the latter for reliable, non-intrusive operation, and for speed.
I have supported hundreds of PC's in organizations as well as home user's boxes. The PC's that have a properly configured and secured 2003 or XP Sp1 version w/ supplemental patches seem to behave nicely.
Windows 2000 with Sp4 and supplemental patches are reliable however, there are numerous exploits in all of the OS's including 2003 server.
Alot of problems that I see are in fact the applications running on the unit regardless of OS that is deployed on the box. I must say that overall in my opinion, XP seems to be the overall winner from a stability and mem management standpoint.
Since the introduction of 2003 Server, I have yet to have a system crash or BSOD - sans the occasional hardware failure(s) that can occur.
Patch management and diligent oversight of MS updates are the key. Do not forget to check with the application software vendors for updates that your business critical apps may require from time to time that may be geared towards a specific OS build.
Windows 2000 with Sp4 and supplemental patches are reliable however, there are numerous exploits in all of the OS's including 2003 server.
Alot of problems that I see are in fact the applications running on the unit regardless of OS that is deployed on the box. I must say that overall in my opinion, XP seems to be the overall winner from a stability and mem management standpoint.
Since the introduction of 2003 Server, I have yet to have a system crash or BSOD - sans the occasional hardware failure(s) that can occur.
Patch management and diligent oversight of MS updates are the key. Do not forget to check with the application software vendors for updates that your business critical apps may require from time to time that may be geared towards a specific OS build.
A complex process, oversimplified.
I frequently DO have to chase leaky applications since I administer the servers that host the applications that our inhouse DEV groups create. The particular tools that I use DEFINITELY include Performance Monitor and TaskManager.
My methods generally include, along with the mentioned Memory counters, tracking processes and threads within processes to find the offending component (all within Perfmon). Memory Deltas and Peak from Task Manager extra columns views can be a 'quick' method to try to spot something, but you won't likely find a SLOW leak.
Most people will be intimidated with Perfmon, the counter descriptions aren't generally aimed at the average user. Additionally, bloating of the pagefile, wouldn't, imho, be the concern. A reboot will at least wipe the memory slate clean. System Resource consumption on a server, however, it a crucial problem.
The article appears to be aimed more at novices rather than professional IT folk. If the novice is the target audience, MUCH MUCH more detail is required--not just ALL COUNTERS and watch it. Identify the exact counters, and what they mean and how to spot a trend. Or, at least a reference to a MS article that details the process of identifying memory leaks.
I started with the Windows 2000 Resource Kit, Server Operations Guide, Chapter 5. This document will give you very good methods for memory leak detection as well as other bottleneck detection steps. Very good reading for ANYONE interested in the operations of Perfmon.
BTW, CTRL-SHFT-ESC----Nice!!! Gotta love all the little things about Windows, at least 5 different ways to do ANYTHING.
Bob
I frequently DO have to chase leaky applications since I administer the servers that host the applications that our inhouse DEV groups create. The particular tools that I use DEFINITELY include Performance Monitor and TaskManager.
My methods generally include, along with the mentioned Memory counters, tracking processes and threads within processes to find the offending component (all within Perfmon). Memory Deltas and Peak from Task Manager extra columns views can be a 'quick' method to try to spot something, but you won't likely find a SLOW leak.
Most people will be intimidated with Perfmon, the counter descriptions aren't generally aimed at the average user. Additionally, bloating of the pagefile, wouldn't, imho, be the concern. A reboot will at least wipe the memory slate clean. System Resource consumption on a server, however, it a crucial problem.
The article appears to be aimed more at novices rather than professional IT folk. If the novice is the target audience, MUCH MUCH more detail is required--not just ALL COUNTERS and watch it. Identify the exact counters, and what they mean and how to spot a trend. Or, at least a reference to a MS article that details the process of identifying memory leaks.
I started with the Windows 2000 Resource Kit, Server Operations Guide, Chapter 5. This document will give you very good methods for memory leak detection as well as other bottleneck detection steps. Very good reading for ANYONE interested in the operations of Perfmon.
BTW, CTRL-SHFT-ESC----Nice!!! Gotta love all the little things about Windows, at least 5 different ways to do ANYTHING.
Bob
It was Explorer. Should I uninstall it? Yeah, not a joke, Explorer made ~600MB swap.
If nothing else I found the tip ... "You can open the Task Manager with the keyboard combination [Ctrl][Shift][Esc]" extremely usefull!
I'm no novice, but I'm not a techie either. And I agree with Spooked's comments that this article is good, but thin. I followed through on every suggestion and was unable to determine how any of these counters reveal if I have a memory leak. I can easily see the memory hogs, but the article needed to have some solid examples or formulas to explain what the reader is looking for.
If ya use [Crtl] [Alt] [Del] it will bring up the Task Manager on the last page viewed.
If that happens to be the Process page then it will open on that page.
Is it not the same as [Ctrl] [Shift] [Esc] ?
If that happens to be the Process page then it will open on that page.
Is it not the same as [Ctrl] [Shift] [Esc] ?
Thanks for the ctrl-shift-esc. I imagine I won't have to wait to long to try it out with a user
Different programs have different memory usage patterns, and most prgrams will use varying amounts that flucuate over time. Therefore, Task Manager is not particularly helpful in finding memory leaks unless you manually track it over time. A true memory leak is cased when allocaed memory is not released after it is no longer in use. IF a process's memory usage continues to grow over time it *may* be a memory leak. To really know for sure, you have to look a trends over time.
So, when I look at what the author has to say, it's not really useful information. It's pretty generic and could have been said in one sentence "If you think you may have memory issues, you could have a look at perfmon and task manager....they might show you something". Obviously, that sentence isn't very informative, and neither was this article.
My Humble Opinion only, of course.
So, when I look at what the author has to say, it's not really useful information. It's pretty generic and could have been said in one sentence "If you think you may have memory issues, you could have a look at perfmon and task manager....they might show you something". Obviously, that sentence isn't very informative, and neither was this article.
My Humble Opinion only, of course.
In Perfmon, look at the Private Bytes conter for all the PROCESS/Private Bytes Counter. Check all the instances, let it run awhile, go back thru all the charted instances, and look for a line that is steadily increasing. You may see two or three of these guys, but one of them is your leaky object....
I just wish I could find a way of taking it into the object to investigate the call that is being made when the memory increases....
This would be da bomb....
I just wish I could find a way of taking it into the object to investigate the call that is being made when the memory increases....
This would be da bomb....
I'm still looking for my memory leak and now I've lost about 5 minutes in the process. But I did learn a couple of XP knowledge points. That's why I'm downloading Linux. MS kills me.
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