Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products Lists
  • Developer
  • 5G
  • Security
  • Cloud
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Tech & Work
  • Mobility
  • Big Data
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • CES
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Top Products Lists
  • Developer
  • 5G
  • Security
  • Cloud
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Tech & Work
  • Mobility
  • Big Data
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • CES
  • See All Topics
  • Sponsored
  • Newsletters
  • Forums
  • Resource Library
TechRepublic Premium
Join / Sign In
Software

Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

By Brien Posey April 17, 2015, 11:11 AM PDT

Image
1
of 7

Intro
Intro
Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

Introduction

iStockphoto.com/ErikdeGraaf

Introduction

When a Windows system becomes unresponsive, the Task Managerrnis often the go-to tool for figuring out the problem. But as helpful as thernTask Manager can be for tracking down the offending process, a number of otherrntools are available that can provide even more insight into what’s going on.rnThis article lists five tools for monitoring your system processes.

Note: This gallery is also available as an article.

iStockphoto.com/ErikdeGraaf
Microsoft Process Monitor
Microsoft Process Monitor
Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

Microsoft Process Monitor

Microsoft Process Monitor

Forrninstance, it will tell you if a process attempts to read a file or query arnregistry value. This makes Process Monitor an excellent tool for gainingrninsight into what is going on with Windows. Process Monitor is free.

Microsoft Process Explorer
Microsoft Process Explorer
Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

Microsoft Process Explorer

Microsoft Process Explorer

Microsoft Process Explorer is another free component of the Sysinternals collection.rnThere is some overlap in capabilities between Process Monitor and Process Explorer,rnbut the tools were created for different purposes.

Microsoft Process Explorer
Microsoft Process Explorer
Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

Microsoft Process Explorer

Microsoft Process Explorer

Process Explorer has been described as an advanced versionrnof Task Manager. Like Task Manager, it displays all the running processes andrntheir current levels of resource consumption. It also allows you to terminaternprocesses on an as-needed basis. However, Process Explorer goes beyond TaskrnManager in that it displays processes in a hierarchical tree and includes toolsrnfor finding handles and DLLs.

Process Lasso
Process Lasso
Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

Process Lasso

Process Lasso

Process Lasso offers some really cool features, such as thernability to balance processes, park CPU cores, limit process instance counts,rnand configure anti-sleep processes. There is even a game mode that givesrnpreferential treatment to designated processes.

Process Lasso sells for $32.95, but a free 30-day trialrnis available for download.

Process Hacker
Process Hacker
Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

Process Hacker

Process Hacker

Process Hacker includes all the functionality you wouldrnexpect, plus some nice extras. For example, it can verify file signatures andrnsend a message to a user who is running a particular process.

Process Cleaner
Process Cleaner
Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

Process Cleaner

Process Cleaner

I wouldn’t normally recommend a program like this onernbecause it has an amateurish feel to it. However, Process Cleaner couldrnprove to be useful for manually combatting malware infections. The tool isn’trnsomething that I would use every day, but if I needed the ability to immediatelyrnshut down large numbers of potentially infected processes, I would definitelyrngive Process Cleaner a try.

  • Software
  • Account Information

    Share with Your Friends

    Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes

    Your email has been sent

Share: Five handy tools for keeping an eye on system processes
Image of Brien Posey
By Brien Posey
* 1988 - Started teaching myself about computers \ * 1992 - Mainframe programmer for an insurance company \ * 1993 - Network Administrator for a different insurance company \ * 1996 - Author for The Cobb Group \ * 1998 - Network Administrator
  • Account Information

    Contact Brien Posey

    Your message has been sent

  • |
  • See all of Brien's content

TechRepublic Premium

  • TechRepublic Premium

    Guidelines for building security policies

    PURPOSE These guidelines from TechRepublic Premium will help you define the necessary ingredients of a security policy and assist in its proper construction. They’re designed to work hand in hand with the subjective knowledge you have of your company, environment and employees. Using this information, your business can establish new policies or elaborate on those ...

    Published:  March 23, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 24, 2023, 1:00 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Artificial intelligence architect

    PURPOSE Recruiting an Artificial Intelligence Architect with the right combination of technical expertise and experience will require a comprehensive screening process. This Hiring Kit from TechRepublic Premium provides an adjustable framework your business can use to find, recruit and ultimately hire the right person for the job. From the hiring kit: DETERMINING FACTORS, DESIRABLE PERSONALITY ...

    Published:  March 23, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 24, 2023, 1:00 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Autonomous systems engineer

    PURPOSE Hiring the right Autonomous Systems Engineer requires a specific and precise recruitment process, supported by a thorough understanding of the project requirements. This Hiring Kit from TechRepublic Premium provides an adjustable framework your business can use to find, recruit and ultimately hire the right person for the job. From the hiring kit: DETERMINING FACTORS, ...

    Published:  March 23, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 24, 2023, 3:00 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Hiring kit: Application support engineer

    PURPOSE This Hiring Kit: Application Support Engineer from TechRepublic Premium provides an adjustable framework your business can use to find, recruit and ultimately hire the right person for the job. From the hiring kit: DETERMINING FACTORS, DESIRABLE PERSONALITY TRAITS AND SKILLSETS The skillset of successful Application Support Engineers is marked by balancing the technical expertise ...

    Published:  March 23, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT Modified:  March 24, 2023, 5:00 PM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium

Services

  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information

Explore

  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Twitter
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on Flipboard
© 2023 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Property of TechnologyAdvice