Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
Resources
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • Newsletters
  • Resource Library
  • Forums
  • Sponsored
Go Premium
Popular Topics
  • Top Products
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • Accounting
  • CRM
  • Academy
  • Project Management
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • Big Data
  • Tech Jobs
View All Topics
Go Premium
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

Daily Tech Insider

If you can only read one tech story a day, this is it.

TechRepublic TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on X
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on YouTube
  • TechRepublic on Pinterest
  • TechRepublic RSS
Services
  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • Careers
Explore
  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Editorial Policy
  • Legal Terms
  • Privacy Policy
© 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
CLOSE

Create a TechRepublic Account

Get the web's best business technology news, tutorials, reviews, trends, and analysis—in your inbox. Let's start with the basics.

Already registered? Sign In
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

* - indicates required fields

CLOSE

Sign in to TechRepublic

Not a member? Create an account
Use Facebook
Use Linkedin

Lost your password? Request a new password

CLOSE

Reset Password

Please enter your email adress. You will receive an email message with instructions on how to reset your password.

Check your email for a password reset link. If you didn't receive an email don't forgot to check your spam folder, otherwise contact support.

Back to login
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Welcome. Tell us a little bit about you.

This will help us provide you with customized content.

No thanks, continue without
1 Finish Profile
2 Newsletter Preferences
CLOSE

Want to receive more TechRepublic news?

Newsletter Name
Subscribe
Daily Tech Insider
Daily Tech Insider AU
TechRepublic UK
TechRepublic News and Special Offers
TechRepublic News and Special Offers International
Executive Briefing
Innovation Insider
Project Management Insider
Microsoft Weekly
Cloud Insider
Data Insider
Developer Insider
TechRepublic Premium
Apple Weekly
Cybersecurity Insider
Google Weekly
Toggle All
No thanks, continue without

You're All Set

Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye out for a confirmation email from our team. To ensure any newsletters you subscribed to hit your inbox, make sure to add [email protected] to your contacts list.

Back to Home Page
×