Questions about Task Manager

Topic

New Reply

Loungers

Happy New Year to all.

I have a couple of questions about the Task Manager:

In the “Processes” tab, I see the Image name which I think is the name of the program running. I see WinWord.exe, and its PID is 1660.

Now What is the PID?

Also why would I see WindWord.exe in the list if I already have closed it, and its no longer running? Is that a running list, or a current list?

There are two columns, one is called CPU, and it has a two-digit number that keeps fluctuating, what is that? And the other is the CPU Time, with a time formatted field. Is that the time the particular image has used the CPU, or the time it ran for?

Any place were one can find neat documentation about the Task Manager?

Thanks

Wassim

Reply | Quote

Replies

PID refers to the process ID within the system. It is used by many subsystems to identify a given process, and can also be used to kill tasks, among its other purposes. It is more important from the aspect of the system’s scheduler, which determines which threads get their chance on the CPU based on priority. This is a feature of a true pre-emptive multitasking operating system, such as Windows 2000.

Winword.exe running in the background could be due to Outlook using Wordmail as the editor for email messages, or it could be left over and orphaned, in which case you can kill it. Sometimes, a process does not exit gracefully (or at all).

With regards to CPU, the fluctuating number is the percentage of processor timeslices that the process is taking. An active process will consume more CPU cycles, leading to a higher number. The CPU time is the amount of time that the thread has been active in the list of tasks.

SysInternals has some excellent writing available for free on their website that explains a lot of these things in mind-numbing detail, that would be a great place to start looking for more information.

Reply | Quote

Mark

Wow for a moment I thought you were stalking me , but thanks for the fast response.

I will check SysInternals. I did a Google, and I got some neat hits, like a site dealing with Windows Tips and Tricks, unfortunately, the links did not work, so I’ll have to try again.

Happy New Year to you.

Wassim

Reply | Quote

Stalking? No, that would just be my caffeine catching up with me as I was surfing the Lounge. Lounging at the Speed of Light.

Happy new year to you also!

Reply | Quote

Stalking? No, that would just be my caffeine catching up with me as I was surfing the Lounge. Lounging at the Speed of Light.

Happy new year to you also!

Reply | Quote

Mark

Wow for a moment I thought you were stalking me , but thanks for the fast response.

I will check SysInternals. I did a Google, and I got some neat hits, like a site dealing with Windows Tips and Tricks, unfortunately, the links did not work, so I’ll have to try again.

Happy New Year to you.

Wassim

Reply | Quote

Thanks for good expl. If I have one program that is chronically orphaned, and is sucking significant CPU and I assume that any orphan is by definition going to be doing that if it says it is in the process memory columns –is their a regedit or manuever I can take to stop the chronic behavior? That program is Adobe Reader–whenever I have to use it which is not that infrequent, I know I’m going to have to go to TM and close it there. It doesn’t make a fuss about closing, but some times I forget and am reminded when resources don’t have the spring in their step they should.

SMBP

Reply | Quote

Your first and best bet would be to remove the offending application and reinstall it. There is no cure-all for orphaned processes, you have to isolate the cause(s) on a case by case basis. Reinstalling is a simple step that eliminates a lot of problems.

Reply | Quote

Your first and best bet would be to remove the offending application and reinstall it. There is no cure-all for orphaned processes, you have to isolate the cause(s) on a case by case basis. Reinstalling is a simple step that eliminates a lot of problems.

Reply | Quote

Thanks for good expl. If I have one program that is chronically orphaned, and is sucking significant CPU and I assume that any orphan is by definition going to be doing that if it says it is in the process memory columns –is their a regedit or manuever I can take to stop the chronic behavior? That program is Adobe Reader–whenever I have to use it which is not that infrequent, I know I’m going to have to go to TM and close it there. It doesn’t make a fuss about closing, but some times I forget and am reminded when resources don’t have the spring in their step they should.

SMBP

Reply | Quote