| Like most modern operating systems, Windows can | | | | Using the Windows Task Manager |
| run many programs at the same time. Still, unless your | | | | If you are lucky enough to be running Windows 2000 |
| computer has several processors, it can only perform | | | | or Windows XP, terminating processes can be done |
| one task at a time. To solve this problem Windows | | | | with the built-in Task Manager. Although you can only |
| switches rapidly between all running programs, creating | | | | terminate one process at a time and have to guess |
| the illusion of all programs running in parallel. If you have | | | | which processes are important and which ones are |
| ever experienced a crash, however, you probably | | | | just wasting resources, the Windows 2000 Task |
| know that as soon as the switching stops working, all | | | | Manager allows you to terminate almost all processes |
| programs simply stop working. This is because the | | | | including the invisible ones running in the background. If |
| processor gets locked up in one process and stays | | | | you are running Windows 98 or Me, however, the |
| there. | | | | CTRL + ALT + DEL screen will only list visible |
| What is a Process? | | | | processes; and terminating then often takes minutes. |
| While the word "program" refers to the executable | | | | What you really need for this strategy to be efficient is |
| code (the exe file, for example), a process is a | | | | a new Task Manager. |
| program that is being executed. When you start a | | | | Even if you know exactly which programs are installed |
| program in Windows, the executable will be loaded into | | | | on your computer, you can't be sure it hasn't got any |
| RAM. Windows will then add the new process to its | | | | malware. When your PC is infected, it might start |
| internal process list and make sure the process | | | | acting weird, slow down, display pop-ups, etc. Or it |
| receives some CPU time as well as memory and | | | | might not. Malware will just run different processes in |
| other resources. A process can then request any | | | | the background and you will never have a clue until |
| amount of resources from Windows as long as there | | | | something terrible happens. Like all your passwords, |
| are resources left. Windows keeps track of which | | | | bank details and other personal information getting |
| processes are using which resources. As soon as a | | | | stolen. |
| process is closed or terminated, all resources used by | | | | Replacing The Windows Task Manager |
| that process will be returned to Windows and will then | | | | WinTasks from LIUtilities is an easy-to-use task |
| be handed out to other processes. Unlike memory and | | | | manager that replaces the built-in Task Managers in |
| similar resources, CPU time cannot simply be | | | | both Windows 98 and Windows 2000 or XP. Instead |
| requested but is instead shared equally between | | | | of listing processes with the names iexplore.exe, |
| processes. A process can also return the CPU to | | | | msimn.exe or explorer.exe, WinTasks shows |
| Windows before the assigned time slice ends. This is | | | | processes with their real names like Internet Explorer, |
| actually what happens most of the time and is the | | | | Outlook Express or Program Manager. Not only will |
| reason why your CPU usage is not always at 100 %. | | | | this help you decide which processes can be |
| Terminating Processes to Free Up Resources | | | | terminated safely, but it will also help you identify |
| Whenever a process is terminated by the user, all | | | | unwanted background processes quickly and easily. |
| resources used by that process will be released and | | | | WinTasks also includes detailed descriptions of all |
| become available to other processes. If you are | | | | common Windows processes, making it easier than |
| running ten processes on your system, each process | | | | ever before to clean up your system and optimize the |
| might get only 10% of the total hardware resources. If | | | | use of valuable hardware resources. Apart from |
| you have a 1 GHz processor and 64 MB RAM, for | | | | user-friendly names and descriptions, WinTasks shows |
| example, each process might get CPU and memory | | | | you in real time how your resources are being used |
| resources corresponding to a 100 MHz CPU and 6.4 | | | | and can help you find and eliminate resources |
| MB of RAM. This example is, of course, greatly | | | | problems within seconds. The built-in process statistics |
| simplified, and in reality some processes use many | | | | and process scripting language can also be used to |
| more resources than others. Still, because many users | | | | automatically optimize your system for maximum |
| are running 50 processes or more, the amount of | | | | performance. How about a script that automatically |
| resources available to a game or an mp3 player can | | | | terminates unnecessary processes and frees up |
| be considerably smaller than the total hardware | | | | resources whenever a demanding application is |
| resources. What can we do about this problem? As it | | | | started? Thanks to the detailed process statistics and |
| turns out, there is actually a rather simple solution. | | | | logs, you can even go back and inspect the resource |
| Terminate! | | | | usage on your computer during the last 24 hours. |