Windows Task Manager

  Introduction:The Windows Task Manager is a simple but powerful tool that helps you see and control what is happening on your computer. This handy program give you a gilimpse into the inner working of you computer. You can watch as it loads and unloads programs, get an instant view of programs startting and stopping, and nearly all of it is under your control while it is open.

It doesn't have to be installed. You don't have to download it from a little know website and you don't have to jump through a long list of configurations and settings to get it to work. All that is done for you and it comes will all versions of Microsoft Windows.

  How to start it - Starting task manager is simple because there are multiple ways to start it:

• Pres Ctrl-Alt-Del on your keyboard. Then you will see "Task Manager" in the list of choices
• Press the keys Ctrl-Shift-Esc and the window will open directly.
• Place your mouse onto the task bar, then right click. Next choose "Task Manager" from the menu.
• Windows Key + R opens a window that lets you run programs. Type in "taskmgr" and the "Task Manager" will open

  When the program starts, you computer may slow down abit since it takes a quite of few resources to run it. But, once it is running there is a tab called performance. This is a realtime view of your computer's performance. It is similar to the engine gages in in a car. Our technicians often use Task Manager to check the health of a system they are servicing.

  Diagnostics - If your computer has been running slowly, or freezing or hanging, Task Manager can help you pinpoint the cause. When your computer is misbehaving, open task manager. Then click on the "Processes" tab. This long list is a list of all the programs that are running on the computer. Above the columns are percentages that should be changing as programs run, stop, wait, and restart. Here is a quick check our techs do on nearly every computer we service:

• Click the tab labeled "CPU". Once the column sorts, program listed at the top is currently the most active. - This can be a source of slowness on the computer
• Click the tab labeled "Memory". Once the column sorts, the program taking up the most memory will be listed at the top. - This is often a source of a slow responding computer
• Click the tab labeled "Disk". Once this column sorts, the program making the hard drive work hard will be listed at the top. Things like Antivirus scans, Windows updates, and other program updates can push the usage up past 80%. This always makes your computer slow.

  Quick Fixes - If you have a program that you think could be casuing your computer to run slowly, check it in Task manager. Check the CPU tab, the Memory tab, and the Disk tab. If the percentages are high, and the program causing the problem is NOT a Windows system file, try ending the program. To do this, locate the program in the left hand list under the "Name" column, then highlight the program. Near the bottom, in the right corner of the task manager window is the "End Task" button. Click this once, and the highlighted program should stop running.

  Web Browser Redirects - You may have experienced this after you go to a website, click something (sometimes just going to the site does it), and a warning from a scammer takes over your whole screen. You can't move the mouse, you can't click anywhere and nothing seems to work. This is where Task Manager shines.

• Open task manager using one of the keystroke methods
• Find your web browser in the "Name" column
• Click the web browser once
• Click the "End Task" button in the lower right corner of Task Manager
• If there are many copies of your web browser in the "Name" list, close them all

  This fix will end the offending program and return control of your computer back to you. This is where "Task Manager's" abilities shine. We always run a virus scan on the computer after this fixe. Task Manger is unmatched dealing with these internet annoyances.

  Cautions - Task Manger is a power tool and you can do some harm if it is used improperly. For example, Windows system programs should never be ended, if you are not sure what they do. There is a Windows Task that is always running while you see icons on your desktop. Ending this task will completely blank your screen and leave nothing but the Task Manager showing. Always be cautious when ending a program or service in Task Manager.

  Who Should Use It - Using task manager is definitely not for the occasional user, of the user who isn't comfortably with computers. Support techs use it frequently because of the volume of instant insite it gives. Power users who need to fix, configure, install or adjust programs use it get programs installed and working. Hobbists who need to tune or configure their systems for games and other programs find it in valuable. Windows Task Manager is a valuable tool for improving the performance, health, and tuning of a computer system.